Since Simon.Proctor has posted his views above, I think I'll post mine as a kind of counterpoint.

I can see times when it's well-worth Friar+'s approving their own nodes, but such times are few and far between and with the number of Friar+'s about now it shouldn't be too tricky to get another to approve it quickly.

Removing the ability to affect your own nodes does make sense, and I don't think the interface issue is too great to be honest. Just include a bit explaining that you can't affect your own nodes in the introduction to Consideration texts and all will be good. What if someone hasn't read these? Well, in that case should they really be approving any nodes let along their own?

I am now a Friar, I've still not read the approval, consideration instructions and so on. I intend to before I do any approval or consideration, but for now I feel I'm still too new here to really do anything like this.

So far I haven't yet posted any root nodes whatsoever, but when I do I intend not to approve my own. I see it as standing up in a meeting and proposing a motion, then sitting down, then standing up again and seconding it.

If the node is good it will run without you repeatedly hitting it with the stick.