Why would you assume that a request to rate a 
site would be someone attaching that rating to 
their self-worth?  Personally, I see nothing 
wrong with such a request.  I see the rating 
system as a fast and easy way to get other 
people's feedback on my gallery- when I first 
turned the option on, not many people had voted, 
good or bad, and I just wanted to draw attention 
to the fact that it was possible to vote on my 
site.  It is a totally different thing to obsess 
over the ratings and give them undue importance--
 It's just something for fun.