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Someone said he was not a fan of self-patronage. I was wondering, what does that mean? I have looked up the meaning of patronage.

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Here's a link to an article on Net about this topic: Patronage and Self-Patronage. – Bill Franke Feb 1 at 3:50

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Adj. 1. patronising - (used of behavior or attitude) characteristic of those who treat others with condescension arch, condescending, patronizing superior - of or characteristic of high rank or importance; "a superior ruler"

Self-patronising = patronising one-self:

The prime minister said, "I realise we need better leadership in the prime minister's office, but yawl would have to make do with whatever talent is currently available."

Sometimes, giving praise to oneself, where the praise becomes a circular joke and consequently actually degrades oneself - therefore normally spoken in deliberate self-deprecation:

There aren't many talented young women available in this village. Therefore, I am availing myself and my experiences to solve the problems, since I am one such woman.

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What does "one feel superior to oneself" mean? – Tim Feb 1 at 4:01
Here, it probably is less about feeling superior but more about projecting inferiority upon the target by the protagonist. In this case, projecting inferiority upon oneself would probably be more apt. One conjuring the role of an invisible superior character to critique oneself. – Blessed Geek Feb 1 at 4:10
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I don't think that "patronage" and "patronizing" are equivalent here. "Patronage" is financial and political support from someone rich and powerful; "self-patronage" is self-support, as testified to in the link I provide in my comment above. Even the overly modest do not "patronize" themselves. – Bill Franke Feb 1 at 4:47
Does "self-addressed" envelope actually make any sense? I mean, how could an envelope be addressed to itself? So is self-patronage as decoupled in meaning from patronage. – Blessed Geek Feb 1 at 5:01
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There are two possible meanings of patronise which could be relevant here...

1: speak to or behave towards someone as if they are stupid or not important
2: do business with; be a customer or client of; assume sponsorship of

Obviously for purely semantic reasons, it's a little unusual to use either sense reflexively in respect of one's own self. But to the extent they are used, there are two equally valid derivative forms...

a: self-patronising (rarely, self-patronization)
b: self-patronage

As can be seen by glancing through the citations for each of the above, #a is normally used with sense #1, and #b with sense #2. But we're at the margins of established/accepted usage here, and it would be pedantic to say using them the other way around was "incorrect". All you can really say is these are the most common ways the two senses are distinguished...

1 self-patronising - belittling oneself, self-deprecation, [false] modesty.
2 self-patronage - assuming responsibility for sponsoring/promoting/funding one's own efforts.

Without further context, I therefore suggest #2 embodies the meaning in OP's usage.

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