a lot of the arguments against third-party voting are arguments against voting in general.

Maybe. But with the system in place a vote for a third-party candidate is effectively an abstention. I think you’re right that they’re more politically considerate and wanting to make a difference. It’s the desire to make a difference and effectively abstaining that seems incongruous.

If you voted according to your values, you voted well.

Exactly. And while I agree, I also live somewhere that uses a variety of ranked choice voting for some elections.

If someone truly wants to vote their values they should also have some understanding of how their voting system works.

If a vote for the candidate you believe in results in your least preferred candidate getting ahead, shouldn’t you consider a compromise vote to get a candidate closer to your values in power?