I want to be left alone (2024)

Commercialization, Ads, and the Loss of Quiet

• Many commenters resonate with the feeling that life—especially online—is saturated with ads, politics, “influencer crap,” and constant nudging.
• The early internet is remembered as less commercial and less manipulative; some see its current state as a mirror of broader societal decay.
• Parallels are drawn to physical spaces: billboards and big chains vs towns and states that restrict signage or advertising, which people describe as “magical” or more beautiful.

Consent, Notifications, and UX Harassment

• A central theme is consent: users resent interfaces where the only options are “yes” or “later,” and where “no” effectively doesn’t exist.
• Examples range from app tooltips and “guided tours” to “turn on notifications,” newsletter banners, cookie popups, and forced signup flows.
• Several describe modern software and devices as trying to control or nag the user, inverting the “tool” relationship.

Safety Reminders vs Growth-Hacking

• Car maintenance reminders and seatbelt beeps trigger debate:
  • One side: these are safety‑critical on heavy machines and should be hard to ignore.
  • Other side: because the same channels are used for upsells and scams (in cars, planes, appliances, software), the safety signal becomes noise.
• Some argue strongly for separating safety/operational messages from commercial content.

Government, Corporations, and “Being Left Alone”

• A subset tries to map the rant onto anti‑government sentiment; others push back, noting that most nuisances here are corporate, not governmental.
• Several emphasize how much invisible government infrastructure (roads, water, emergency services) people rely on, contrasting that with truly dysfunctional states.
• Others mock the pure “leave me alone” stance as libertarian fantasy that collapses when disaster strikes.

Reminders vs Over‑Communication

• Some appreciate text reminders for appointments and events; others find “confirm/re‑confirm” culture infantilizing or anxiety‑inducing.
• Medical no‑show rates are cited as justification for such confirmations; critics blame systems that cater to the “bottom decile.”

Technology Choices and Defense Tactics

• Positive experiences are reported with systems that stay quiet (e.g., a minimal Linux setup), contrasted with Windows/macOS auto‑updaters, assistants, and surprise apps stealing focus.
• Others note even open‑source ecosystems now accumulate nagging layers (updates, extension popups, cookie walls).
• Coping strategies: disable notifications by default, use DND, alternate OSes, spam filters, throwaway emails, and boycotting pushy brands.

Irony, Social Needs, and Solitude

• Some point out the irony of ending the article with invitations to comment on the Fediverse or via email.
• A few argue nobody posting or reading such a rant truly wants total isolation; the real desire is selective, consensual interaction rather than constant unsolicited engagement.