>>13
Wow, man. Thanks for telling your story. I don't know how much of a consolation this is, but you're not alone. You really aren't. I can relate to the things you said very strongly. So much so that I don't even know where to begin. You'll have to forgive me if this response is a bit 'stream of consciousness'.
A little about me: Linux only user, no social media, I encrypt everything, I don't use a smartphone, and I try to be aware of how the technology I use works on at least a basic level. For context, I'm not terribly old, let's say more than 30 less than 40.
I'll quickly touch on 2020 and the events that ensued. I never wore a mask or got the vaccine. A strip of cloth over your mouth is ineffective; this shouldn't be a hot-button political opinion. From my perspective, mask-wearing was simply a statement people wanted to make (the statement being that they are cattle) and I didn't want to participate. And injecting myself with a rushed, government-approved vaccine for a disease that wouldn't put my life at risk (under 40 and healthy) seemed completely unnecessary; this shouldn't be a political opinion either.
I encrypt everything not because I have "something to hide" but because I have a right to privacy; if I died tomorrow I don't want someone reading my private work, looking at my browser history, etc). I technically own a cell phone, but it permanently sits in my vehicle with the battery removed to be used for emergencies only (back in the day when you could find a payphone every 12 feet this wouldn't have been necessary, but payphones don't exist anymore).
I also refuse to be in photos. I don't use social media and want no part of it. A close family member of mine asked for a picture once, so I sent them one via email with the condition that it was for them only, not to be shared or distributed anywhere. You can guess what happened next. I've never sent that person a picture again and never will. It also changed the way I view them permanently; I wasn't vague at all about my desire for privacy. Your "family photos" story really got to me. I get it.
Continued in next post...