There are only *two must have extensions in Firefox:
Beyond that it’s all optional. Most things I used to use extensions to accomplish are now possible to accomplish using Firefox’s built in settings or using uBlock Origin.
There are a few other extensions I use that I consider useful but optional:
I think there is no “we” and there is no “them”
It’s an arbitrary distinction between two groupings that are too broad to meaningfully judge.
There is also no point or honor in judging on its own. If you dislike Greenpeace’s approach, find another approach and devote yourself to it, put your money where your mouth is.
Activism is in reality often a choice between choosing the least worst strategy in a context where you have limited power and control, and any decision you make will alienate someone. Particularly the armchair-sitters who believe they are “in the middle” and who’s only contribution tends to be saying empty things like “I believe in their mission just not their tactics” but don’t put forward a practical strategy of their own. This applies to most activism, particularly direct action.
Some of those alternative “YouTube” apps are not limited to YouTube as a backend/source of content. I don’t recall if it’s freetube, new pipe or both that allow using Peertube and YouTube from the same app, which helps bridge the gap in content / ease the transition from an end user perspective.
What you are feeling is natural and relatable. You need to find a balance and define your threat model.
Privacy maximalism and/or FOSS maximalism etc is natural impulse when you first begin to grasp just how quietly exploitive, invasive, and commoditized the modern internet is. But it also leads to burnout and can be isolating if you are too rigid about it.
Define your threat model, and your priorities. Accept that perfection is not attainable and do the best you can. It’s less overwhelming.
My advice:
I agree with your critique of both the algorithms today and the often relatively low-effort, unoriginal, self-interested, and self-absorbed people that tend to rise to the top of these systems. (While still acknowledging there is a lot of great content as well)
I try my best not to let the Algos shape/direct my viewing.
With respect to YouTube, I:
It’s certainly not a perfect approach, but it does a lot to focus my attention on things I actually care about and minimize the effect the algorithm has on what I see or view.
You seem to be spamming this reply as widely and as often as you can.
Nobody said that… but have fun arguing with your own little straw man.
I think you are falling into whataboutism.
Just because they expressed skepticism of one sides propaganda doesn’t mean they would accept the other side’s propaganda at face value.
Goood god 😮
I think you may have an unhealthy relationship with Extensions. 🙃
Remember that everytime you install an additional extension you are effectively expanding your circle of trust, giving some company or developer privileged access to your browsing. The only extensions vetted for security by Mozilla are the ones with an ‘Recommended’ badge next to the name. Each additional extension increases the risks to your privacy, your security, and just generally increases the potential for issues.
At least some of the extensions on your list are violating your privacy/exist to harvest your personal data, profile you, or sell you things.
That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use extensions at all. But it does mean you should be thoughtful about what you install. Should do your due diligence, look into extensions before you install them, and understand the developers motivations for giving you something for free which costs them time and sometimes money (There are legit reasons but also common malicious reasons). And it means you should be cautious and reluctant to install too many new extensions.
If I were in your shoes with this many extensions, I wouldn’t be asking which individual extensions to get rid of, I’d start with a fresh Firefox profile, configure it roughly like this, get rid of all the extensions except uBlock Origin and Bitwarden and maybe violent monkey if that is something you rely on. And then slowly reads extensions as needed, one at a time, spending time to research it a bit before installing and researching if there is a better way to accomplish it.
With no other extensions Firefox + uBO can be really powerful and flexible, you’ve just got to spend some time learning how to use them. There are a few others on your list that I use also, but I’d say start with the basics and build from there. Also if you feel you need the shopping and deals extensions at least consider putting them in their own profile that you use only for shopping.
Why do you feel this way? The examples of polygamy that I can think of were popularized through religion not in spite of it.
Examples: Islam, Mormonism,
early Judaism and to some degree Christianity permitted it as well.
Yes… Please reread my last comment more slowly… particularly the first two paragraphs.
My impression is that Germany is considered a social democracy. Maybe it is towards the milder end of the spectrum but still fits the definition.
As an outsider I think Germany has got a lot of things right, and found a good balance. Not perfect, but good.
It is, the term for this type of system is called Social Democracy which is not a synonym for socialism, but people (Americans at least) confused and conflate the two terms to the point that they’ve become one and the same in the minds of many people who don’t really understand the terms or their origins.
That is objectively not socialism (any definition of socialism that begins by defining it as a form of capitalism is fundamentally confused)
That said, I’d agree that it is a widespread misunderstanding today. And what people mean when they say socialism is usually actually social democracy (which despite sounding like the word socialism is a mixed system based on capitalism)
Using that misunderstanding as the definition I would definitely live in many of those countries. Many have some of the highest qualities of life in the world, low rates of poverty, universal access to good healthcare and education, and good social mobility.
E.g Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Germany
Define socialism. The original and technically correct definition and the colloquial modern definition are wildly different from one another.
With the exception of a fingerprint reader (which does not have a working Linux driver) I have had an exceptional experience over the last 5 years with Linux (Both Fedora, Ubuntu Gnome and Ubuntu Budgie) and a Dell XPS 9380
What?
uBO absolutely helps against tracking. It is at least half of its reason for existing.
The two primary lists are an (1) an ad block list (2) an anti-tracking list.
And used in medium or hard mode uBO categorically blocks many methods of tracking.
But also, if you use Firefox, this is layered on top of Enhanced tracking protection, blocking of 3p tracking cookies, and total cookie protection (dfpi)