I don’t have a feed if I don’t turn on recommendations.

Well, I use NewPipe for my YT consumption, so I only visit ReVanced when I want to post a comment, so I was quite surprised, but it didn't change anything. Not uaing WiFi, however, changes the way you organise your data usage. I found I barely visited YT, even via newpipe, now that I stick to data only.

Not really, I like what I like because I like it. I no longer binge mindlessly, I just binge mindfully. I'm using Freetube for many years now.

Yes, considerably. Although I still get suggestions through the YouTube app on Apple TV but they are mostly crap anyways.

I'm almost completely off YouTube already and now I find videos annoying and a waste of time.

I watch videos from udemy to learn something though.

i see only one mention of freetube, kinda criminal with how good it is

I've had history turned off for years, like easily a decade. I only get dumb things I don't care about recommended to me, like Madonna videos, as they're taking random stabs in the dark at engaging me. What I do watch on YouTube is drag queens and videos of sovereign citizens being teased, but they never get suggested.