Privacy Pleasure
Your 4-Week Journey to Digital Independence
Building digital independence (slowly) in a world where billionaires monetize every click.
Privacy Pleasure: That satisfying feeling when your digital life works as naturally as breathing—sustaining, effortless, and completely yours. It's 100% self-care in a world where billionaires monetize every click.
What Is Privacy Pleasure?
In 2025, where free speech isn't a priority for our leaders:
Privacy =
Your right to breathe freely in digital spaces
- Technology inputs/outputs as simple as a single breath
- Your ability to think and create without being watched
Pleasure =
The satisfying feeling of digital self-care
- Technology that sustains you, not drains you
- That "ahh" moment when technology feels as natural as breathing
Privacy Pleasure = Your digital life working as naturally as breathing—sustaining, effortless, and completely yours
The Key Insight:
Privacy Pleasure becomes your personal act of digital resistance in a controlled world. Every face scan, every prompt, every photo sent to the cloud is data that billionaires are monetizing. When you take control of your digital security, you're refusing to participate in their extraction economy.
Week 1: Password Foundation
Your Personal Act of Digital Resistance
The Big Picture
"Privacy Pleasure" is that satisfying feeling when your digital life works as naturally as breathing—sustaining, effortless, and completely yours. It's 100% self-care in a world where billionaires monetize every click.
The "Gentle Password" Framework
Step 1: Observe
- List your main creative accounts
- Notice where password management causes stress
Step 2: Choose
- Start with your browser's built-in manager
- Consider 1Password for better design
Step 3: Implement
- Start with one important account
- Test: Does it create Privacy Pleasure?
Tool Spotlight: Password Managers
1Password ($3/month)
Beautiful design that creates actual pleasure. Feels like a creative tool because you can keep better notes regarding accounts and even share them easily with teams.
Browser Built-in (Free)
Already integrated into your workflow. Good starting point for basic Privacy Pleasure.
🐍 Key Wisdom: Observe before you judge—understand your current password situation before making changes.
Week 2: ISP & VPN Protection
Hiding Your Browsing from Data Extraction
The Big Picture
Your internet provider logs every site you visit, every search you make, every app you use—then sells this data to advertisers. VPNs aren't perfect, but they're essential harm reduction.
What Your ISP Actually Sees
Without VPN:
- Every website you visit (including full URLs)
- Exact timestamps of when you visit
- How long you stay on each site
- What you search for
- Which apps you use and when
With VPN:
- Your ISP sees encrypted traffic to one server
- They can't see what websites you're visiting
- They can't see your search queries
- Your browsing data stays private
- You maintain full control
The "Gentle VPN" Framework
Step 1: Observe
- What's your current internet speed?
- Which devices do you use most?
- Where do you browse most often?
Step 2: Choose
- ProtonVPN (free tier) for basic protection
- Surfshark ($2.49/month) for comprehensive protection
Step 3: Test
- Install VPN and test with one website
- Does it create Privacy Pleasure or complexity?
Tool Spotlight: VPNs
ProtonVPN (Free)
Free tier available with good privacy policies. Swiss-based with strong privacy laws.
Surfshark ($2.49/month)
Comprehensive protection with unlimited devices. Great value for comprehensive coverage.
🐍 Key Wisdom: Adapt to the tool's true nature—choose VPNs that work with your workflow, not against it.
Week 3: Secure Communication & File Sharing
Encrypted Conversations and Private File Exchange
The Big Picture
When you send messages, share files, or communicate digitally, you're often broadcasting your private information to corporations. Secure communication and file sharing tools encrypt your data end-to-end, ensuring only intended recipients can access your content.
Why This Matters
Traditional Communication:
- Messages stored on company servers
- Files accessible to service providers
- Metadata tracked and sold
- Content scanned by algorithms
- Potential data breaches expose everything
Secure Communication:
- End-to-end encryption
- Only you and recipients can read
- Minimal metadata collection
- Private file sharing
- Control over your digital conversations
Practical Tools
Signal (Free)
End-to-end encrypted messaging. Open source, privacy-focused, and works with your existing phone number.
ProtonMail (Free)
Encrypted email service. Free tier available with strong privacy protections.
ProtonDrive (Free)
End-to-end encrypted cloud storage for file sharing. Free tier available.
Element (Free)
Open-source, decentralized messaging with end-to-end encryption. Great for team communication.
🐍 Key Wisdom: Start where you are. Replace one communication tool at a time. Build Privacy Pleasure gradually.
Week 4: Your Complete System
Integrating All Elements for Digital Independence
The Big Picture
You've built your password foundation, protected your browsing with a VPN, and set up secure communication. Now it's time to integrate everything into a cohesive system that creates lasting Privacy Pleasure.
Your Complete Privacy Pleasure System
🔐 Foundation Layer: Passwords
- Password manager in place
- All important accounts secured
- Two-factor authentication enabled where possible
🌐 Protection Layer: VPN
- VPN installed and active
- Browsing protected from ISP tracking
- Encrypted connection established
💬 Communication Layer: Secure Tools
- Encrypted messaging for sensitive conversations
- Secure file sharing for important documents
- Private email for personal communications
🔄 Maintenance Layer: Ongoing Practices
- Regular security audits
- Updated tools and practices
- Conscious digital choices
Building Your System Gradually
Week 1
Password foundation
Week 2
VPN protection
Week 3
Secure communication
Week 4
Complete integration
🐍 Key Wisdom: The goal isn't perfect security—it's confident creativity. Build your system gradually, test each element, and create Privacy Pleasure that sustains you long-term.
The Deep Why: The Class War Reality
Ultimate Privacy Pleasure comes from seeing CEOs for who they are and what they're selling in this class war.
Every face scan, every prompt, every photo sent to the cloud is data that billionaires are monetizing. They're building surveillance systems to extract value from your life.
The Root of Privacy Pleasure: Your data is their profit. When you take control of your digital security, you're refusing to participate in their extraction economy.
This isn't paranoia—it is awareness.
Why I'm Urging Everyone Off Meta & OpenAI
The Micro Tech Bubble Reality
Meta and OpenAI are building unsustainable systems. When these bubbles burst, you'll want your own Privacy Pleasure foundation ALREADY IN PLACE.
Start Building Independence Now:
- Get off Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp)
- Reduce dependence on OpenAI products
- Build your own secure systems
This isn't fear-mongering—it is preparation.
My Privacy Pleasure Discovery
When my father-in-law passed away last year, my mother-in-law's index card password system completely failed her. I set her up with 1Password, and something clicked with HOW I SEE TECHNOLOGY.
The Core of Privacy Pleasure:
Technology inputs and outputs are as simple—and as complex—as a single breath. You breathe in (input), you breathe out (output). That's it. But that breath sustains everything.
Privacy Pleasure is 100% self-care. It's the difference between technology that drains you and technology that sustains you. When my mother-in-law could access her accounts without stress, she got her confidence back.
The goal isn't perfect security—it is confident creativity.
Further Reading
If you're ready to explore the philosophy and practice of Privacy Pleasure more deeply, here are meaningful starting points:
Jenny Odell – How to Do Nothing
A luminous reflection on attention, resistance, and the art of reclaiming your time and focus from digital demands, and my top recommended non-fiction book.
Mozilla Foundation – "Privacy Not Included"
A regularly updated guide that reviews everyday apps and devices based on how well they respect your privacy.
Creative Commons – "The Ethics of Openness"
A thoughtful exploration of how sharing and open technology can coexist with ethical responsibility and user autonomy.
1Password Blog & Learning Center
Practical, beautifully designed guides to help make password security effortless, not stressful.
Privacy Guides
A trusted, community-driven hub for VPN, browser, and messaging recommendations to help you build your own privacy ecosystem.
Electronic Frontier Foundation – "ISP Privacy"
Comprehensive resources on how ISPs track you and your legal rights to data privacy under CCPA and GDPR.
Privacy Guides – VPN Recommendations
Community-vetted analysis of VPN providers, focusing on privacy policies, jurisdiction, and technical implementation.
Tor Project
Learn about the browser I use for maximum privacy when researching sensitive topics, and how onion routing works.
Signal – Private Messenger
Open source, privacy-focused messaging with end-to-end encryption. Works with your existing phone number.
Proton – Secure Email, Drive, and VPN
Swiss-based encrypted email, cloud storage, and VPN services with strong privacy protections. Free tiers available.
Element – Decentralized Communication
Open-source, decentralized messaging with end-to-end encryption. Great for team communication and private conversations.