The hacker seeking a technical solution is, I think, at least in part a consequence of the individualism that's so much a part of especially the Silicon Valley

The hacker seeking a technical solution is, I think, at least in part a consequence of the individualism that's so much a part of especially the Silicon Valley hacking era; along with the libertarian leanings of especially early hacker culture. Seeking change at a societal level is the exact opposite of the hacker's free-wheeling individualism, but it's the only way to actually accomplish change at a societal level. You're right, we'll never change advertising just by running individual ad blockers, and we'll never change privacy controls by trying to mask our identities; that has to happen through laws and larger society. We have to have a right to privacy and freedom from advertising be a thing that everyone wants, the bus driver, the butcher, hair stylist, etc., not just what we can foist on our immediate family and social circle.