Meh, discoverability isn't really as much of a problem as people think it is. Add videos to your Watch Later from your Subscriptions tab, and as YouTubers you like do collaborations or recommendations, you'll discover similar channels. Sometimes you'll find a channel from a creator's website or from a podcast, or from a social media feed you follow (reverse-chrono or most-liked only, please). It's a world-wide web, and as much as companies try to sell you the myth of discoverability-as-a-service, that's just a marketing tool. They need it to push ads and drive retention. You don't need it at all, because the web already does that.

I'm almost entirely off of black-box recommendation algorithms, and I still find new things I like. In fact, my to-watch, to-read, and to-listen queues are too big to handle in a reasonable amount of time. I regularly have to unsubscribe from things I don't like as much anymore or risk getting deluged with too many things I want to see. But the bonus is, I don't get anything I don't want to see.

Write your own algorithm. It's a better life, and it barely takes any more time or effort. Just change your bookmarks and be willing to put in an extra click or two when you want to consume something.

Seconded, the recommendations can help you discover new things, that you didn't even know existed.. that said, I can't stand having someone stalk and monetize your every move.

Just the opposite for me, I disconnected because I'm done with Google, now I want to stay way so the algorithm can't find me. I'll check what I want to check, when I want it.

It's fine tbh, but YouTube is really running out of great contents these days, and you have to constantly check the sources before being gaslighted. I would rather take my pace and search up things when I wanted.

why are people downvoting you for wanting to use the algorithm recommendations?

Same. I have new pipe on my phone but end up using the official app with premium more often.