And I just...don't know anyone who does that? Like no one real. Not doing it is basically the default: I'm not a car guy so one day my Toyota is actually 20 years old, for example (though technically I'd bet there's totally an old Toyotas owners club where that's the minimum prestige entry point).

The problem with the sentiment though is that it's usually just used as stealth political lecturing: "you shouldn't worry about politics you'll be happier, let me control politics". Which is the status quo of Putin's Russia and what everyone who wants to control your life would really like from you.

Which of course is the other relevant phrase: you can ignore politics but politics won't ignore you (aka the dragon).

The author of the article also demonstrated a preference: according to certain criteria of moral obligation they decided for themselves that it's better to "do something because you feel like doing it, not because you feel like you have to."

Again, to manifest such preference you have to be the main character and not an NPC.

Only non-NPC can decide to what degree that want to be like an NPC and what meaning they put into it. NPCs don't have ability to put meaning into things or display preference.