Steve is a blank canvas, even more devoid of autonomy than, say, Link. Even though Link never speaks or expresses ideas of his own, one can get an idea of what he's like based on certain clues given in the games, and we know at the very least that he's a classic hero who sacrifices himself for the common good.
Steve is a pure avatar, if he has his own name just because even objects have one. Steve is everything the player wants him to be, hero, explorer, slaver, exploiter... and there will never be a conflict; contrary to Link, who cannot stop being a hero.
My point is that, in my opinion, a hero must have his own character and autonomy, however minimal it may be, so that one can see in them an ideal to which to point to (Link's bravery, Sonic's love of freedom, etc.).
I think it is a fetish when it becomes the central and most important part of sexual attraction. If I as a Latino only see attractive, let's say, Asians women, and I only focus on Asians women and I'm only looking to date Asians women, I'm ferichizing them.
(And just in case, no, I don't have an obsession with Asians women. I find Latinas and Black women more attractive).
Does my doppelganger have the same tastes as me? If not, then only the real me would walk around with Amy Rose and/or Sonamy (Sonic x Amy Rose) wallpapers on all his devices without the slightest hint of shame or embarrassment.
If he has the same taste, then we'll play SoulCalibur 3 together.
Shit dude, too bad you went through all that, luckily it's in the past. I hope you are in a better situation now and maybe you have found or will find someone who really treats you as you deserve.
That's why my recommendations are chronological. You start with at least the best of the beginning so you dive head first into the best of the present (if any).
I know that the advertising problem is just the tip of the iceberg. My observation is in how it seems to me that this antagonism between the Human experience vs. advertisers seems to be the first active front in a more generalized class war.
Some time ago I thought of something: one day they will invent some bullshit that maybe they will call "Proactive Advertising", which is basically that instead of advertising a product, they will force you to buy it in order to continue enjoying a service. "Buy a Coke for 20 minutes without ads. Buy a Six pack for one hour" and so on.
Recently I've become more aware of how intrusive traditional advertising methods are: billboards everywhere, radio commercials interrupting the music, etc. It's incredible how immersed we are in that crap and how most of us don't realize it.
Damn, you're right. I forgot about him.