Out of the four categories they show only one needs consent: targeted ads, the others can be fully anonymous. The "essential cookies" can't be disabled, the "analytics" can be fully anonymous, the "personalisation" can be fully anonymous.

People say that but it's not really true. If they just have 1P cookies for basic functionality (login), then I believe there can be a discreet notice at the bottom informing the user of that fact. Groups like IEEE should be the ones pioneering those patterns.

Of course they do. They aren't forced to use cookies that require user consent.

You have been brainwashed successfully

Ummmmm

If they didn't have ads that track me, then they would have no need to ask my permission to use cookies that track me.

There is no requirement so seek permission for other cookies needed to run the website. Quite why some readers of a technical news site (!) are still confused about this is bizzare.

In short, blame the scummy adtech industry. Not the legislation that gives us our privacy.