I mean, from a parenting perspective which is kind of the role that Apple seems to be claiming over its user, it's super diminishing. Your whole argument is basically "users are too dumb to deal with freedom". How is that an appropriate argument? We let people vote for a reason, freedom is not something that can be taken away just like that.
This issue to me is much more than just "oh, it's privacy" it's an issue on our fundamental rights of ownership and freedom to do with our devices what we want. The reality here is that Apple has captured the mobile market in the most lucrative country on earth (the USA) and they're ruling over people like a lord on its serf.
And to follow up on what you've said, you can already side load apps on Android and you don't really see any of that which you mention? People aren't saying Samsungs are "insecure garbage" as far as I know. More freedom is a good thing, these devices cost hundreds of dollars; they're computing devices why not treat them just like computers. Do you see people saying macbooks are "insecure garbage" because I don't? And you can install all kinds of apps on it, even from "untrusted" developers.