I went through a similar process recently mostly by hand and found the same result. After blocking negative vibes, my only "subs" were intentionally "wholesome" subs like animals/feel good news etc.

>also revealed how boring it is without the kind of algorithmic reaction seeking content.

I also found this but realized this is a good thing(!) if your goal is to reduce Reddit usage.

That being said, a little negativity might be warranted in order to be a part of the discussion. Otherwise you're just opting out completely.