I don't use google for search. I don't have a gmail address. I avoid non https sites. You don't have to explain any of that to me. I'm using a VPN right now.
To make an analogy, if the phone company was wiretapping everybody and used voice software to look for keywords and then targeted ads at us, people would be going insane. This is very similar, but hardly anyone is educated on these issues.
Here's a lesson for everybody: when services (Google, Facebook) are free, you are the product.