iCloud forgets syncing settings

I don't want icloud. I log into my appleid on my mac and each time I have to turn off all the settings and syncing. Each time it starts doing stuff I didn't ask for. I don't want any syncing. I don't want to be logged in to apple while I'm using my mac.

This is very annoying. Why can't icloud remember what I set the last five times?

Why is apple trying to access my private data on my Mac? Who gave it permission? How would this go in Europe?