I am giving up on the role-playing aspect in Starfield

When I delved into Starfield, I had already determined the type of character I would embody. I aspired to be a member of the House of Enlightenment, an organized group of atheists who dedicate their lives to charity and the betterment of humanity. I yearned to be a benefactor, safeguarding the innocent without expecting anything in return. It may seem mundane, but I constantly strive to be the virtuous one. I long to assist rather than harm. Fundamentally, it boils down to my desire to live by my principles, even within video games, and in Starfield, this restrains me in a significant manner.

Each of the factions in Starfield unsettles me. I have no desire to align myself with the United Colonies Vanguard because I dislike law enforcement and have no interest in becoming a police officer or involving myself in the peculiar military affairs that the Vanguard deals with. The same sentiment applies to the Freestar Rangers, who essentially function as law enforcement but dress like cowboys. The questline of Ryujin Industries leads one to become a corporate spy, doing everything in their power to keep an already massive company at the top and eliminate competition at any cost. This obviously feels malevolent to me, leaving the only other option as the Crimson Fleet, where I would have to become a murderous pirate. I need not elaborate further on this matter.

Thus far, I have refrained from pursuing any faction quests, for when faced with a choice between four varying degrees of evils, I prefer to choose none. Out of curiosity, I dabbled a bit in the Ryujin quest, but as soon as I realized I would essentially be engaging in corporate espionage to further enrich an already incredibly wealthy and powerful company, I promptly abandoned it. However, I now realize that due to the poor faction options, I am missing out on a significant portion of the game's content. A substantial part of my enjoyment with previous Bethesda games stemmed from exploring different storylines and witnessing how events unfold.

It feels as though I have no choice - my principles hold no value in Starfield. If I desire credits to accomplish anything, I must begin contributing to various factions, each offering their own rewards. More importantly, if I wish to experience the game content beyond the main quest, I have no alternative but to cease doing what my character would naturally do, for the game will not align with my moral beliefs. I must play by the rules of Starfield, which entails engaging in activities I genuinely do not wish to pursue, for it is only then that I can truly witness what Starfield has to offer.

I would like to express that Starfield may be attempting to convey a certain viewpoint, but since I have not played through any of the faction storylines, I cannot confirm it at this moment. I have a slight suspicion (or rather, a faint glimmer of hope) that it is a statement about how humanity, no matter how far we advance in the future, is flawed and will always remain so. Being a bit of a miserable person makes our lives easier, which is why people do it all the time. However, Starfield will not reward me for being a good person, so this last, vague hope is likely entirely unfounded. It simply is not designed for the type of role-playing experience I desire, and it is a shame that I have to let go of that.