> Well it's not like there's any option to deny them. You can only not install the app, unless the app chooses to build for the Android 6 permission system.

On Android 6 or newer you can always deny permissions, even if the app targets older Androids. (Settings -> Apps -> <app> -> Permissions).

Unfortunately, that would make my phone basically pointless. I wouldn't install damn near anything.

Of course you can deny them. After you install the app, just go into settings and deny every permission.

Does not always work because shady apps often check for permissions on boot and refuse to start if i.e. some fart app can't access that contact list of yours "it desperately needs to function properly". Denying permissions only mitigates cases when all permissions are asked due to the lack of proficiency or laziness of app developers not an intended malicious behavior.

I deny contact permissions to apps that don't need to access my contacts. If they can't start without them, they're broken and get uninstalled.