OP is asking for data that you have collected, not your personal preference.

The preferences of the crowd here are largely irrelevant, as the people that frequent this website are typically not average web users.

Cookies are often used for sessions too, not just tracking. I wish the browser world just tightened up its permissions like the mobile world did.

If a session is required to service a user's explicit request (eg. "add item to basket" but not "track user for ads") then explicit consent isn't required. The user's explicit request is enough. So there's no conflict.

Ah I wasn't aware of that requirement. I thought the pop up was whenever they use cookies for anything (because that is what they make you believe).

If this was the case, we could just build the cookie consent mechanism into browsers

Stuff required for the actual functioning of the site is explicitly exempted in the GDPR. Generally speaking, do not take your information from whoever is selling you something... or is selling you.