I'm right with you on the toilet seat licking! I'd argue the vaccine offers inoculation without the same risks as being infected. Inoculation through the vaccine can lead to herd immunity in a safer way. We still don't understand the long term effects of either, but in the short term the vaccine hasn't produced the same severe symptoms normal exposure can. With that there is a benefit for many.
On that note, we still don't understand what causes the greatly varied symptoms and immune responses we have seen. For me, this is a cause for concern. For herd immunity to work everyone still has a job to do in building an immune response. For me, the safest way is through vaccination. Just need to hole up for a few more months.