What's your issue with the lightening network and privacy?
Have you looked into Fedi and e-cash? Which is another layer above the lightening network.
Here's a great pod to watch to get further down the bitcoin rabbit hole.
Trust me as someone in bitcoin and crypto for over 12 years, there isn't any other crypto as money that is worth looking at. Bitcoin is a protocol, and protocols are winner takes all, just like TCP/IP for the internet. Any other needed features like privacy have to get build on top of it, and that is what is happening.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z71sOLsZpkI