What kind of un-wise camera cant perform the basic record function without staring at it the whole time?

I had turned continuous off because it seemed to be preventing me from doing timelapses, by keeping the card full
I have turned it back on and there is no green stripe. There is nothing to view, anywhere

Also, this seems to have been a problem/issue/change that has been needed for over 5 years, as I’m not the first

I forget the term, but this isnt natural. Maybe it’s a generational thing (I’m a millenial). For me, if I want to start recording right now, until whenever.. i press the record button. And I expect to b able to hit the stop whenever I want. THEN decide to download that clip to my phone if I want.
As I understand it now, this record button isnt telling my camera to record, but is instead recording the live view to my phone, which FINALLY makes this active app thing make sense.
That’s not the intent of me and this other person