In general, I am not a fan of the updated design, but I'm not seeing the same behavior. I have everything muted (no notifications, badges, or sounds) except for key channels and direct mentions. In the desktop app I stay focused on the Home tab so that my channels and DMs are right where I want. I ignore the new "Activity" modal and just glance at the sidebar to see what's lit up.
In general, I am not a fan of the updated design, but I'm not seeing the same behavior. I have everything muted (no notifications, badges, or sounds) except for key channels and direct mentions. In the desktop app I stay focused on the Home tab so that my channels and DMs are right where I want. I ignore the new "Activity" modal and just glance at the sidebar to see what's lit up.