@amszmidt @civodul @janneke @slothrop @nobody @anthk

baffling because you see your contradiction that my question leads to, or because you don't really get it?

there's nothing authoritarian about a person, an organization, or any group really wishing to remain loyal to their values and principles.

it doesn't matter how much third parties ask or demand or scream or make things up to push the person/org/group to do otherwise.

you don't have a say on what I am going to have for lunch, and if you did, you'd be the authoritarian, not me, for striving to retain my autonomy.

your argument is entirely fallacious.

just like you can choose whom to listen to and trust WRT decisions pertaining to yourself, so can any person, organization and group. that's not authoritarian, that's autonomy and self-direction.

when someone cannot respect that, and tries to force others to do as they bid, that's authoritarian. it's the opposite of accepting that others can and will stick to their own values and principles if they wish, without being swayed by outsider's opinions when they conflict with those values and principles.