To keep it short the reason why some people are ok with authoritarianism is because most structures that we deal with on a daily basis are authoritarian.
Here is evidence that shows a significant amount of people are ok with authoritarianism:
This should be concerning.
And the thing is that it makes sense once you look at what are the most common systems that people interact with the most.
A clear example would be the Boss-Worker relationship. The boss creates a set of objectives/tasks for the worker and the worker sees them out. Rarely does the worker get the chance to set the higher level direction of what they are supposed to be doing with their time leaving them obedient to the boss and their demands.
Another example would be some Parent-Child relationships. Some parents treat their children as people that should show absolute respect towards them just because they are the parents not because they have something that is of value to the child (experience).
Even in the places where we do make democratic decisions those are usually made in ways that are supposed to be supplemental to authoritative decision making. An example would be how we don’t vote on decisions but instead how we vote on others to make decisions for us.
Once you add up all the experiences that someone has throughout their whole life you will see that most of them come into direct contact with authoritarian systems which means it makes that kind of way of thinking familiar and therefore acceptable.
Unlike democracy which is an abstract concept and something we only really experience from time to time.
If we want people to actually stop thinking authoritarianism is ok then we as a society are gonna have to stop using these kinds of systems / ways of thinking in our daily lives.
Not only are most structures authoritarian, but most of the loudest “democracies” are not.
If you’re American and championing for freedom and democracy, you’re a hypocrite. You live under an oligarch style of authorianism. Look at the very well done Princeton study that showed percent of population for or against a certain idea versus the percent probability a law in the favour of the populous would he passed. In an ideal democracy, representative by the people, if 25% want X, then it should have a 25% chance of passing. If 75% want Y, it should have a 75% chance of passing. A 1 to 1 linear relationship would be ideal democracy.
In the USA, the probability of passing a law is 30%. That doesn’t make sense, it’s not a function, it’s a value! I hear anyone with sense say. That’s because it isn’t a function. If you are 90% of the population by mostly wealth, what you want or don’t want has zero affect on the outcome of law. Not a little bit, or a relational amount. Zero. You have no voice.
If you are in the top 10%, you fare better. Once it gets to being popular, it has a good chance of passing. On the low end it’s about the same.
Authoritarianism is a label America pushes upon other governments that it can’t control as well. They just function for a different purpose.
I know most people here won’t understand it because the American propaganda is strong. But next time you’re alone with your thoughts, give it a think. How much of a voice do you really have? All these freedoms you supposedly have, do you really have them? Spoiler alert, you don’t.