logoalt Hacker News

immibisyesterday at 2:47 AM1 replyview on HN

Is it authoritarian to stop other people from being authoritarians?


Replies

ternyesterday at 6:34 AM

If I make a product and I don't specifically help you do certain things with it, is that authoritarian?

Regardless, we're talking about products here—"authoritarian" is a word reserved to situations where the threat of force is involved.

In this specific example, forcing a company to do something is authoritarian (because they will be fined or jailed if they do not comply with the rules). Corporations are not, as a rule, authoritarian—they may, however, do things that are not to your benefit or liking.

show 1 reply