Staying within the bounds of acceptable modern society requires our understanding of the difference between loyalty and obedience.

“We, researchers in general, were doing a lot of anticipatory obedience,” Abramoff said.

Timothy Snyder, who is a leading historian of fascism and the author of “On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century”, explained the logic of “anticipatory obedience” to The Guardian in the following way:

Beyond territorial expansion, Trumpov had one other Christmas wish: congressional obedience.

People who prefer obedience over curiosity, independence or consideration tend to have authoritarian personalities.