What is the gaslighting here? A trend, or the act of pointing out a trend, do not seem like gaslighting to me. At most it seems like bandwagon propaganda or the satire thereof.
For the second paragraph, I agree we (Lemmings) are all pretty against it and we can be echo-chambery about it. You know, like Linux!
But I would also DISagree that we (population of earth) are all against it.
I was going to say that if the workplace is harsh and the IT guy would get fired for telling you, in his place I might not say anything and then immediately apologize. And apparently get blocked with no discussion.
But damn, letting you pay?
And it's kind of irrelevant because you acted as if you already knew anyway, lol.