Surprised why? A culture based around systems with privileged "root" and "admins" was always going to be fundamentally hierarchical. It was an accident of history that the network layer ended up getting developed in locations with a more horizontal culture (which partly explains why our network protocols are so loose and insecure). It took a big, conscious effort (Free Software) to force open at least some elements of it.

Without strong and deliberate efforts to maintain a culture of openness and freedom, IT is a heartless cager of men.