Why do you need a "leader that leads" for a subreddit?

As for grandstanding, that may well be the case if that's what the membership wants - in which case I would argue that it is precisely what they should get. But also, does it really matter if you can just opt out from moderators you don't like?

> Under such a system, no leader will ever lead

That's the whole point. It elects spokespersons, not leaders. It's a wonderful idea.

It's terrible. Peer pressure, eg popularity contests, are the cause of most of this world's ills!

Do you realize that on the Internet people can move to a different community if they don't like the BDFL-style mods?

Besides, you are precisely claiming that dictatorships are better than democracies.

Read carefully. I said no such thing.