I think it's also fair to apply that tolerance to the team level: letting teams exist that require pairing. And teams that never pair. And everything in between

I think it's also fair to apply that tolerance to the team level: letting teams exist that require pairing. And teams that never pair. And everything in between. That is, the parent point, should not be used as an argument against there existing teams with team-level pairing standards or expectations. If we get to the point where it is hard to find a non-pairing team, then maybe we revisit this. But given the diversity of people on this topic, that seems extremely unlikely. The justification on teams that require pairing should be a non-judgmental "that's just how we do it here. For now." And people who have strong preferences should be able to ask about it interviews.