Sure, that's fair. In the real world there are a lot of developers who want to be told what to do, or need to be told what to do because they lack business domain knowledge. A defined methodology like SAFe allows large enterprises to move forward at a steady pace and get some productive work out of those people.
The reality is that in some domains there just aren't many developers who are highly motivated, self directed, and thoroughly understand customer needs. Those people just aren't widely available in the labor market regardless of wages or working conditions. So if management doesn't impose a fairly strict methodology then then the program will collapse.
I'd make a separate case that learned helplessness is a reversible thing, and more highly motivated and self directed devs can be grown.
But leadership has to incentivize not just being a ticket monkey, and needs to mindfully empower people. You can't just flip a switch in a feature factory and say "fly my pretties, be free!"
Sure, that's also fair. But it takes a long time to turn culture around. And in the meantime the company has to continue shipping releases to customers or else they run out of cash and everyone gets laid off.
> developers who are highly motivated, self directed, and thoroughly understand customer needs
Why would someone with these qualities work for someone else?