Yes, you pay your own sub, you 'can' play however you like. But when 'playing how you want' translates to negatively impacting the group, you lose that right.
My response to people who have used this to defend their actions ("I pay my sub") is simply: "So does everyone else". In short, it is one of the most nonsensical defences anyone can use when trying to justify any action, however good or bad it is. You pay yours? Great. So do I, so why do I have to suffer you if you're playing like an arthritic snail mashing a keyboard? Do what you want in the open world where you aren't effecting anyone, but in group content (where EVERYONE is paying their subscription), you lose the right to use it to defend poor play or idiocy, because everyone is now effecting everyone else's 'sub'.

Boggles my mind how many people I've seen posting "I pay my sub", and who genuinely believe it actually means something.