This is a fundamental point. The two aspects are linked, of course: hard to accept rules in which you have no input.
The EEA is an (imperfect) example of a way in which non EU states can follow EU rules in some areas while retaining some input/room for manoeuvre (through the EFTA Court, consultation, and implementation mechanisms).
Teresa May and Nick Timothy’s uninformed and autocratic rejection of exploring that option or a similar relationship is a major factor in the divisive car crash that Brexit has become.
But if you refuse to accept the disciplines of EU law, and the role of the ECJ or EFTA Court, “alignment” gets you nowhere: because no one can be sure that you actually are aligning.
