Willing, pushing, shoving, urging, steering, strong-arming, using charm, using unspoken bribery, emitting sharp glances of anger – silent and emotional bullying – can all be done, sometimes simultaneously, without saying so much as a single word.
Lovers can do it to each other. (“He gives me ‘that’ look.”) Parents do it to their children. (“Mom, you are using your ‘be quiet’ eyes.”) Children try it with their parents. (“If you don’t give me your phone NOW I am going to throw a tantrum.”)
Whenever one person uses such attempts at modifying the behaviour of another, the target knows it, and will want to resist it, unless there are immediate short-term benefits. Playing along can have desired rewards.
No one likes to have their will, their freedoms, their autonomy messed with…
