Every command consists of momentum and sting. The momentum forces the recipient to act, and to act in accordance with the content of the command; the sting remains behind in him. When a command functions normally and as one expects, there is nothing to be seen of the sting; it is hidden and unsuspected and may only reveal its existence by some faint, scarcely perceptible recalcitrance before the command obeyed.Elias Canetti
About This Quote
A direct order can be forceful and effective if it is given with the right amount of momentum and sting. A person's reaction to an order depends on how he has been conditioned to respond to such orders. If a person has been trained to respond in a particular way, the order will have no effect. The person will not listen or obey. But if the conditioned reaction is absent or weak, the command will cut through and the person will do what he has been trained to do.
Source: Crowds And Power
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