“To get people to move from their defensive positions, you must always make it seem like what they are doing is of their own free will.”

The Laws of Human Nature, Chapter 7, The Law of Defensiveness

Throughout life, we are driven by the belief that our choices are our own.

If we join a group, or believe something, or buy a product, we are entirely convinced it is because we choose to do so.

The truth might be that we were manipulated or succumbed to peer pressure, but we will tell ourselves otherwise.

If we ever feel consciously coerced—as in having to obey a boss, or similar—we either tell ourselves we have chosen to obey, or we deeply resent being manipulated and forced to act against our will.

In the latter case, we might outwardly smile and obey, but we will eventually find a way to secretly rebel.

Beyond the semantics of specific circumstances, at all times we feel the need to continually express and assert our free will.

This inclination towards freedom and autonomy is simply part of our human nature, and we will defend it with impressive intensity if it happens to be questioned.

This psychological reality is crucial to understanding influence.