I'm reminded of a quote from something related to nonviolent communication I read. It went something like: "You cannot make someone do anything - you can only m

I'm reminded of a quote from something related to nonviolent communication I read. It went something like: "You cannot make someone do anything - you can only make them regret not doing what you want. And soon, you'll find they they have ways to make you regret making them regret not doing what you want." My parents were also huge fans of the operant conditioning style. They definitely wanted to have convenient kids that fed their "I'm a good parent" ego. When I got bored and tired of school in my early teens, this caused a significant amount of conflict. I basically decided that the level of punishment they were in fact willing to inflict was my better than paying the escalating costs of keeping them happy with me. I ended up spending a week in my room reading books with no access to things they were actually willing to take from me. They were wisely unwilling to cross the line into actual abuse - no withholding food, physical punishment, etc. It was pretty much just limited to angry lectures that I dissociated through and waiting around with books in my room. And since they had some empathy and "punish me until I improve" wasn't working, they blinked first and let up. Anyhow, I guess my point is that this sort of thing would have been completely unacceptable to childhood-me. It would have done little other than provoke reactance. Like this: >“Hey, buttholes!” he said. “Why don’t you leave us alone?” >At first, nothing happened. Then there was a crackle of static, followed by a voice on the other end. “That’s a strike,” it said. I'd have asked for another strike, and reiterated my request to be left alone. What could they do that's both not child abuse and worse than the constant surveillance? Depending on the specific context, my followup would've probably been physically destroying the cameras.