Mute
Your ability to stop responding, even when provoked. Not about listening, but choosing silence as a control.
Christina Whismer and the Basketball Ultimatum
Mute was Christina Whismer's default setting when faced with authority or conflict. When Isabelle gave her the basketball ultimatum, Christina went silent instead of responding or advocating for herself. She stayed muted even though losing basketball devastated her, and this pattern of silence continued for thirty years until she finally spoke up during the confrontation.