Since we're talking about martial arts, a reasonable expectation of a situation is one in which one party wants everything - your money, for example. I wonder if a selfless act would be effective in this situation?
Well, the original analogy was much less martial than that, but in such a case, I would agree even the best communication has its limits, particularly when the other person is effectively deaf, willfully so or otherwise. Perhaps in a more martial setting, O Sensei would be the one making the Admiral shave the rind before then making the admiral plop orange wedges into his mouth...
while smiling devilishly of course!