Does it actually matter whether you flirt with someone or not in order for them to (potentially) develop feelings for you? A lot of people have told me it’s intrinsic, as in “If they like you, they like you.” So you should just treat the person you’re interested in like you would any other person.
So if it all comes down to connection and looks, doesn’t that make flirting a bit redundant?
Edit: To clarify, I see flirting as banter to make sexual/romantic intentions known.
A lot of people have low self esteem and/or don’t see themselves as attractive. Their perception of themselves isn’t always obvious, either. Flirting with them can give them that “nudge” they need to act on their feelings.
Precisely, flirting signals to someone else that you’re potentially attracted to them.
If they’ve written you off as a potential romantic partner for whatever reason (they assume you’d never be interested, they thought you had a partner, they thought you were only ever going to be just friends, etc), then that signal can cause them to start considering you as a romantic option.