A search from P4 Theater's "disturbing" to the "law of action" theory.
Foreword: "The hymns" for action
Every explorer who has tried to understand human behaviour may have a similar, near impossible dream: to find a "spline" that hides behind that seemingly chaotic, improvising, and randomly full of living instruments. We are eager to understand whether, under that innumerable or plentiful melody, we are following some common and decipherable code of creation.
This book is the record of my ten-year journey to try to draw this chorus.
This journey did not start with a quiet library or a clean book fast, but with a "muck" land full of sweat, noise and real human collisions - P4 Theater. In that strange space, which we call the Social Response Kit, I have witnessed time and again the most incredible chemical reaction in human nature: how a group of strangers, in just one hour, have moved from being on guard and alienated to a deep, almost sacred collective resonance; and how an individual who is silent in days and days, under particular circumstances, has broken out of action that even he did not expect.
These moments, like lightning in the night, are short, brilliant and difficult to capture and name by the established theoretical language. Traditional theatrical theory, which is good at analyzing written scripts, does not explain the "production of no script". Mainstream personality psychology, which is good at drawing static "portraits" for individuals, fails to depict the dramatic "conversion" that occurs in their field of presence. These theories, like fine maps of stars, do not explain how a new star was born.
It is in this "doctraction of theory" that a strong impulse was born: we must forge a language that belongs to us, a language that can be faithful to the "process", embraces the "controversial" and finally dares to touch the "generation" of the mysterious kernel.
Actor-Generated Topology was the product of this exercise.
Readers will find that the book presents a theoretical framework that seems bold or even pretentious. It seeks to assert that all complex human actions follow a universal syntax consisting of four dimensions (concept-form-implementation-receiving) and four original energy (architect-teach-player-scrambler). It even pretentiously claims that the syntax can produce 256 unique personality and action prototypes, constituting a "elemental periodic table".
I must be honest that I have always been accompanied by a deep self-doubt in the construction of this theoretical building. I am well aware that any attempt to "codify" the complex symphony of life is necessarily a "absorption of violence" at the risk of "killing" mobile music on the five-line spectrum.
I therefore hope that the reader will not regard this book as a "code" for the ultimate truth, but rather as an invitation. It invites you to use AGT as a set of "locatives" and a set of "practicals", to analyze your own music and that of the world around you, and to see if it helps you understand what you once ignored as "sum" and "opposition".
More importantly, it invited you to become a "constructor". The ultimate purpose of AGT is not to place you in one of the 256 cells, but to give you a new kind of freedom - a freedom to consciously "modify", to "twirl" or even to "rewrite" the subject of your own life by showing you the "default chords" and "customary rhythms" of your instrument.
The book ' s journey is full of continuous dialogue with P4 Theater practice and distant resonance with thinkers like Druze, Lacon and Badio. It is an extremely difficult attempt to build a vulnerable bridge between the "mixed" experience and the "cleanliness" theory.
If this book can eventually provide some inspiration to the reader, it may not come from the perfection of AGT's "column" itself, but rather from the clumsy but sincere belief behind it that we, not passive performers of our own character, are, and deserve to be, authors of our own grammaticals of action.
Let us then turn this score and begin this listening and concubine about action and generation.
He Fa
Part One: Theoretically occurring
4+4
Syntax, vocabulary, popping, dynamics.
Part Two: Events
Quick.
Crisis, threshold space, betrayal, leapfrogging.
Part III Open Subjects
Not finished
Ghosts, bodies, emotions, self-fingerming.
Part IV Appendix
Generate
Periodic table of elements, SJT, test, map
Full Book Outline
Preface: a call for "theoretical singularity"
0.1 Symptoms: Proceeding from P4 Theater's "Red Line Experiment" oppression, confusion and re-establishment of relationships.
Crisis: Traditional theatrical, sociological and psychological theories cannot explain the creative practices of p4.
The purpose of this book is to faithfully document how AGT emerges from the "mixed" of practice and to reflect on the theory itself.
Part I: Emergence of theory - Justice and mechanisms of AGT
Chapter I: Terminology and terminologies for action: lessons learned from practice
1.1 Glossary: Four action modules are extracted from the p4 domain: [A] Architect, [N] Training, [P] Player, [V] Scramber.
1.2 Coordinates: Construct a two-dimensional tension field for "order/disorder" and "intervention/disengage" for four forces.
1.3 Phrase: Four universal dimensions of action are identified from the p4 process.
Chapter II: Tonic coding and dynamics: interpretation of the AGT core mechanism
2.1 Core metaphor: The definition of "personality" as an "operating system" consisting of "nuclear processes" (four dimensions) and "user libraries" (four modules).
2.2 Prototype definition: The definition of 256 capping codes as "dynamic attractions" rather than static types.
2.3 Key variables: Introduction of "5D - Situation E" {rule r, spaces, network n} and its "harmonic/deharmonic" dynamics.
2.4 Core power: Defines "spread-up" as a code rewriting event under the pressure of "spread-out"
Part II: Thesis and Dialogue - The Explanatory Power of AGT
Chapter III: Emergence of events: p4 as an "incident catalyst"
3.1 Crisis Engineering: Analysis of how p4 systematically designs "decoupling" through coding scenario E.
3.2 Threshold space: A state of crisis is defined as a "no-no-no-no-no" suspense zone filled with potential for generation.
3.3 Emergence of events: depicting the emergence of "micro-events" and the birth of an "adventure collaborator" community.
3.4 The birth of the subject: Defines three forms of reaction to events: reaction, betrayal and loyalty.
Chapter IV: Artemistic exhibition: cross-text interpretation of AGT
4.1 Classic text: Analysis of the devastating "decoupling" of the individual code and the situation code by Hamlet.
4.2 Contemporary fables: "Chemical mutation" of system warfare and the main code, analysed in the "Hacking Empire".
4.3 Artistic practice: Analysis of the design of a "multi-reaction vessel" for cross-media narratives in Human Surrender.
Chapter V: Positioning of AGT in the system of theoretical coordinates
5.1 Horizontal dialogue: Compare differences between AGT and the dominant personality theory (MBTI, Big Five, Type IX).
5.2 Vertical dialogue: To explore the resonance of AGT with post-structuralist ideas (ANT, Druze, Lacon, Badio).
Part III: From Theory to the World - Open Research Agenda and Critical Reflection
Chapter 6: "Specific dimensions" of AGT: self-complementation of theory
6.1 Historical archaeology: Placing AGT in its historical and sociocultural soil.
6.2 Physical Demography: Complementing the "body" and emotional dimensions of the syntax of action.
6.3 Positive shift: Introduction of "love" and "joy" as drivers.
Chapter 7: An Open "Research Agenda": Future Application of AGT
7.1 Agenda I: Organization ' s pop-up dynamics.
7.2 Agenda II: Syntax: Post-Human Actors (AI).
7.3 Agenda III: Intercultural linguistics of action
Chapter VIII: Conclusions - Syntax boundaries and "unfinished" ethics
8.1 Self-critical: Examine the three main risks of AGT simplification, decision theory and instrumentalization.
8.2 Ethical protocols: Provide a response to the "triangular cross-certification" operation.
8.3 Final invitation: Encourage readers to move from "discover themselves" to "create themselves".
Part IV: Appendix
A. Prototype survey table 256
B. Examples of AGT-SJT design
C. Analysis of key terms
D. Periodic table of 64 scenarios
Preface: a call for "theoretical singularity"
0.1 Commencement of mud: P4 Theater genre
Imagine a scene where you walk into an office that's 16 square meters, and it's hot. This is a typical P4 Theater "non-fixed site" which, with its physical limitations, pre-empts the preamble of "pression" and "intimacy" for upcoming events. There is no stage, no seat, 20 strangers - a group of recruited "sun participants" - congested together, the smell of sweat in the air and a tense, expected silence. The light is dark, and the only source of sound is an old air conditioner buzz in the corner.
All of a sudden, a woman with no face started to come to you slowly, in a dedicated, silent manner. Her actions were in themselves a violent dismantling of the "fourth wall". Her hands were covered in a fresh red line.
She stopped in front of you, and she looked at you, and she had to tie the line to your wrist.
At this moment, time seems to be stretched. The eyes of everyone around you are on you like a searchlight. All the skilled social scripts in your daily life - smiles, nods, polite refusals - seem to have failed. Because her behavior does not belong to any kind of social grammar you know. Rejection seems to mean a cowardice or lack of cooperation; acceptance means connecting oneself with a completely unknown person, with a physical, unbreakable line and bearing all the unknown consequences that flow from it. Your brain is blank, your heart is beating in the chest. This moment was filled with real social anxiety and choice dilemmas.
This is the core of P4 Theater: the site of a "event Theater". Here again and again, we have witnessed strange connections coming apart. A silent man forced to act by passing a note, a group of strangers who suddenly converged in order to build a meaningless tower, a silent conflict that erupted in an extremely condensed space, all of which seemed to be accidental, chaotic and fraught with the possibility of "failure". However, after countless observations and experiences, a lingering problem began to emerge: Is there some kind of hidden, recurring "grammatic" under this "mix" of cross-media narratives (body, space, rules)? Do those seemingly improvising sequences of action always follow some invisible, intrinsic logic?
0.2 Theoretical "crisis": failure of existing maps
The practice of p4 is like a "theoretical singularity" - a very dense and gravitational existence that, with its own irreducible complexity, forces us to expose its cracks and weaknesses in a theoretical framework that we are accustomed to. When we tried to navigate this strange "New Continent" by using existing "maps", we found that these maps had failed without exception.
The map of traditional theatrical theory is no longer valid here. Its longitude is role, plot and recurrence. At p4, however, there is no stable role, only fluidity; there are no predetermined circumstances, only real time generation; the purpose is not to "recreate" a story, but to "facilitate" a real encounter.
The map of traditional sociology and psychology is no longer valid here. Their coordinates are based on the "location theory" and attempt to locate their solid "structure" or "type" for society or individuals. However, the p4 field is precisely a "anti-structure" laboratory that proves in a near-cruel manner how fragile and plastic it is. Here, action precedes identity and relationships are defined.
The conventional participatory artistic theoretical map is also blurred. While the practice of p4 touches upon social healing and ethical dilemmas, its more central obsession seems to lie in a more pure, near-formatistic exploration of the "generation process" itself. It asks not only "how is participation good" but also a more fundamental question: "How is participation possible? What is the grammatical that is intrinsically repetitious?"
This theoretical "vacuum", drawn up by p4 practice, strongly "calls" for the birth of an entirely new theory created specifically for "generation".
0.3 Posture of the book: a journey of loyalty to the theory of the event
In the face of this call, the book is not intended to provide a new map that is ready, perfect and can be explained once and for all. That would be a betrayal of the spirit of p4 "failure" and "unfinished". On the contrary, the book aims to faithfully document how a theory of its own "event" - that is, the new syntax of Actor-Generated Topology (AGT) - emerges from the traumatic experience with p4 practice with difficulty and contradictions.
As a result, the book is written not as an all-knowing legislator, but as a humble, self-suspecting cartographer. The writing process of this book is itself an inherent, [V-A-P-A] theoretical production practice
It begins with a humble and detailed observation of the confusing practice of p4 [V].
It seeks to create a clear and articulate model of reason for this "mud".
The process was filled with the creative pain of playing [P] with cold theories and live cases.
And ultimately, it must build this theory itself, also as a limited and accidental product, in the light of reflection on [A], and recognize the constant tension between its eternal "incompleteness" and the "mixedness" of the theoretical "purity" and practice.
We invite readers to join us on this journey as "witnesses" to this theoretical event and as "Communities". Because we believe that perhaps the most valuable theories are not those that claim to be perfect, but those that dare to expose their faults and invite readers to join in their construction.
Theory's happening.
4+4
Syntax, vocabulary, popping, dynamics.
Part One: Theory of Emergence - How AGT grew out of the p4 mud
Introduction
Actor-Generated Topology (Actor General Topology, AGT) is not a "airfall" theory born of pure thought. Each of its concepts, deeply rooted in the soil of experience, has grown from the chaos and fertile mud of P4 Theater. Therefore, in order to truly understand the intrinsic logic of AGT, we must first become a "theoretical archaeologist" and return to the scene of its birth, to trace and repeat its "occupying" process.
This section will subvert the traditional theory. Instead of a prior "promulgation" of justice, we will lead our readers into the "high-energy laboratory" of p4 to see for ourselves how the core concept of AGT - four dimensions and four modules - has been "identified", "purified" and "named" step by step in concrete and sensory practice. This is a retrospective journey from experience to theory aimed at laying a solid and unshakeable foundation of experience for AGT, a seemingly abstract edifice.
Chapter I: Glossary and terminologies for action - lessons learned from practice
1.1 P4 Field: a centrifuge for "action force"
To identify the "basic elements" that make up the operation, we need a special "laboratorium", which is capable of carrying out a powerful "separation" from "purification" of the mixed operational tendencies of everyday life, encompassed by custom, protocol and disguise. P4 Theater, as a "social laboratory", is the site of such a cruel and efficient "operational centrifuge".
It forces participants to expose their most fundamental and primitive impulses of action by shunning day-to-day rules and introducing high-intensity social situations. In a decade-long and repeated observation of hundreds of practices, we find that, regardless of how the "rules of the game" change on the ground, the modes of behaviour of the participants, albeit varied, seem to be always a combination of four distinct and conflicting "powers" or "pretences". These "powers", like the four poles of the magnetic field, define the basic field of all operational possibilities.
First force: the impulse to order.
Symptomological observation: at the beginning of any p4 "mix", when most people are still in a state of confusion and confusion, there will always be one or two participants who will not be able to bear such disorder and confusion. Their anxiety is not based on social fear, but rather on a physical discomfort with "structureless" states. They will take the lead, but their actions will not be characterized by improvisation, but rather by a structural attempt. They will carefully read and interpret the rules announced by the organizers and try to find a "best strategy"; they will recommend action to those around them and try to establish an ad hoc "action team"; they will start to sort out propagandistic props and try to give some sort of "order" to a chaotic space. In the "Build a Tower" no-order game, they are those who try to bring you together, discuss the structure of the tower, and assign tasks. In the "red line" experiment, they are those who try to woven a network with a geometry or structural metaphor, not randomly. The core driving force of this force is the transformation of the unknown, potentially threatening "mix" into an understandable, predictable, inherently legal "cosmos". We call it the power of Architects.
Second force: Routine inertia [N] - Discipline strength (NPC)
Symptomological observation: More often, most participants at the initial stage show a cautious, passive look. Their strategy is to seek external certainty. They look closely at the behaviour of others, especially those who look "more confident" or "more like organizers", and then carefully imitate their behaviour patterns. They would strictly, or even somewhat clumsyly, enforce the most prima facie rules announced by the organizers, since "rules" are the only "authority" to be determined at this point in time. They will consciously seek to reconcile with the majority in order to gain a sense of "security" in the community and avoid the social risks associated with "off-the-shelf" behaviour. Those "NPCs" in the field that have been set up to duplicate tasks are the extreme purity of that force - they have completely abandoned their inherent autonomy and become a perfect agent for external rules. The core driving force of this force is to address individual uncertainty by integrating into a larger, existing structure or norm. We have named it the strength of the "Nomothetic/NPC" [N].
Third force: desire to break the rules [P] - Player Power
Symptomological observation: In every p4 situation that seems to be going into stability or silence, there's always a power that will appear like the "disturbing item" and break the balance. The holders of such power seem to have a great, near instinctive enthusiasm for "break the rules" itself. They were the first to try to "play" with a gesture, an eye and even a cough under the rule of "silentness"; when the collective effort to "build a tower" reached a stable structure, they suddenly pulled out of the bottom of a building block and enjoyed the dramaticness of that instant collapse; and they were the participants who dared to challenge the authority of the organizers, to propose a whole new play, and even "failure" itself. Their actions are fraught with risks, improvisation and unpredictability, often irritating the "architects" and disturbing the "teachers". However, it is this force that injects the most critical "viable", "dramatic" and "genetic" dimensions into the entire field. Without it, any system would move towards rigidity and death. The core driving force of this force is to experience life intensity and explore potential boundaries through direct collisions with uncertainty. We call it Player [P] Power.
The fourth force: the observation of distance [V] - the power of the diver
There's also a force, which exists in a more subtle way, but whose influence is equally great. It manifests itself in those who choose to retreat, withdraw and maintain maximum observation distance. They leaned against the wall, with arms and sharp eyes to scan everything on the floor. They are not "non-participation", on the contrary, they are engaged in the most profound way - in information collection and analysis. Like detectives, they try to collide the inner logic of events from the symptoms of chaos; like strategists, they build a complete "field map" in their minds before they go into it, and they advance possibilities. When a "player" acts impulsively, it is the look of a "scramber" that gives it the meaning of "bold" or "brash". Their silence in itself constitutes a powerful social pressure field that forces actors to reflect on their own behaviour. The core drive of this force is to give meaning to unpredictable realities by maintaining cognitive distance and thus gain a sense of control in understanding. We call it "Voyeur" [V] power.
In the "centrifugal machine" at p. 4, it is clear to us that all complex social interactions can be seen as never-ending competition, alliances, transformations and dances between these four original forces of action. They constitute the "basic vocabulary" of the AGT theory and are the starting point for our understanding of all actions.
1.2 Construction of the operational force field: finding coordinates for empirical discovery Yes
In section 1.1, we collected four unique "species" - namely, [A], [N], [P] and [V] - from the strange "rain forest" of p4 as an ecologist. However, the task of science goes beyond classification to reveal the evolutionary relationship between species and their location throughout the ecosystem. To that end, we need to move from an empirical to a theoretical one.
We assert that these four actions, which are observed in practice, are not incidental. They are four corollarys of a logically sound system. The system is a "action field" consisting of two theoretical axes of existence (Ontological Tension Axes) that are vertically linked to each other and are derived from deep philosophical traditions. These two axes represent any conscious presence and, in interacting with the world, must face and negotiate two fundamental choices.
1.2.1 Portraits: Apollo and Dionysos - Order and Concordance in the Genesis
The axis of this system describes the fundamental attitude of actors in the face of the world's "unknown" and "possible". This force is the eternal resonance in the human spirit of the creation of the universe from "none" to "yes", from chaos to order. We use the insights that Friedrich Nietzsche put forward in the birth of the tragedy to define it as the eternal dance of Apollo and Dionysian. This is not only an aesthetic dichotomy, but also a fundamental philosophy about life form and the construction of the world.
The Apollonian Force - the quest for certainty: represents a deep desire for order, form, boundaries, reason and predictability. It stems from a fundamental impulse to counter the chaos of the universe. The core driving force of the actors who hold this power is to give a clear "dream image" of the changing life, as in the case of Apollo, the god of the sun, with the light of reason and the chaos of the world. His/her philosophy of action is "Giving Form": reducing entropy, removing ambiguity and integrating a potentially threatening and uncertain world into a harmonious system that can be understood and controlled. Apollo's strength is a source of inspiration for all legislators, scientists, engineers and classical artists.
The Dionysian Force - Embrace Uncertain: represents a deep desire for chaos, passion, integration, irrationality and risk. It stems from a fundamental impulse to try to return to the original state of life and break individualized cages. The core driving force of actors with such power is to break all forms and boundaries in a drunken obsession, like the wine god Dionysus, and to experience the "suffering and ecstasy" of individual digestion of a collective party. His/her philosophy of action is Breaking Form: to embrace uncertainty proactively and to find creative vitality and new possibilities in risk and chaos. The power of Dionysus is the source of the power of all revolutionaries, mystics, adventurers and romantic artists.
1.2.2 Cross-axis: Inherent and Transversity - Cognitive distance between input and alienation
The cross-axis of this system describes the basic "cognitive distance" taken by actors in their interaction with the world. It is about the sense of the actors to choose between "insinuation" in an event or "above" in an event. We draw on the core concepts of the philosophy of anthropology and existence and define it as the dialectic of innerity and transcendence.
Left / Inner Power (The Force of Immunence - Interference): This end represents a direct, physical, movemental tendency to be on the same plane as the world. The actors with such power, conscious of "internal" the flow of events, reject the dualism of the main object. He/she tends to be part of events and to recognize and change the world through personal participation, direct collisions and physical experience. To him/her, the truth is not elsewhere, but the action is "here and Now". This is the basic gesture of practitioners, fighters and players.
Right / Passivity (The Force of Transcendence - Expulsion): This is a reflection, observational, critical movement away from the world. The actors with this power are conscious of trying to "go beyond" the directness of events and to target the world and place it in the eyes of its analysis. He/she tends to be an analyst of events, building relationships with the world through understanding, interpretation and modelling. For him/her, the truth is not obvious, but needs to be obtained through a step back and through reflection. This is the basic gesture of thinkers, scientists and detectives.
1.2.3 "Acceptance" of the quadrant: systematic extrapolation of mobility
By placing these two vertical axes of tension, which are derived from a deep philosophical tradition, we have been given a logically well-developed "space for action" with four quadrants. Now, the four empirical "powers" we observed at the p4 site have finally found their respective, logical "home"
The power of architects [A] is precisely that of intervening (inherent) seeking certainty (Apolo).
The force of discipline [N] is precisely the force of expansive (excessive) quest for certainty (Apolo).
The player's power [P] is the kind of force that embraces uncertainty (inherent) in an interventionist manner.
The power of the sleeper [V] is precisely the force of an alien (over-sex) embrace of uncertainty.
Through this theory, we are no longer simply saying that "there are these four forces", but are able to assert with confidence that, because human action is bound to choose between the two fundamental dimensions of "order/disorder" and "intervention/exposure", these four basic and original action modules are bound to emerge. Together, they produced a "generation map" of the possibility of human action.
1.3 Flow of the flow of operations: p4 "Procedure exhibition"
In this "centrifugal machine" of the p4 field, we not only identified four original forces of action, but, more importantly, we have repeatedly observed that a complete p4 event, from the beginning to the end, appears to have been carried out in an implicit, circular "discretionary" structure. The radicality of p4 is that it is turning the traditional drama behind the scenes, into a creative process that belongs to different professionals (writers, directors, actors, viewers), all of which is "expanding" and returning it to a unified course of action that can be shared by all participants.
Through our long-term observation of this "publicized" creative process, we have been able to sum up the general "speech structure" - the four dimensions of action - that constitute all conscious actions.
Phase 1: conceptual consultation - the identification of a "conceptal dimension" [I] of a p4 event did not start with light but with recruitment. Recruitment cases, such as "complaint for love failure" or "Human Surrender", are in themselves an open "concept" set-up and consultation. Instead of coding "themes" into complex dramas as traditional dramas, it is nakedly presenting the "why" - the starting point of emotional energy and value judgement - to all potential participants. It obliges everyone who wants to join to have a dialogue with this "concept" before entering the field. This makes it clear that the origin of any sequence of actions is necessarily a conceptual dimension.
Phase II: Experiments in form - Identification of the "form dimension" [II] when participants enter the field, they are not faced with a "vacuum" of free will, but with a framework of "forms" consisting of rules, space layouts and interactive agreements. The practice of p4 is an encyclopedia on "forms". It constantly experimented with possibilities ranging from "silent sprawl" in large plants to "silent sprawl" in 510 offices, from "whole silence" to "you can stop at any time". P4 gives us a clear picture of how the change in "form" - that is, the way to answer "how" action - fundamentally reshapes the course of events and the experience of participants. This allows for a clear appearance of formal dimensions as an indispensable bridge between abstract ideas and specific realities.
Phase III: The emergence of implementation - The identification of the "implementation dimension" [III] takes place only in the specific actions of the participants after the concept has been set up and the form established. P4 frees "execution" powers from the privileges of professional actors and gives them to every "player" present and full of uncertainty. This makes "implementation" no longer a predictable "re-emergence" but an unpredictable "emergence" process full of coincidences, failures, conflicts and euphemisms. It exposes the "what" of action - the "muck"-filled, physical link that directly collides with the "real world".
Phase 4: Internalization of the acceptance - The event identifying the "receiving dimension" [IV]p4 often ends in an incongruent, anticlimate, which refuses to provide a single "mean" or "answer". This deliberate "suspension of meaning" forced the responsibility of "receiving" from the public space of the theatre to the inner world of each participant after leaving the scene. P4 shows us that "receiving" is not a one-off consumption, but a long, private journey. It concerns the "So what" of action, which is the starting point for participants to complete a learning and feedback loop in the course of a counter-argument and integration process and to directly shape the "concept" of their next action. This has brought to the fore the importance of receiving dimensions as the end and new starting point of the cycle of action.
In summary, P4 Theater, by `micro- and `publicizing' the whole process of its creation, has consolidated the functions of the traditional theatre in different professional identities, reverting to a mobile, circular, unified process that can be experienced by all. It's AGT Justice I - that is, any complete, learning and evolving action must follow [concept-form-implementation-receiving] The establishment of this extended cycle structure provides the most immediate and solid basis for practice.
Chapter II: Elaboration of the AGT Core Mechanism
Introduction
In chapter I, like field workers, we are immersed in P4 Theater's "mud" practice, from which we have struggled to "retribut" the basic elements that form the AGT theory: the four dimensions of the operation and the four original action modules. However, a series of unorganized empirical findings cannot yet be called a theory. The birth of theory must be accompanied by a leap from concrete to abstract, risk-filled.
The task of this chapter is to make this leap. We will be frank in opening up the "violence abstract" of practice - the rich, mobile experience of p4 filled with "unspoken things" - into a clear, systematic and necessarily "deficit" theoretical model. We will begin by elaborating on the core mechanism of AGT - "expanding code" - and its core metaphor of "personality as an operating system". We will then accurately identify the concept of the "prototype" of AGT, distinguishing it from traditional static typologies. Next, we will introduce a vital "compensation" for this seemingly purely "psychological" model, introducing a fifth dimension - situation E. And finally, and most crucially, we're going to introduce the "Rocking Up." This core dynamical concept injects time, potential for change into this static map.
2.1 "Personality" as an operating system: a generating core metaphor
In order to better understand the deep-seated meaning of the core mechanism of "expanding coding", we must introduce a strong core metaphor: the understanding of "personality" as a dynamic, modular "operational system".
A two-tiered structure: the accuracy of the kernel process and the user library is reflected in the two-layer structure, which is profoundly identical to the design of modern computer operating systems
The four dimensions are the kernel-level processes of the operating system: the four dimensions of the [concept-form-implementation-receiving], which are immutable, a priori and define the bottom structure that enables the operating system to operate.
The four modules are the User-level Function Library (User-Level Librries): [Academies-Teachers-Teachers-Scrambers], which is the logic of the application layer that defines the unique "style" of the operating system, which is optional, groupable, day after day.
The "trawling code" as a "default procedure" for an actor is the same as the "default procedure" or "large command" that has long been developed by its operating system to deal with these four core processes. The code [A-A-N-N] means that the operating system, when dealing with "concepts" and "forms", defaults to call on the Architects' Library, and on "execution" and "receiving" it defaults on the "regulation" Library. This "default setting" is gradually being "programmed" and "optimal" in the life course of actors through their complex interaction with the world.
Beyond metaphors: A desire-driven "hot" system, while enjoying the clarity of the "operative system" metaphor, must be wary of its inherent mechanical limitations. AGT's "operational system", ultimately a "hot" rather than a "cold" system, is a "longer economy" driven by desires, anxiety and "joissance" in the sense of Lacan.
2.2 AGT prototype as a "dynamic attraction" rather than a "static type"
With a coding mechanism in place, we can generate 256 unique pop codes. We call it 256 prototypes. Here, we must conduct a theoretical and precise analysis of the concept of the "prototype" in AGT.
AGT's "prototype" is a concept derived from dynamic system theory and complex science. It is not a static type that is contained in a "box", but rather a "attractor" defined by a specific pop code in a "phase space" of 256 possibilities.
The prototype is a "centre of gravity" rather than a "cage": it describes a strong "gravity" tendency, not a necessity.
The prototype is "probability" rather than "decisive": it describes the maximum probability distribution area of the mode of action, but does not exclude the possibility of "spreading".
The prototype is "relative" rather than "in isolation": the "nature" of each prototype is fully understood only in relation to other prototypes.
2.3 Fifth dimension: Situation E - "Ecoosphere" of action
Following the creation of a four-dimensional model that depicts the in-house operating system of the actor, we must introduce a vital fifth dimension that completes its theory: Situation E. The aggressive practice of p4 in "unfixed places" is eloquent evidence that no act is presented as a result of a purely internal psychological process. An actor, together with his/her space, the rules followed, the tools used and the others connected, constitutes an indivisible, temporary "action machine".
Using the terminology of Druze and Gatari, as well as the Actors' Networking Theory (ANT), we must recognize that the ultimate unit of our analysis is not an isolated "individual", but a "assembled" (Assemblage) made up of human beings and non-human actors. Therefore, in order to analyse actions accurately, we need to encode not only the "inline" operating systems of the actors, but also the "outside" situations that they embed.
2.3.1 Case E coding syntax: a three-layer polo model
We suggest that a situation E mapping structure can be deconstructed as three basic and coded dimensions of interaction. We distinguish it from individual modules in lowercase letters to emphasize its unique nature as an "external" force.
Rule level (R-Rules): "Software" in symbolic circles
This refers to the symbolic rules in a situation that expressly or implicitly provide for "what is permitted".
r(a) - Constructive Rules (Architectonic): Rules are creative and goal-oriented (e.g., "Our task is to build a tower within an hour").
r(n) - Normative rules (Normative): Rules are maintenanceist, procedural (e.g. "Please raise your hands and follow the proceedings").
r(p) - Rules of the game (Ludic): Rules encourage improvisation and anti-conventional (e.g. "You can do anything, but you cannot use language").
r(v) - Observatory rules (Voyeuristic): Rules require extraction and analysis (e.g. "Your task is to observe and document the mode of interaction of Group A").
Space level (S-Space): "hardware" in the physical world
This refers to the physical expansion and material configuration of the situation, which profoundly and non-verbally affects the physical perception and potential for interaction among actors.
s(a) - Constructive space (Constructed): Space is highly designed and functional (e.g. operating theatre, classroom).
s(n) - Regular space: space is in accordance with social practices (e.g. conference rooms, restaurants).
s(p) - Chaotic: Space is disorderly, open, full of possibilities (e.g. ruins, initial area of p4).
s(v) - Panoptic Space: Space is designed to be easily observed and monitored (e.g., Panoptic Open Prison).
Network level (N-Network): The "power field" of the relationship community
This refers to a pre-established or encouraged pattern of connections between actors in a situation.
n(a) - Hierarchical: Relationships are central, tree-like and there are clear leaders.
n(n) - Decentralized Network (Decentralized): Relationships are based on the division of roles, like an organizational chart.
n(p) - Distributed Network: The relationship is completely equal, point-to-point, stem.
n(v) - Radiological Network (Radial): The relationship is made up of an observed "centre" and a group of "observers".
2.3.2 The core dynamics of AGT: "Top-up-up-up-up-up" and "Top-up-up-up-out"
With the creation of a coding syntax of the situation, we can propose a core dynamic of AGT, which explains the fundamental mechanisms of individual-environment interaction
Topolonic Resonance: When an individual's "default code" matches the code height in his/her situation E, his/her actions will be efficient, comfortable and enhanced. This is a state of "minimum energy consumption". For example, a [A-A-N-N] bureaucracies, in a bureaucratic situation coded E{r(n), s(n), n(a)}, feel "like a fish". His internal operating system is perfectly compatible with the operating system of the outside world, and his actions will appear to be inexhaustible and receive positive feedback from the system.
Topogenic Dissonance: When the individual code is severely mismatched with the situation code, it produces enormous tension, anxiety and energy consumption. This is a "high-energy" state of extreme discomfort. For example, the same [A-A-N-N] bureaucracy is thrown into an E{r(p), s(p), n(p} situation like P4 Theater. Each of his built-in modules is in sharp conflict with every level of the external environment. He would feel uncomfortable because his customary grammatics of action are completely "failed" here. This profound disharmony is the most important triggers of the "climate crisis" and "climate change".
2.4 "Top-up": Code as a consequence of "deharmacy" Heavy Write
With the establishment of the "Big Out" as the core dynamic law of AGT, we can now introduce the most dramatic and potentially transformative core concept of the whole body of theory, the "Top Out" (Topolodical Leap). If "spread out" is the critical state of the system from "heated" to boiling, then "spread out" is the liquid water, the irreversible moment of the gaseous water vapour.
We have provided a more precise and causal final definition of the term "scrambling": It is a non-continuous, fractured, and often unconscious "emergency rewrite" of the internal operating system of an individual code in an irreconcilable "decordance" with the situation code E in order to respond to a survival crisis and re-establish the inherent balance.
2.4.1 Mechanisms for "upscaling": from "nuclear panic" to "non-default recourse"
The "default code" of an actor is like a solid "attractive object". However, when the pressure of "spread out of tune" is so strong that the default code is completely incapable of processing the incoming signal, the inner operating system experiences a "kernel panic" (Kernel Panic). This is the moment, in the subjective experience, of "a blank brain" and "discovery."
In order to avoid a complete collapse of the system, the operating system would force an emergency "non-default program call". That's the micro-mechanism of "trawling". It is not a permanent change of personality, but more like a passenger (non-default module) who has never driven a car has been forced to grab the wheel after the main driver (default module) fainted. This process has the following characteristics
It is irrational: it is often not a deliberate "decision-making" but rather a "decision" that is reflective, intuitive and even convulsive.
It's a high-risk: it's an unskilled module that has a clumsy and unpredictable operational effect and could lead to more serious failures.
It is full of potential: this moment has also revealed profoundly the suppressed potential of the actor, the hidden vulnerability and its "default code" fracture point.
2.4.2 p4 as a "jumping laboratory": a "safe" "crash simulator"
The core function of P4 Theater's radicalization is to systematically induce and observe "scrambling" through the deliberate design and maximization of "decoupling". It's like a "crash simulator" that trains pilots (participants) to manipulate and access those "emergency procedures" they are not familiar with when "automatic driving" (default code) fails by creating a safe (relatively) and manageable "crisis situation E". P4, is a high-energy laboratory that conducts "pressure tests" and "emergency exercises" for our built-in operating systems.
2.4.3 Consequences of the "spread-up": the emergence of the dominant and the new model of "growth"
The consequences of a successful leap forward provide us with an entirely new model for understanding "growth" and "freedom"
The emergence of the subject: in the moment of leaps, the programmed "individual" defined by the "default code" is temporarily dead. Instead, a new subject was born in a decision.
The new model of growth: personal growth, in the AGT perspective, is no longer a linear, knowledge-building process. It is a spiral process driven by a one-time leap forward. Real growth can be defined as the conscious and repeated practice of "spread-up" to enhance the ability to access non-default modules and, ultimately, may even slowly and painstakingly "rewrite" its own default code.
Summary of this chapter: This chapter formalizes AGT from a series of empirical findings into a theoretical model with built-in mechanisms. Through the core metaphor of "operating systems", we set out the rules for the generation of "spread-coding"; through the concept of "dynamic attraction", we gave non-essential, dynamic connotations to the 256 prototype; through the introduction of situation E and its coding syntax, we placed the theory in a broader ecological perspective; and finally, through the core dynamic concept of "spread-up", we injected the possibility of change, growth and revolution into this static map. Thus, the core mechanisms of AGT have been elaborated and we will go into the next section to provide insight into how they work in practice.
(Part I is over)
(To be continued)
He Fa (b. 1990)
Author of cross-media theatre, space narrative researcher.
He Fa graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts (Bachelor) and the American University of California Arts (Master of Arts). His creative core is to explore the intersection of photography, social practice and theatre. Through its long-standing art project, P4 Theater, he focused on the camera as a "human" and embedded it in a mobile performance, working to capture and construct a "third presence" between reality and fiction.
His practice is often seen as a kind of "social alchemistry", which catalyses deep relationships and fundamental mutations between participants by designing "events" in non-target spaces such as ruins, offices and so forth. Its representative, Human Surrender, etc., combines films, dramas and documentaries, surrounds international film festivals and displays a radical aestheticism that treats the "creation process" itself as the ultimate work.