Posted by Luke in In television, they have a saying for when the show ‘breaks the fourth wall’ or involves the audience in the entertainment. The following clip is from Ferris Bueller:
This technique breaks down the relationship between the audience and the viewer. Filmmaker David Lynch does this too but he breaks the brain (sounds out sorry):
Although what he is saying comes from transcendental meditation, which I am iffy on, he makes a very good point and this is what I consider breaking the fourth wall to be. The fourth wall is the assumption that we are watching a movie or being entertained, or doing what we should. Breaking that wall is breaking the assumptions that hold the illusions together. You can create fancy ideas about innovation, leadership and management but you can also challenge what is known and why it’s known to make new temporary patterns in knowledge. Why would you want to do this?
Breaking old patterns Making New Ideas = Synthesis and (New) Creations
Breaking the fourth wall is hard work. It makes you the enemy of bosses, clients, managers and investors. It’s a risk but the reward is worth it. Of course it doesn’t always work does it? Some ideas fail. Nevertheless in the on-going pursuit of ideas and learning you can suffer worse than not to try. I should know I have spent the last three years not trying. If you try you may succeed. New creations and synthesis of old ideas can help, but breaking the fourth wall is hard work.
Think of the some key examples of our time. Apple did with the iPod and then the iPhone and then the iPad (no they didn’t). I have been very blessed to have been working with someone who has broken my fourth wall constantly. I have learned a great deal from this experience and it’s something I won’t ever forget… except for the un-lecture we did. Yet, I am still proud to say that we did that… it was breaking the fourth wall. What fourth walls do you have? Are they worth breaking? If so they do it, if not then do it and see what happens. We need more creativity and joy in this blue ball of ours because at the moment it’s run by efficiency minded nano adminobots.
My challenge is to keep doing this in my teaching, research, service and other work. I am truly committed to breaking this wall. Even though I don’t know it.
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