You signal continuously. You are always communicating, whether you intend to or not.
These signals travel simultaneously across multiple channels — physical (posture, gesture, facial expression), vocal (tone, pace, volume), spatial (where you are relative to your partner, how much room you take up), and temporal (when you respond, how long you pause). They can contradict each other, which is itself a signal. Even standing silently in the corner trying to think of a good line, you are broadcasting something — usually panic, boredom, or judgment. There is no "off" state in live interaction. Silence is a signal. Stillness is a signal. The absence of action is itself an action.
The most persistent of these signals is status. Every interaction continuously broadcasts relative dominance and submission through posture, eye contact, spatial claim, and vocal register. Johnstone built an entire framework on this observation: status is not a role you choose but a signal you emit, moment to moment, whether you know it or not.
The dangerous corollary: error is observer-dependent and perception is interpretive. What you think you're signaling might not be what your partner is receiving. You might be standing there thinking "I'm looking deep and thoughtful." Your partner might see "he is angry and hates my idea."
Since you can't stop the scene to clarify (because time advances irreversibly), that misinterpretation becomes the operative reality of the scene. If they react to your anger, you are angry now — whether you intended it or not. The signal, once received, is as real as any deliberate offer. There is no appeal court in live interaction.
But continuous signaling is not only a minefield — it is the entire engine of play. Skilled improvisers read and send signals with such fluency that the gap between intention and reception narrows toward zero. The craft is not to stop signaling accidentally (you can't) but to make your signals so clear and committed that they require no decoding. This is what Be Honest and Be Simple serve at the behavioral level.
This law means you cannot opt out of participation. You can only choose between conscious signaling and unconscious signaling. The principles are a framework for making your signals intentional.