At an unusual event, a group of people gather and sit together without interacting or checking their phones. Instead, they concentrate on nothing at all and empty their minds for the Space-Out Competition. Originally proposed by South Korean artist Woopsyang in 2014, this event is a form of performance art. It challenges the social expectation to remain constantly busy in this fast-paced world, offering competitors a pause from their routines.
For 90 minutes, players are scored on how well they “space out” based on artistic and technical aspects, with their heart rates monitored every 15 minutes. Then, the audience votes for the most appealing performance. Among the top ten selected, whoever can keep the most stable heart rate is declared the winner. Since players are forbidden to speak throughout the competition, they must rely on cards of different colors for communication. Using these cards, players can signal needs, emergencies, or the desire to withdraw.
Capturing global interest, the Space-Out Competition has been held in different cities since its inception. In fact, the fifth one took place in Taipei in 2017. In 2023, a student at National Chengchi University hosted a campus version of the event as well. As the competition continues to expand, it promotes the idea that people should learn to enjoy the luxury of idle moments from time to time.
Photo: Freepik 照片：Freepik提供
在一個不同尋常的活動中，一群人聚集在一起，彼此不互動，也不查看手機。他們只是專注於什麼都不做，讓自己的心靈放空，參加發呆大賽。這項活動最初由韓國藝術家Woopsyang於2014年提出，是一種表演藝術。它挑戰了在這個快節奏的世界中人們要時刻保持忙碌的社會期望，讓參賽者能從日常例行公事中暫停片刻。
90分鐘的比賽中，參賽者根據藝術和技術方面的表現被評分，每15分鐘監測一次他們的心率。隨後，觀眾票選出最具吸引力的表演。票選前十名中，誰能保持最穩定的心率，誰就是冠軍。由於比賽過程中禁止說話，參賽者必須依靠不同顏色的卡片來溝通。透過這些卡片，參賽者可以表達需求、緊急情況或希望退出。
發呆大賽自創辦以來，已在多個城市舉辦，吸引了全球的關注。事實上，第五屆比賽就曾在2017年於臺北舉行。2023年，國立政治大學的一名學生在校園內也舉辦了這項活動。隨著比賽的持續擴展，它提倡人們應該學會時不時就來享受一下發呆片刻的奢侈。
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inception n. 起始
KEY VOCABULARY
1. interact vi. 交流；相互作用
During the workshop, participants had the chance to interact and share information about environmental protection.
工作坊期間，參與者有機會能交流並分享關於環保的資訊。
2. constantly adv. 總是；不斷地
Connie constantly checks her phone for updates on the latest news.
康妮不斷地查看手機是否有最新消息更新。
3. pause n. 暫停
After a long pause, Harvey finally answered the difficult question with confidence.
在一陣時間很長的停頓之後，哈維終於自信地回答了這個難題。
4. artistic adj. 藝術的；有藝術天分的
Lewis’ artistic approach to photography captures the essence of everyday moments beautifully.
路易對攝影的藝術表現方式優美地捕捉了日常的精彩片刻。
5. stable adj. 穩定的
The economy showed signs of recovery, indicating a more stable financial future.
經濟有復甦跡象，顯示未來財政趨於穩定。
6. promote vt. 提倡；鼓勵；推廣
The speaker urged everyone to promote the ideas of equality and justice.
講者呼籲大家去提倡平等與正義的理念。
7. idle adj. 無所事事的；空閒的
Jenny will never let an idle moment pass without diving into a good book.
珍妮從不會浪費一刻空閒時間不去讀本好書。
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