2024 The 8th GwangHwaMun Intl. Space-out Competition https://www.spaceoutcompetition.com/copy-of-7th-tokyo-2023-1 Apply : 8th MAY, 2024 ~15th MAY, 2024(until midnight) Announcement : 20th, MAY 2024 / Final 80 teams announced(Present on social media and contact individually) Date of the event : 26th(SUN) May, 2024 Venue : The lawn in front of Gwanghwamun The "staring contest" competition began with the aim of challenging the modern societal notion that doing nothing is backward or worthless. Contestants in the competition are required to maintain a vacant state without speaking or engaging in any actions for a duration of 90 minutes, while adopting a relaxed posture. They will be disqualified if they check their mobile phones, doze off, laugh, chatter, sing, dance, or consume any food other than beverages provided by the organizers. Any behavior that contradicts the common sense of staring blankly will also result in disqualification. https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25163942 "Staring into space," or entering a state of mindlessness without any specific thoughts, is a newly coined term not yet included in the Standard Korean Dictionary. Some even provide a "scientific" explanation for such mindlessness. When one remains vacant or doesn't engage in any particular thoughts, the inhibition of other peripheral thoughts weakens, allowing creativity to manifest. https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25163942 In 2001, American neuroscientist Dr. Marcus Raichle discovered through PET scans that specific areas of the brain become busy when subjects close their eyes and enter a state of mindless staring. Scientifically termed as the 'Default Mode Network (DMN),' this network shines when one is in a state of non-stimulated thoughtlessness. Conversely, the activity of this neural network, seen as the driving force behind "creative ideation," diminishes when performing mundane cognitive tasks. The discovery of this hotly debated neural network in the scientific community overturned the conventional wisdom that 'the brain reacts to stimuli.' https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25245354 Professor Shin Dong-won, author of "Stare Away!" and professor of psychiatry at Sungkyunkwan University Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, also states, "During moments of staring into space, areas such as the inner temporal lobe, inner frontal lobe, and posterior cingulate cortex, collectively known as the 'Default Mode Network,' are activated. "The brain rests when there's no stimulation but inhibits DMN activity and activates brain areas necessary for tasks when something needs to be done. However, during conversations, on buses, or even while lying down watching TV, modern individuals fail to allocate time for DMN activation due to the overwhelming influx of information from various digital devices such as smartphones. "Staring off" now serves as a break to process previously accepted information and serves as a processing time to accept new information. A brain with processing time improves information transmission compared to before, facilitates the transition from short-term to long-term memory, and sometimes leads to experiencing sudden realizations, known as 'Eureka moments.' According to the interview, the reason for creating the staring contest was personal experience with burnout syndrome. The creator felt anxious when not busy and realized many people around them also lived lives where they couldn't sit still. They wanted to challenge the fear of pausing and give value to the act of staring off by turning it into a competition. #StareOffChallenge #SpaceoutCompetition #광화문 #HanRiver #SeoulFriendshipFestival #GwangHwaMun #멍때리기 #멍때리기대회 #한강 #서울 All rights reserved Stay14 Bespoke
