Journal

The other day I found a very interesting thing called “Ig Nobel Prizes.” The Ig Nobel Prizes are a parody of the Nobel Prizes. The prizes are given each year in the early October for ten achievements which "first make people laugh, and then make them think". Organized by the scientific humor magazine Annals of Improbable Research (AIR), they are presented by a group that includes genuine Nobel Laureates. And the ceremony takes place at Harvard University's Sanders Theater.

The name of Ig Nobel Prize is a play on the word ignoble and the name "Nobel" after Alfred Nobel. The first Ig Nobels were awarded in 1991. At that time the prizes are for the discoveries "that cannot, or should not, be reproduced". Ten prizes are awarded each year in many categories. The prizes are presented by genuine Nobel laureates. And the ceremony is originally at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but now in Harvard University's Sanders Theater. It contains a number of running jokes. For example, a little girl will repeatedly cries out "Please stop. I'm bored" in a high-pitched voice if speakers go on too long.

Interestingly, in 1995, the Ig Nobel Peace Prize is presented to the Taiwan National Parliament. Because they demonstrate that politicians gain more by punching, kicking and gouging each other than by waging war against other nations.

I think the spirit of Ig Nobel Prize is quite similar to GJ Taiwan. GJ Taiwan is a group of people who rephrase the news in Taiwan in a sarcastic way. For example, this is a piece of news about the coming policy on diet. “The Department of Health is planning to enforce high tax on high-calorie but low-nutrition foods. And the Ministry of Finance says that once the new law is enacted, we should encourage consumers do not choose less-sugar or sugar-free drinks, in order to avoid the suspect of helping company tax evasion.” People who understand the news issue will definitely laugh out. And after the laughs, people might sit back and think what makes it so ridiculous. This is also the goal of giving out Ig Nobel Prizes: "first make people laugh, and then make them think." I like this kind of Parody because it provides laughs but at the same time makes people think more.