The world of ASMR

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Category: Technology/Innovations

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. tingle / ˈtɪŋ gəl / (v.) – to have the feeling that several small sharp points are being lightly and quickly pressed on one’s skin
    Example:

    It’s so cold that my fingers are tingling.


  2. crawl / krɔl / (v.) – to have a very uncomfortable feeling because of fear or disgust
    Example:

    The actor’s zombie costume looked so real. It made my skin crawl.


  3. pins and needles / pɪnz ənd ˈnid lz / (idiom) – the feeling of sharp pains in one part of the body, such as an arm or leg, especially after not moving it for a long time
    Example:

    I sat on the floor for so long that I got pins and needles in my leg when I tried to stand up.


  4. huge / hyudʒ / (adj.) – very popular or successful
    Example:

    The band is huge in the US. Their concerts are always sold-out.


  5. beside the point / bɪˈsaɪd ðə pɔɪnt / (idiom) – not important; unrelated to the topic being discussed
    Example:

    I love singing this song on karaoke! I can’t hit all the high notes, but that’s beside the point.


Article

Read the text below.

Have you ever felt like your head or back is tingling? Not like when you see a monster in a horror film and your skin crawls. Not pins and needles. A nice feeling.


People get this tingly feeling when they hear some low-volume sounds. About 10 years ago, someone gave it a name: ASMR.


That stands for autonomous sensory meridian response. What the words mean doesn’t matter. The term sounds scientific but it’s not. The important thing is that many people enjoy listening to ASMR. It’s huge on the internet, especially YouTube.


You can find millions of ASMR videos. YouTubers use expensive microphones to increase the volume of quiet sounds — almost any quiet sound you can imagine. For example, Japanese YouTuber Hatomugi ASMR likes to use ear cleaners. ASMR Mukbang records the sound of her mouth chewing spicy chicken. RaphyTaphyASMR enjoys tapping. These videos get millions of views.


Of course, there are apps for both iPhones and Android phones. Many people use ASMR to help them sleep — that’s a big focus for YouTubers, too. And that’s great as far as it goes. But the best ASMR apps are the games.


Soap Cutting lets you cut a bar of soap with a sharp knife. After a while, you can choose different knives or even create your own bars of soap. You can try to finish the game as fast as you can, but that’s beside the point. The aim of the game is to cut the bars slowly, to savor the sound the soap makes when you slice it.


That’s the best thing about the ASMR apps. It’s not about winning the game. It’s about slowing things down, relaxing and getting rid of stress. And that sure sounds nice. (T)


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • ASMR is huge on the internet, especially YouTube. These videos often get millions of views. Would you like to try making ASMR videos? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • There are various types of ASMR. There are videos that feature people whispering or chewing, while there are also those of people cooking, tapping, or writing. Which of these are you most interested in? Which are you least likely to watch? Why? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Many people use ASMR to help them sleep. Do you think it’s ideal to rely on apps or technology to help one sleep? Why or why not? Is there any technology or app that helps you sleep? Discuss.
  • The article said that the best thing about ASMR games is that they’re not about winning, but slowing things down, relaxing, and getting rid of stress. Do you think having apps like these is important? If you could design a relaxation app, what features would you add (ex. special sound effects, simple breathing exercises)? Discuss.