Rat Race——職場競賽

** a stressful, competitive work life -- chasing money and status -- that leaves people exhausted and trapped

~~ 激烈／殘酷／無止境／你死我活的競爭；對權力／成功／名望／財富的激烈爭奪

~~ severe/fierce/cut-throat/endless competition; competitive struggle/rush

!! The term "rat race" comes from laboratory rats competing in mazes for food or escape -- running frantically, going in circles, and exhausting themselves without real progress. By the mid-20th century, the image became a metaphor for stressful white-collar careers: long hours, chasing money and status, yet feeling trapped and unfulfilled.

“老鼠賽跑”一詞源於實驗室老鼠在迷宮中爭奪食物或逃脫的場景——狂奔亂竄、原地打轉、筋疲力竭卻毫無進展。到二十世紀中期，這意象成為壓力龐大的白領職場生涯的隱喻：工時長、追逐金錢與地位，卻感被困住且空虛。

>> South Korea is trying to reduce its notorious rat race by capping private tutoring and promoting merit-based hiring.

韓國正試圖透過限制私人補習和推廣擇優錄用，減緩其惡名昭彰的激烈職場競賽。

學勤教育中心英語專科導師 李啟文 教授