HEAD OVER HEELS

The story of a 21-year-old Chinese gamer from Hunan who committed suicide has gone completely viral on Weibo and beyond this week, generating many discussions. In late April of this year, the young man nicknamed ‘Fat Cat’ (胖猫 Pàng Māo, literally fat or chubby cat), tragically ended his life by jumping into the river near the Chongqing Yangtze River Bridge (重庆长江大桥) following a breakup with his girlfriend. By now, the incident has come to be known as the “Fat Cat Jumping Into the River Incident” (胖猫跳江事件). News of his suicide soon made its rounds on the internet, and some bloggers started looking into what was behind the story. The man’s sister also spoke out through online channels, and numerous chat records between the young man and his girlfriend emerged online. When his girlfriend ended the relationship, despite all of his efforts, he was devastated and took his own life. The story was picked up by various Chinese media outlets, and prominent social and political commentator Hu Xijin also wrote a post about Fat Cat, stating the sad story had made him tear up. As the news spread, it sparked a multitude of hashtags on Weibo, with thousands of netizens pouring out their thoughts and emotions in response to the story. Do not reproduce our content without permission. Copyright (C) https://www.whatsonweibo.com. Read more at: https://www.whatsonweibo.com/the-tragic-story-of-fat-cat-how-a-chinese-gamers-suicide-went-viral/

The main part of this story that is triggering online discussions is how ‘Fat Cat,’ a young man who possessed virtually nothing, managed to provide his girlfriend, who was six years older, with such a significant amount of money – and why he was willing to sacrifice so much in order to do so. The young man reportedly was able to make money by playing video games, specifically by being a so-called ‘booster’ by playing with others and helping them get to a higher level in multiplayer online battle games. According to his sister, he started working as a ‘professional’ video gamer as a means of generating money to satisfy his girlfriend, who allegedly always demanded more. He registered a total of 36 accounts to receive orders to play online games, making 20 yuan per game (about $2.80). Because this consumed all of his time, he barely went out anymore and his social life was dead. In order to save more money, he tried to keep his own expenses as low as possible, and would only get takeout food for himself for no more than 10 yuan ($1,4). His online avatar was an image of a cat saying “I don’t want to eat vegetables, I want to eat McDonald’s.” Glossary: so-called: normally called means: way allegedly: accused, presumably, assumed without proof

The woman in question who he made so many sacrifices for is named Tan Zhu (谭竹), and she soon became the topic of public scrutiny. In one screenshot of a chat conversation between Tan and her boyfriend that leaked online, she claimed she needed money for various things. The two had agreed to get married later in this year. Despite of this, she still broke up with him, driving him to jump off the bridge after transferring his remaining 66,000 RMB (9135 USD) to Tan Zhu. As the story fermented online, Tan Zhu also shared her side of the story. She claimed that she had met ‘Fat Cat’ over two years ago through online gaming and had started a long distance relationship with him. They had actually only met up twice before he moved to Chongqing. She emphasized that financial gain was never a motivating factor in their relationship. Tan additionally asserted that she had previously repaid 130,000 RMB (18,000 USD) to him and that they had reached a settlement agreement shortly before his tragic death. Glossary: Scrutiny: critical observation asserted: assert, argue, claim

Falling in love is a complex emotional and physiological process that involves various parts of the brain. When we fall in love, our brains undergo several changes: Increased Neurotransmitters: Dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin are released in higher quantities. Dopamine is associated with pleasure, reward, and motivation, leading to the "feel-good" sensations of love. Activation of Reward Pathways: The brain's reward system, particularly the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens, becomes highly active. These areas are associated with pleasure and reinforcement, and they play a crucial role in forming romantic attachments. Reduction in Serotonin Levels: Falling in love can lead to decreased serotonin levels, which are associated with obsessive thoughts and behaviors. This can contribute to the intense focus and infatuation experienced in the early stages of romantic love. Increased Cortisol Levels: Initially, cortisol levels rise due to the stress and excitement of new love. This can lead to symptoms such as increased heart rate, sweating, and butterflies in the stomach. Activation of the Prefrontal Cortex: The prefrontal cortex, involved in decision-making and judgment, becomes less active when we're in love. This can lead to a bias towards positive traits in the loved one and a reduced ability to critically evaluate the relationship. Similar to when we consume addictive substance such as cocaine. Attachment Formation: Over time, the brain's attachment system, centered in the hippocampus, becomes activated. This leads to feelings of security and bonding with the loved one.

1. Similar with consuming addictive substance like drugs, when we fall in love, it deactivates the PFC (Pre Frontal Cortex), part of the brain that process logic, judgments. This leads to stupid actions that we sometimes do when we fall in love. 2. In maternal love, the bonding is the same but it includes higher order processes. The cognitive affective regulation in maternal attachment 3. In romantic love, there is a greater desire of wanting and liking behavior. Liking and wanting behavior is part of addiction phenomenon

Watch more on YT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XOudO22l30 shorter video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5CG_vEHrQE