Xiadie, the girl who made a dazzling appearance in the virtual world with the “quantum sacrifice” technique, her fate is like a symphony of sorrow and joy with the rhythm of quantum mechanics. Every time she “sacrifices”, it is like a gorgeous “self-dissolution”, which is not only a contribution to the team, but also a humorous satire on her own existence. What is “quantum sacrifice”? In short, it is to exchange one’s own life for a momentary team advantage – this is nothing more than a micro-abbreviation of modern people being repeatedly “exploited” and “consumed” in the big social machine.
1. The philosophical metaphor of quantum sacrifice: the banter and anxiety between life and death
Quantum mechanics tells us that particles can be in a superposition state, just like the multiple possibilities of life exist at the same time, and once observed, they instantly “collapse” into a single state. Xiadie’s skills seem to draw on this principle, sacrificing life in exchange for a short-term advantage, and the collapse and rebirth of life are performed alternately, which is an alternative metaphor for the individual’s survival state.
If Qian Zhongshu were alive, he would have written in his unique humorous style: “Quantum sacrifice sounds like ‘quantum self-destruction’, but it is actually a vivid portrayal of the situation of modern people: when life is observed and manipulated by capital and power, individuals are like being in an endless cycle of ‘collapse’ and cannot extricate themselves.”
2. The helplessness and contradiction of individuals in the social machine: both consumed and empowered
Isn’t the story of Xiadie a modern allegory of the “alienated” individuals in society? Her “sacrifice” is both passive consumption and empowerment. Just like a worker who contributes physical strength to the operation of the machine, she is both part of the gear and occasionally gets a moment of glory. But this glory comes at the cost of life, which is actually a humorous and tragic “life satire”.
Qian Zhongshu once said that the human situation is full of “contradictory humor”. Xiadie’s sacrifice is a model of this humor: the empowerment and consumption of life are intertwined, and the joy of victory hides the bitterness of self-destruction. This is just like the “heroes” who work overtime in the modern workplace, who can’t escape the fate of being “sacrificed” after all.
3. The absurd aesthetics of the virtue of sacrifice: a clever critique of modern values
In virtual games, sacrifice is sanctified and is the necessary path to “team victory”. Xiadie is the embodiment of the virtue of sacrifice. However, if Qian Zhongshu saw this scene, he would definitely tease: “If virtue is based on self-annihilation, how is this virtue different from the comedy of tragedy?” This reveals the absurd obsession of modern society with the “spirit of dedication”, which often ignores the true feelings of the victims.
There is nothing wrong with sacrifice. The mistake is that the social machinery normalizes and institutionalizes sacrifice, and even regards it as a noble model. The story of Xiadie reminds us that behind this “virtue” is a humorous and helpless dissolution of the dignity of life.
4. The metaphor of the cycle of life and death in the quantum world and the modern spiritual dilemma
Xiadie’s cyclic resurrection is nothing more than a “quantum reincarnation” on the spiritual level, which reminds people of the spiritual loss and rupture of modern people. She repeatedly “dies and resurrects”, just like modern people who are constantly struggling under pressure and anxiety, but cannot escape the fate of spiritual exhaustion.
In Qian Zhongshu’s writings, the spiritual dilemma of modern people often contains witty irony, and Xiadie is the personification of this dilemma: “Her life is so ‘inconstant’, which reflects the ‘quantum superposition’ of the spiritual state of contemporary people – sometimes bright, sometimes confused, and unable to be fixed.” Behind the humor of this state of life is a deep sense of powerlessness and loneliness.
V. Conclusion: Looking through the dignity of life and the responsibility of the times in humor
Xiadie’s “quantum sacrifice” may seem tragic, but it is a metaphorical cry for the dignity of life. If Qian Zhongshu wrote this article, he would definitely use humor and irony to inspire us to reflect on the alienated individuals in modern society. Sacrifice should not become a mechanical rule, and life should have its irreplaceable dignity.
Just as Xiadie protects her partner with her short life, we should also protect the meaning of each other’s life and examine the responsibility of the times in humor and rationality. Only in this way can we avoid becoming the next “quantum butterfly” that sacrifices silently, and live out true freedom and dignity in this complex world.