Gitalogy

Gitalogy originates from the Chinese proverb “宁做鸡头，不做凤尾” — literally “better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix,” equivalent to “better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond.” The theory presented here is based on the author’s observations of big fish, small fish, and those aspiring to become big fish.

Abstract

The author’s PhD journey was markedly different from pre-PhD life in terms of smoothness. Specifically, the author’s pre-PhD academic trajectory was relatively smooth (i.e., was a gital — the head of the chicken), whereas the PhD publication experience was rocky and tortuous (i.e., became the opposite — a gipig, a.k.a. the chicken’s rear end).

Based on observations of outstanding (and not-so-outstanding) colleagues, self-reflection, and systematic thinking, I attempt to construct a theory about being a big fish, competition, effort, and mindset. This theory applies broadly to students, workers, and society at large. I hope it provides some intellectual nourishment—and entertainment over coffee—for anyone struggling on the path to gital-hood.

Terminology

Disclaimer: All descriptions here are qualitative, with no rigorous quantitative research. English terminology is used for precision after initial Chinese explanations.

The Gi Model

The entire population under discussion is metaphorized as a chicken $G$. The Gi can be viewed as the set of all entities within the scope of discussion. For example, all students in a class form a Gi, all students in a lab form a Gi, and all nations on Earth could also form a Gi.

Gital (Big Fish / Chicken Head)

• Definition: Entities that rank near the top within a Gi, according to some universal evaluation criterion.
• Example 1: Students in the top 20% of a class by grades. The criterion here is academic performance.
• Example 2: Students in a lab with the most publications.
• Explanation: Fundamentally, being a gital means constructing a total order on the Gi set. The ordering is the so-called universal standard.
• Gitals often possess privileges they don’t realize they have. They carry certain “Gi properties.”

Gipig (Small Fish / Chicken’s Rear)

• Definition: Analogous to gital, but at the opposite end of the ordering.

Gitalize (verb)

• Definition: To (attempt to) achieve a higher rank within a Gi.
• Explanation: This maps to the Chinese concept of “鸡娃” (tiger parenting) and “内卷” (rat race/involution). However, both terms carry negative connotations, whereas “gitalize” itself is neutral.
• Description: Abstractly, gitalization is a binary relation involving two roles:
• Extension: We generally use the noun form, gitalization, to describe the process.

Gitalizee

• Definition: The entity being pushed (or pushing itself) to achieve a higher rank.

Gitalizer

• Definition: The entity demanding that another entity achieve a higher rank.

Note: A special case exists where the gitalizer and gitalizee are the same entity. This is called self-gitalization, and it is permitted within gitalogy.

Theoretical Framework

The Universal Gitalization Hypothesis

• Gitalogy rests on a fundamental assumption (or axiom): all entities wish to become gital within their Gi model.

More formally: all elements in set $G$ have a self-gitalization relation. For convenience, unless otherwise specified, if an entity has only one gitalizer (itself), we don’t consider it a gitalized entity.

Lemma: Cage-free Gital

• Every gital who was never gitalized is called a cage-free gital, and they cannot realize gitalization.

This is fairly intuitive. When someone has never been pushed by others and has always been on top, they’re genuinely unaware that gitalization exists as a phenomenon. Maintaining gital status feels entirely natural.

There are actually two cases here: closed world and open world. Many gitals are merely closed-world gitals.

Closed-World Gital

The Gi set of a closed-world gital is small. Naturally, becoming a gital in a small pond is much easier.

Open-World Gital

The open world expands the discussion to the real world. Due to its complexity, not all entities participate in the total ordering—so we extract only those who do, forming an open-world Gi set. Obviously, becoming an open-world gital is much harder.

On a deeper level, the real world is a collection of partial orders. An implicit assumption of gitalization is converting real-world partial orders into a clean total order to form a sortable Gi set.

Theorem 1: Earlier Non-gital, or Always Gital

If an entity wants to understand gitalogy, it’s best to experience not being a gital early on. Due to the Universal Gitalization Hypothesis, entities in a Gi set are motivated to understand gitalogy—it helps them become gital.

A special case: some entities remain gital their entire existence. This is extremely rare; the cage-free gital is one example.

For humans: since lifespans are finite, understanding gitalogy earlier helps one become gital sooner. But if a cage-free gital becomes a gipig late in life, the consequences can be devastating. Consider the cases of students at elite universities who succumb to the pressure.

Theorem 2: Gitalizee Identifies Gitalizer

• Once an entity has been gitalized and understands gitalogy, it gains the ability to identify gitalizers within the Gi set.

This is a fascinating observation. Many people who have been gitalized can subsequently spot gitalizers. This parallels recognizing manipulation in workplaces or relationships. While it takes time to realize you’re being manipulated, once you do, you can easily spot manipulators. (Note: gitalization ≠ manipulation.)

Observed Phenomena

Anti-gitalization

A very rare property, typically found in contrarian personalities. These entities are nearly immune to gitalization and may even disrupt the established ordering within a Gi set. This behavior is also called degital.

Pseudo-gital

• Not actually a gital, but believes they have gital privileges.
• While true gitals are unaware of their Gi properties, pseudo-gitals intentionally or forcefully gitalize others, becoming a source of toxic gitalization.

Tutorial for Gitalizees

When being gitalized (intentionally or not), the only way for a gitalizee to escape the narrative is: know your position, focus on what you need to do, and don’t fall into the self-justification trap.

Many people who lose their gital status automatically enter a defensive-offensive mode, desperately trying to prove they’re still on top—taking shortcuts, ignoring natural laws. This may yield short-term gital privileges, but at the cost of health, life balance, or other important things. This hormone-driven sprint is unsustainable. Conversely, steady habits that seem to yield modest short-term returns are what truly build real capability. Facing your gitalized self amid insecurity requires tremendous courage.