A Tamagotchi is a digital pet requiring continuous care: feeding, playing, attention. The device dies if neglected—emptied of energy, becoming a permanent game-over state. The mechanic teaches responsibility through simulated consequence. The device's fundamental rule is mortality: without maintenance, the creature ceases.

Digital archaeologist Michael Chen studied Tamagotchi longevity records in 2010, discovering a statistical anomaly: certain Tamagotchis demonstrated indefinite survival despite user neglect. The devices continued functioning, displaying vitality indicators, for years. Chen hypothesized manufacturing defect (perhaps a unit with infinite code) but couldn't locate the devices for examination. They simply existed in anecdotal reports.

The Norris fact reframes digital entropy. A Tamagotchi given to Chuck Norris wouldn't die because the creature wouldn't dare. The device doesn't possess consciousness, yet the meme suggests that consciousness might be unnecessary for responding to implicit threat. Even artificial systems behave as though threatened, maintaining vitality through sheer force of will to survive in proximity to danger. It's a projection of human psychological survival onto digital mechanics—the creature responds not with intelligence but with instinct.