Beautiful subjects, beautiful aesthetics, beautiful compositions:

I first heard about this notion of mimesis., mimetic theory from Peter Thiel from his zero to one book, quoting his mentor Renee Girard. Essentially the gist and the notion is that most of our “desires“ are sociological ones; not inherent in us, but rather, programmed into us by society.

When I was a kid growing up, to be a “overachiever“ was seen as a double edged sword; on one hand, it was greatly respected admired, a desired thing. Yet at the same time, a lot of kids would tease and make fun of kids who were “tryhard“. That in fact, trying “too” hard, and aiming to achieve was seen as a negatively bad thing.

It is my personal thought that to overachieve is a positively good thing. For example, can one imagine an Elon Musk who wasn’t an overachiever? Or a Kanye West who wasn’t was an overachiever? Or a Jay Z who wasn’t an overachiever?

What does it mean to achieve?

Achieve — head? Same as chief?

To (ad) caput?

What does it mean to achieve, and what are the logical consequences of it?

*kap- head. Same word as capital.

Achever— to finish, to complete.

I think in modern day English, or modern day times, to achieve is to seen as succeed, to be number one, to advance, and a lot of achievement notions typically comes from academics and academia. For example, to achieve or scholastic achievement has to deal with getting straight A’s, getting a 4.0 GPA or a beyond a 4.0 GPA, getting into high-ranking universities, scoring high on standardized testing etc.

A generalize way we could think about achievement it’s a simply set a personal goal on something, and obtain it. To seize it.

*kap- to seize, to hold.

Holding?

HODL — hold on for dear life, a notion that we get from the cryptocurrency world.

To hold. What does it mean to hold? To grip onto something, to grasp. It has to do with grip strength, and wrist strength.

In the world of finance and economics, holding onto assets, or in Texas “hold-‘em”— you have the option to hold.

Perhaps true hold is a really really good idea. To hold is a good idea in so far much as holding seems like a passive action, but in actuality, it is one of the most virtuous things that you could do. It takes courage and skill to hold, rather than to quickly buy or to sell, in which people over act.

For example one of my friends used to own 50 bitcoin, a while back, but this is when it was valued very low, and after a huge spike, he freaked out, and sold it all. Perhaps the better strategy was for him to just hold, hold it for a decade or two, and if that were the case, he would be able to quit his job and retire.

The courage to hold?

Seneca is currently two years, eight months old. A new trick you could do is when at the park with me, she can grab the chin up rings, grab it, and hold his body up off the floor! The other day at Barnes & Noble, when washing our hands, she was actually able to Hold and grasp the edge of the sink table, and successfully hold and suspend himself on it!

Holding strength?

Maybe this is a new thing we could innovate; to see how strong and how much you could hold?

Even my 1000 pound infamous atlas lift, part of it is a lifting motion, in which I lift the weight off of the rack with my shoulder and legs, but then I hold it up for a second or two before putting it down.

Even when I think about the strongman competitions, there is this Hercules pillar hold competition in which there are two columns, each about 1000 pounds, attached with chain and hand grip. The contestant simply sees how long he can hold the weights together, before his strength gives out.

Tenacity

Maybe also the most virtuous path to entrepreneurship is towards tenacity? How long can you hold and be tenacious?

A thought and theory; perhaps success, a “successful” person is somebody who has a healthy dose of autism or Asperger’s; being able to ignore avoid or not to placate to traditional desires.

Anti mimetic desires.

Entrepreneurship by KIM

Become the change which you desire to see manifested in the world!

Become you.

1. ZERO FINANCIAL CONCERNS
2. How to Gain Ascendancy
3. Business vs Entrepreneurship?
4. TAKE REAL CHANCES
5. Making Money as a Hobby
6. The Best Exercises for Entrepreneurs
7. INCOME VS EXPENSES MONEY LIFESTYLE PHILOSOPHY
8. Entrepreneurship is the privilege of being able to attempt something new
9. How to Become More Influential
10. The Point of Life is Entrepreneurship?
11. How to Think Like an Entrepreneur
12. Become the Outlier
13. Self Reliance
14. How to Extend Your Reach
15. NEWS: How to Think Like an Entrepreneur
16. PVP (Player vs Player)
17. How I became so influential
18. WE LOVE THE *SENSATION* OF RISK-TAKING
19. WHY HIGH PROFIT MARGINS?
20. INNOVATION THOUGHTS
21. OVERCONFIDENCE IS GOOD.
22. GARAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
23. PERHAPS IT IS GOOD TO BE “DELUSIONAL”
24. USE YOUR WEALTH TO BUY STUFF, OR TO BUILD AND INNOVATE STUFF?
25. HOW TO THRIVE
26. Target Demographic
27. Ambition Over Happiness
28. Anti Collaboration
29. The Will to Economy
30. Why New?
31. CHOOSE ADRENALINE.
32. No Looking Back.
33. 1000x Different
34. BECOME SPENDTHRIFT
35. THE BENEFIT OF JUST ONE.
36. EXTREME INNOVATION.
37. Practicality is Boring
38. BECOME YOUR OWN STANDARD.
39. NEVER STOP ITERATING.
40. CONDENSE.
41. Take Lots of Small Financial Risks
42. Control Over Convenience
43. Why Are Chinese Companies So Innovative?
44. INSANELY DIFFERENT.
45. Why Doesn’t Anything Ever Satisfy Me?
46. THE GREAT PASSION.
47. Perhaps Dissatisfaction is Good
48. ONE REP MAX.
49. WHAT DO YOU *REALLY* WANT IN LIFE?
50. LIFE IS ABOUT STRIVING FOR MORE.
51. NEVER STOP LINKING.
52. THE GREATEST.
53. WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!
54. THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
55. ERIC KIM CRITIQUE OF ROMANTICISM
56. COMPLACENCY.
57. JUST BUY IT.
58. ALL ABOUT YOU.
59. MOVE THE WORLD
60. Boring or Not Boring?
61. What if Your Past Self were Inferior to Your Present Self?
62. THE PHILOSOPHY OF PROGRESS
63. CULTURE IS YOUR ENEMY.
64. Difficulty & Interest
65. The Will to Expansion
66. What is Work?
67. SOUL IN THE GAME.
68. JUST START IT.
69. Not Boring
70. PRIDE IN YOUR OWN NAME / BRAND
71. AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TOLERATE.
72. Speed is Paramount
73. TAKE IT BACK TO THE BEGINNING.
74. A Life With No Risk Taking is *NOT* a Life Worth Living
75. Dissatisfaction is Good
76. GREATER STRENGTH, GREATER CHALLENGES.
77. In Praise of the New
78. Uncorrupted Desires
79. You Cannot Fake Passion
80. SELF-OVERGOING
81. FORM YOURSELF.
82. Personal Entrepreneurship
83. RELENTLESS.
84. PUT YOUR NAME ON IT.
85. A Life of Expansion
86. SELF-ENTREPRENEURSHIP
87. YOU ARE THE EXCEPTION.
88. Use Your Life as an Experiment to Self-Develop Yourself to Heights Never Seen Before
89. Invest in New Developments
90. Investing Towards What End?
91. The 90%/10% Principle in Entrepreneurship
92. Speed Wins
93. The Philosophy of Happiness
94. When to Over-Estimate, When to Under-Estimate?
95. Never Stop Iterating
96. Money as a Tool for Life and Artistic Experimentation
97. Less But More Premium
98. Mainstream vs Low-Key Success
99. Why Dissatisfaction is Good
100. SEEK YOUR OWN PERSONAL MAXIMAL BENEFIT INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING
101. Manifest Your Destiny
102. Is it Best to *Not* Communicate Your Inner Thoughts or Ideas With Others?
103. CREATE THINGS YOU WISH TO SEE MANIFESTED IN THE WORLD
104. How to Do More Work
105. CONTROL.
106. Competition is for Losers
107. Change.
108. Your Competitive Advantage with Insanely Fast Wifi and High Speed Internet
109. Pseudo Individualism
110. Natural Internal Promoting vs External Promptings

Think for Yourself.

1. Survival vs Thrivival
2. Become Rich
3. SECRETS.
4. Why it is Better to Beg for Forgiveness than Ask for Permission
5. Thinking About the Past Prevents You From Thinking About the Future
6. How to Predict the Future
7. Tools of Mass Distraction
8. So What?

FREEDOM

• On Leaving a Legacy
• I wanna be me!
• Productivity for personal freedom
• How to Purchase your Freedom

---

Never stop innovating.

---

Entrepreneurship Mindset

• What is Your Dream in Life?
• 8 Blogging Productivity Tips
• Why Be Normal?
• How Much Suffering Are You Willing to Endure to Achieve Your Dreams?

---

Put a Dent in the Universe.

• Innovate for the Sake of Innovating!
• Reality is Malleable!
• Stoic Entrepreneurship
• Against Self-Preservation
• The Purpose of Life is to Make New Stuff!

Is it really wisdom that we are seeking? Wisdom as a means to a greater end, not the end in itself.

And wisdom maybe seems like wise actions which are beneficial to your desired ends or outcomes or process.

For example, I am currently 35 years old. In a decade, I will only be 45, or 55 years old! Still young.

And also, Seneca will only be 12 years old, 22 years old! Still young.

Perhaps with things, possessions, cars, devices, property, situation’s, investments etc.; think to yourself, will it still be tenable in 10 years or 20 years?

For example, I can easily see myself driving my Prius for another 10 to 20 years. I am dubious that any electric car or Tesla will last for another 10 or 20 years.

Also, iPhone, computers laptops, devices cameras etc.; none of them will last 10 to 20 years.

“Life is a game of monopoly, go outside and cop yourself some property.” – MIGOS

A random thing on the road to moving to LA is this — a random thing that was coming into my mind was this idea of finding some sort of property space, like buying a Triplex or a quadPlex, and essentially becoming some sort of noveau slumlord.

I had a funny interesting turbo thought when going to the Costco Business Center the other day, and buying some meat. Essentially the idea is simple:

Essentially the meat you buy and purchase is the raw material, and cooking it yourself is very simple and easy; yet, the reason why so many restaurants and businesses, even all you can eat Korean BBQ restaurants is that they make the process so complex, and intimidating to you.

Real estate is interesting to me because then you have the raw material which is the land, and then you could customize it later to your liking.

Why I love cars

The primary reason why I love cars so much is that ever since I was a kid, around 15 or 16 years old, it was an open creative canvas for me. Note, I actually got into cars before I got into photography; I was into cars ever since I was 15 years old and got my first drivers license permit in California, I only going to photography later, around the age of 18 when I graduated high school and was about to go to college.

Growing up, my family only ever rented. The notion that I could modify or do anything to my house or home was a non-concept.

The great joy and promise of being able to have my own car was that I could do anything to it that I wanted. The first car I ever got was a 1991 Sentra XE, a four-door sedan, which was surprisingly a five speed manual transmission car, with no tachometer! I had so much fun modifying and customizing and swapping it up, installing headers, intake and exhaust, repainting it, painting the dashboard from the ugly ass brown to black, and also even changing the headliner from the ugly brown beige color to a solid black felt.

Lesson:

Having the freedom, and the ability to modify and change things to your liking is great joy!

Mystifying things?

A funny difference that I’ve noted from my family, my family upbringing, and Cindy‘s family; Cindy grew up to owning their own home and property, therefore things like pouring cement, mixing cement, painting the walls, fixing home stuff was natural. Yet for them, cars were a mysterious black box; therefore the general concept was always buy new.

However, my great pride and joy is that in my whole adult life, I’ve never spent more than $2500 USD on a car. The last two cars which came under my wing including my mom‘s old 2009 Hyundai sonata, which was essentially acquired by me for free, as it sat dormant for about three years in my sister’s garage, collecting dust. About $2000 of repairs at the mechanic, and $1000 of overdue DMV fines, it essentially ran brand new! And a little bit of muscle wax from me, waxing the paint, painting the rims, debadging it, etc.

Then more recently, re-inheriting the family Prius; 2010 Prius. Essentially once again, acquiring it for nothing, spending $2700 to get a new catalytic converter which was stolen earlier, $300 for a catalytic converter shield, and about $2700 on a new ABS brake sensor, and also, about $600 for new Yokohama tires. Otherwise I got the car for free!

Thought:

Real men drive old (used) white Priuses!

How do really rich people do it?

Some fun facts I’ve learned:

1. Real rich people and successful people only ever purchase cars at auction; with some sort of superficial damage, and they buy it at an insanely deep discount, and spend small sums of money to fix it up, they never buy new. And it seems that a lot of successful people that I’ve met just buy old used Priuses at car auctions! For example, my old next-door neighbor used to own an exotic car sports dealership, he told me he even sold a Lamborghini to Mike Tyson. He also owns the infamous old-school Mercedes with the gull wing doors. Anyways, he told me that he for his daily cr just bought an old 2010 Prius at auction for only $7000! Also, he always trolls eBay and these websites for old used BMW M cars, and he says that “I didn’t buy it from him, I stole it from him!” Therefore maybe in the context of cars, to only steal a car, essentially get a car for so insanely cheap or free or under market value is the path. Buying a new brand new car is for idiots!
2. People overpay for home renovations; the true price of fixing up a bathroom should only be around $7000 (some of my friends spent almost $20,000 for this), to do a kitchen, maybe $15,000, and flooring you could essentially do it yourself for free. And it seems that what a lot of these real estate companies do is simple; take some sort of old property, got it, renovate it, which actually doesn’t cost that much money, maybe $30,000 per unit, and then resell it on the market for a higher price tag, and continue this process.

What is a millennial?

I think I have a good definition for millennials; essentially somebody who foolishly uses their money.

For example, it seems that millennials are overeager to buy new cars. Let’s say a modest new car is $30,000, and they down around $10,000. A monthly payment is around $350-$500. Then they forget that they bought a new car, and they probably want full coverage, so insurance wise, it might be another three to $500 a month! Boom, you’ve just added another thousand dollars a month in monthly expenses, which will haunt you for either 3 to 5 years. That’s money that you’re not putting in your bank account.

Or, it seems that any new car is such an insane rip off. Apparently even a Toyota Sienna Hybrid out the door is over $60,000 USD! That’s a lot of money.

Alcohol, food, eating out, weed, drugs, etc

“Fuck I’m broke as fuck! Why? I just came back from Vegas and blew all my money on food! Fuck, I gotta move out of SoCal!” – one of my friends in the gym hot sauna locker room

Another way that young people millennials etc. waste money is silly things like going to “festivals“, doing drugs, smoking marijuana, drinking alcohol, going out to drink alcohol and cocktails, going to Vegas, gambling, eating out at new trendy restaurants, etc.

Also, having too much subscriptions to these media services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ etc.

The overall bad thing is that many people just cannot save money. Why? The societal bias that one should partake in these activities. But, the wisdom is knowing that these things are not imperatives.

Finance, and loans?

Poking around this real estate and financing market, honestly it all seems like such a scam. For example, let us say that you take out a loan at 7% or 6.5%. But I say you borrow around $700,000. Almost the first 10 yours is devoted to paying off your interest, not even the principal.

What did Elon Musk do? When starting Tesla, he took out a massive loan from the US government, to build factories, battery packs, etc.

Therefore, it seems that if one is going to take out a massive loan, the goal is to quickly pay it back. Borrowing money as leverage to do something very very great and epic, and quickly leapfrog to the next thing.

Bigger and better to infinity and beyond!

Or, the goal is to just flip it. Do not get attached to it, and just think of real estate like a product.

For example, buying a property for $1.5 million, and then hopefully in the next 10 years, flipping it for $3 million USD! Then I suppose the goal is to just cop the profit, and then leapfrog onto the next bigger project.

Then things get interesting, because the goal isn’t about making money necessarily; but rather using your capital as leverage to keep leapfrogging to bigger and bigger things!

However, towards what ends? I don’t think there’s an end; the goal is bigger and better for the sake of it; the American ethos!

Houses as a project?

It also seems a lot of these real estate corporations, who knows maybe the investment comes from overseas, Saudi Arabia, mainland China, etc., is that somebody will buy at a property all in cash, maybe to wash the money, and then price it up, and then sit on it, and perhaps try to resell it for a profit into the future.

Why do people do this? Honestly a lot of people who have money which is illegit don’t seem to really care; they don’t really think about it too much.

---

Capital?

Another thought on capital in capitalism, what is it that the new religion of capital seeks?

Essentially, make money don’t spend it (Kanye West).

And also, accumulating more and more capital towards infinite ends!

Once again, perhaps the best way to think about capital and capitalism is to just think of it like a game of monopoly, a game, and do not take it too seriously.

Economics by KIM >

What do you do when you no longer fear anything?

I just hit a 9 plate rack pull for the first time, and before doing it, I felt zero ounces of fear. This was interesting, because then it is no longer a fear issue; simply it is an issue of ability and capability.

Then before attempting the nine plates, my only concern and focus was focusing, hyping myself up, and also striving to successfully maximally output all of my strength at the same time!

Perhaps than the best way to approach life is first strive to conquer fear, and then the next issue is a matter of technique, form and approach, and the physical and physiological strength to achieve and attempt things!

---

Fear versus ability

For example in street photography, a big consideration between the fear of shooting street photos, and then having the compositional ability to make photos you deem beautiful.

Both are critical.

A thought on value, in the context of photos and photography;

Which photos and street photos have the greatest value? Perhaps the photos which required the most courage to shoot!

Street photography is 99% balls.

---

Life narrative?

Another big consideration on my mind is in regards to life narrative.

When you’re on your deathbed, looking back at your life, thinking and considering certain parts of your life narrative that you were proud of attempting and doing — it doesn’t really matter whether you’re successful or not, simply, do an attempt what is epic and grand!

I think in America we’re too caught up on the notion of being “successful“ or not. I think my intervention is to think rather, the grandeur and courage of the attempt. To me it doesn’t really matter whether you’re successful or not. What matters more is whether you had the courage to attempt it in the first place!

However, this is where wisdom is critical; I think it’s a good idea to attempt things when you’re interested in it, but at the same time, you don’t want to be foolish about it. For example, to simply attempt something because you want some sort of external validation seems like a poor or a foolish decision. Rather, only attempt that which is personally interesting to you!

What motivates me?

A thought this morning; perhaps that which motivates me is the desire to dominate, to become master, to become number one!

For example, my personal past life goal was to dominate street photography, to become number one on Google for street photography! Also do become number one on Google for “ERIC KIM”.

Now that I have achieved these, perhaps then my next goal is to become number one on Google for philosophy?

Certainly Google is not a good litmus test, because now, I think there are too many foreign factors at play. Yet, the striving and desire to become ascendant, the top dog, number one, is what drives our American passion. Even at the gym, now that I have successfully atlas lifted 995 pounds, I am at least one trillion miles ahead of anyone else in my realm, not even people internationally can touch me!

And truth be told, it seems that it’s all or nothing in America. To live the grandest and best life, you got to be number one. For example, Tesl is one trillion ahead of any electric car company out there; I’m quite certain all of the other electric car companies in the long run or fail. Once the cybertruck comes out, Rivian will go under. And these other electric car companies by China and Vietnam? Good luck.

Become more

Fresh new EK WORKSHOPS for you:

1. Conquer Street photography in Philly October 14
2. Nov 4: Discover your creative mission in life in downtown la
3. Dec 2nd: Master stoicism

New: Jan 27th Conquer confidence online zoom workshop

---

EK PHOTO SUPPLY

1. CARRY HEAVY: HENRI SHOULDER STRAP
2. HENRI WRIST STRAP PRO: The ultimate hybrid
3. EK NECK STRAP MARK II: Sublime Minimalism

More EK SHOPPE >

Gym thoughts

1. Flexing is a virtue!
2. Life after fear?

More thoughts:

1. https://erickimphotography.com/blog/
2. http://erickimphilosophy.com
3. http://erickimfitness.com
4. https://erickim.com

When in doubt,

START HERE

---

Another big consideration on my mind is in regards to life narrative.

When you’re on your deathbed, looking back at your life, thinking and considering certain parts of your life narrative that you were proud of attempting and doing — it doesn’t really matter whether you’re successful or not, simply, do an attempt what is epic and grand!

I think in America we’re too caught up on the notion of being “successful“ or not. I think my intervention is to think rather, the grandeur and courage of the attempt. To me it doesn’t really matter whether you’re successful or not. What matters more is whether you had the courage to attempt it in the first place!

However, this is where wisdom is critical; I think it’s a good idea to attempt things when you’re interested, but at the same time, you don’t want to be foolish about it. For example, to simply attempt some thing because you want some sort of external validation seems like a poor or a foolish decision. Rather, only attempt that which is personally interesting to you!

The more you flex, the more virtuous you’ll become!

Do what you consider is the wise decision, not the ethically “right” decision!

The reason why video game is no longer interested is that there is no real risk associated with them; only grind.

I wonder if modern day life is also the same; in America at least on the way, we are taught that it is virtuous to grind. However, I have some more noble path in a more virtuous path is to forgo grinding, and think about the joy in risk instead? The Stoic Spartan Entrepreneurial path to life!

STOICISM 101

Become invincible:

1. MAKE IT ENTERTAINING FOR YOURSELF!
2. Stoic Aesthetics?
3. The Philosophy of Ugliness
4. Bad Stoicism
5. Stoicism 2.0
6. Becoming Stoic
7. LEMONADE.
8. Why Arguments and Confrontations Are Good
9. “I’m Over It”
10. How to Deal With Miserable People
11. How to Become a Stoic
12. How to Ignore
13. Pretend like you didn’t hear them
14. Bad Stoic Strategies
15. The Stoic Way of Dealing With Unpleasant or Miserable People
16. HOW TO BECOME A STOIC
17. Stoicism Stunts Our Power?
18. Stoicism is Mental Resistance Training
19. STOIC STRATEGIES.
20. How to Become Fearless
21. Extreme Stoicism
22. Ethics are Aesthetic
23. Indifference to Pain or Suffering
24. When is Stoicism Good? When is Stoicism Bad?
25. Why Others Criticize or Insult You
26. True Difficulty
27. What if Covid Never Goes Away?
28. SUPER STOIC
29. Anti-Hedonism
30. HOW TO CONQUER FEAR
31. ANTI FEAR
32. It is the Duty of the Strong to Help the Weak
33. The Goal is to Become Stronger
34. HYPER STOICISM
35. HYPER HERO
36. TRANSFORM EVERY DOWNSIDE INTO AN UPSIDE
37. STOICISM x Child’s Mind
38. The Art of Manly Virtue
39. Resistance Makes Us Stronger!
40. DON’T LIVE IN FEAR
41. Emotions are Good
42. Conquer Your Anger
43. BLACK EAGLE
44. DIFFICULTY AWAKENS YOUR INNER-GENIUS.
45. STOICISM IS ARMOR FOR THE MIND
46. The Spartan-Stoic Lifestyle
47. How I Conquered Fear
48. HOW TO CURE FEAR.
49. LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.
50. The Upside of Poverty
51. How I Became Me
52. THE WILL TO POWER, OR THE WILL TO FEAR?
53. ATTACK REALITY
54. Living *THROUGH* History
55. How to Fear Less
56. Fear is the Ultimate Contagious Disease
57. STOICISM FOR DUMMIES
58. Don’t Be Scared!
59. WHAT CAN YOU CONTROL, WHAT CAN YOU NOT CONTROL?
60. HOW YOU CAN CONQUER FEAR
61. YOU’RE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE.
62. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
63. WHY AREN’T THINGS WORSE?
64. My Philosophy on Masculinity
65. A Riskier Life is a Better Life #philosophy #stoicism
66. How to Creatively Flourish in Life
67. Introduction to Stoicism
68. How to Become Stronger
69. How to Conquer Depression With Photography
70. What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger
71. How to Respect Yourself
72. How to Believe in Yourself
73. How to Steer Fear
74. How to Conquer Pessimism
75. How to Conquer Anxiety
76. How to Overcome Your Fear of People
77. How to Be Optimistic
78. Why I Don’t Take My Anger Seriously
79. HOW TO BECOME MORE POWERFUL
80. POSITIVITY.
81. HOW TO BECOME SUPERHUMAN
82. How to Give a Fuck Less
83. ALL IN.
84. Why I Cut My Dad Out of My Life.
85. Your iPhone Only Has 5% Battery Left.
86. How not to give a FUCK about your REPUTATION
87. WHAT IS A HUMAN?
88. HAPPINESS.
89. The Regret Minimization Framework in Photography and Life
90. How to Be a HERO
91. Conquer Your Fears by Making Fear Your Slave
92. Rule Circumstances; Don’t Let Your Circumstances Rule You
93. How to Love Yourself
94. How to Turn Shit into Gold
95. Your Parents Fuck You Up
96. Immortality
97. What Kills You Makes You Stronger
98. How to Be Patient
99. How to Conquer Anger
100. How to Bounce Back in Life
101. How to Overcome Resistance
102. Nothing Unlimited is Good; Nothing Good is Unlimited
103. You Have No Limits
104. Can 1’s and 0’s Hurt You?
105. The Envious Moment is Flying Now
106. Tomorrow We’ll Sail the Wide Seas Again
107. How to Forgive Others
108. Focus on Your Actions, Not the Results
109. Everything Will Be Alright
110. How to Be a Stoic Street Photographer
111. How to Be a Spartan Photographer
112. How to Overcome Your Fears in Life
113. How to Stop Worrying in Life
114. How to Use Photography as Self-Therapy
115. How to Free Your Soul From Disturbance
116. 3 Stoic Techniques that Can Help You Gain Tranquility
117. Can People Weaker than You Hurt You?
118. Does a Doctor Get Angry at a Crazy Patient?
119. Own Nothing

The Stoic Masters

Learn from the master stoics:

• Seneca
• Marcus Aurelius
• Epictetus
• Publilius Syrus
• Heraclitus

See all philosophy >

The stamina to keep shooting and to keep going!

Men scapegoats woman to be the root of his ills and vice versa.

The German Nazis and Hitler scapegoated the Jews.

Now America is trying to scapegoat China for her economic ills.

Nobody has the extreme courage to take responsibility for him or herself?

Essentially — we, out of weakness, refuse to blame our present bad situation on ourselves and we seek someone else to blame instead?

Solution: If you witness anyone scapegoating you, refuse to tolerate that shit!

Bricolage — essentially to just MacGyver it; what we Americans treat as a “ghetto” job.

What this means is given you have fewer resources, how can you Jerry rig a more novel solution? To common problems?

After 995 pound atlas lift:

So natty, so fresh:

To meditate just means to think. To reflect, to consider.

*med– to measure, to heal, to consider

1. Hot sauna at the gym
2. Lifting weights at the gym with no headphones on
3. Driving with no music on
4. Taking naps during the day when I’m tired

“Life is a game of monopoly, go out and cop yourself some property.” – MIGOS

A random thing on the road to moving to LA is this — a random thing that was coming into my mind was this idea of find some sort of property space, like buying a Triplex or a quadPlex, and essentially becoming some sort of noveau slumlord.

I had a funny interesting turbo thought when going to the Costco Business Center the other day, and buying some meat. Essentially the idea is simple:

Essentially the meat you buy and purchase is the raw material, and cooking it yourself is very simple and easy; yet, the reason why so many restaurants and businesses, even all you can eat Korean BBQ restaurants is that they make the process so complex, and intimidating to you.

Why I love cars

The primary reason why I love cars so much is that ever since I was a kid, around 15 or 16 years old, it was an open creative canvas for me. Note, I actually got into cars before I got into photography; I was into cars ever since I was 15 years old and got my first drivers license permit in California, I only going to photography later, around the age of 18 when I graduated high school and was about to go to college.

Growing up, my family only ever rented. The notion that I could modify or do anything to my house or home was a non-concept.

The great joy and promise of being able to have my own car was that I could do anything to it that I wanted. The first car I ever got was a 1991 Sentra XE, a four-door sedan, which was surprisingly a five speed manual transmission car, with no tachometer! I had so much fun modifying and customizing and swapping it up, installing headers, intake and exhaust, repainting it, painting the dashboard from the ugly ass brown to black, and also even changing the headliner from the ugly brown beige color to a solid black felt.

Mystifying things?

A funny difference that I’ve noted from my family, my family upbringing, and Cindy‘s family; Cindy grew up to owning their own home and property, therefore things like pouring cement, mixing cement, painting the walls, fixing home stuff was natural. Yet for them, cars were a mysterious black box; therefore the general concept was always buy new.

However, my great pride and joy is that in my whole adult life, I’ve never spent more than $2500 USD on a car. The last two cars which came under my wing including my mom‘s old 2009 Hyundai sonata, which was essentially acquired by me for free, as it sat dormant for about three years in my sister’s garage, collecting dust. About $2000 of repairs at the mechanic, and $1000 of overdue DMV fines, it essentially ran brand new! And a little bit of muscle wax from me, waxing the paint, painting the rims, debadging it, etc.

Then more recently, re-inheriting the family Prius; 2010 Prius. Essentially once again, acquiring it for nothing, spending $2700 to get a new catalytic converter which was stolen earlier, $300 for a catalytic converter shield, and about $2700 on a new ABS brake sensor, and also, about $600 for new Yokohama tires. Otherwise I got the car for free!

How do really rich people do it?

Some fun facts I’ve learned:

1. Real rich people and successful people only ever purchase cars at auction; with some sort of superficial damage, and they buy it at an insanely deep discount, and spend small sums of money to fix it up, they never buy new. And it seems that a lot of successful people that I’ve met just buy old used Priuses at car auctions!
2. People overpay for home renovations; the true price of fixing up a bathroom should only be around $7000 (some of my friends spent almost $20,000 for this), to do a kitchen, maybe $15,000, and flooring you could essentially do it yourself for free. And it seems that what a lot of these real estate companies do is simple; take some sort of old property, gut it, renovate it, which actually doesn’t cost that much money, maybe $30,000 per unit, and then resell it on the market for a higher price tag, and continue this process.

What is a millennial?

I think I have a good definition for millennials; essentially somebody who foolishly uses their money.

For example, it seems that millennials are overeager to buy new cars. Let’s say a modest new car is $30,000, and they down around $10,000. A monthly payment is around $350-$500. Then they forget that they bought a new car, and they probably want full coverage, so insurance wise, it might be another three to $500 a month! Boom, you’ve just added another thousand dollars a month in monthly expenses, which will haunt you for either 3 to 5 years. That’s money that you’re not putting in your bank account.

Alcohol, food, eating out, weed, drugs, etc

“Fuck I’m broke as fuck! Why? I just came back from Vegas and blew all my money on food! Fuck, I gotta move out of SoCal!” – one of my friends in the gym hot sauna locker room

Another way that young people millennials etc. waste money is silly things like going to “festivals“, doing drugs, smoking marijuana, drinking alcohol, going out to drink alcohol and cocktails, going to Vegas, gambling, eating out at new trendy restaurants, etc.

Also, having too much subscriptions to these media services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ etc.

The overall bad thing is that many people just cannot save money. Why? The societal bias that one should partake in these activities. But, the wisdom is knowing that these things are not imperatives.

Vlog

For the sake of more epic thinking, philosophies and undertakings!

My new optimization in life. Moving forward, I will only opt for the insanely beautiful.

I think this is paid off well. For example my wife Cindy, as insanely beautiful. As a consequence, my first son and child, Seneca, also insanely beautiful. You’re going to look at your wife and your kid all day, don’t you want them to be insanely beautiful?

Also, homes in living quarters. I think we spend more time indoors at home than we think we do. Therefore doesn’t make sense to choose a living quarters or habitat which is insanely beautiful?

Also for myself, making my body, my physique, my look and appearance as beautiful as possible? When people stop, stare and seem dumbfounded?

1. Open the blinds let the fresh air come in, open the windows
2. Cold shower
3. Tons of ERIC KIM COFFEE
4. Hit the gym, empty your bowels there, hit the hot sauna, workout one rep max, head out! Think of the gym like your morning commute & office? Co working space with hot sauna and weights!

It’s seems that man likes to think of the idea to seek paradise. But why, for the sake of what, towards what ends?

I think typically when people think of paradise, I think of eternal happiness, joy, carelessness, and thanksgiving. But, what is the better and to do instead was to seek war, challenge, conquest?

Better Spartan than Stoic?

1. Reality calls

The first thought is ultimately, reality is supreme. I love stoicism, but my overall critique of stoicism is that it seems a bit divorced from reality. That is, a lot of Stoic thought is theoretical, whereas Spartan thought and practice is more deeply intertwined.

For example, in terms of bodily physique aesthetics, what does a Stoic look like? Nobody knows. But we have a very vivid depiction of what a spartan looks like; just watch the movie 300 on repeat.

2. Who did the ancients respect?

It seems almost universal in history, everybody respects the Spartans. For their courage, their witness, their manliness, etc.

3. Bellum!

What is also very interesting about the Spartans is that they were not positive warmongers. Rather, they were just focused on defense. They didn’t fuck with anybody, and also, they didn’t want to be fucked with.

---

3. What do you want to become?

What doesn’t a spartan look like? It seems the best way to become spartan is figure out what not to do. What petty actions not to engage in, etc.

4. Paradise is under the valley of swords

All is permitted!

I believe this to be one of the assassins creeds. Apparently this was actually historical fact.

I don’t think of war like a literal war in which you’re dealing with killing people. I am very anti-war. I believe in a metaphorical war; some sort of battle, challenge, conquest, overcoming.

For example, on my road to at atlas lifting over 990 pounds, everyone told me to “be careful”, that I may “hurt myself”, but in fact, that is precisely what makes it interesting; because I could seriously hurt myself, that is what forces me to focus.

On the road to my 990 pound atlas lift, I’ve been going super hard-core on yoga, flexibility, mobility, etc. The heavier I go, the more time I spend slowly preparing, warming up, stretching etc.

Therefore a theory;

The higher the chance of danger, the more glorious it is!

---

5. Crafting your own philosophy

I think ultimately what is most interesting is having the privilege to craft your own philosophy. Your own school of thought, your own thinking, and simply sharing it with others and propagating it outside.

Th simplest way to do this is simply through your own website and blog.

A simple way you could do this is just register a website and domain with your first and last name philosophy.com

The second is just start your own YouTube channel, and share your own philosophical thoughts.

Third, you could just start a podcast, anchor.fm

---

6. Now what?

So let us say that you become the uber Spartan, nothing perturbs you, you’re infinitely strong, then what?

Then, I think a good idea is to devote yourself in your life to philosophical thought, and continuing to pave new ideas and propagating it!

ERIC

Conquer With KIM

1. Conquer street photography in Philly
2. Discover your creative mission in life in Downtown LA
3. New: Introduction to stoicism workshop, Downtown LA

---

“It’s over 9,000!!!”

Become Super Saiyan with ERIC KIM OMAKASE Coffee

MORE EK PRODUCTS >

---

Think more:

1. Start Here
2. Books

Random thoughts on my mind

1. I just want to replace the sensor! I really love the idea of a camera which has an interchangeable sensor?
2. Creative constraints in photography; limit yourself to only one focusing distance. All macro mode.
3. Prius is the best car? If you drive a lot, Prius is 1000 times better than any Tesla.

More thoughts on EK BLOG

Also new … erickimfitness.com

Forward the turbo!

If this sparked even one interesting idea within you, feel free to forward to a friend!

EK NEWS

---

Lady Fortune gives wings to the insanely brave, reckless and audacious.

1. Zero financial concerns.
2. Watch the movie 300
3. Courage is more critical than success
4. Intermittent fasting: no breakfast no lunch, only one massive dinner
5. 100% carnivore, beef, organ meat diet

The website that I use more than Google is wiktionary.org. Typically what I do is this;

When there is a word, a concept or thing that I’m curious about, I go to wiktionary.org and I study the history or the etymology of it.

Why is this so beneficial? It gives me a greater clarity about the concept or thing, for example when studying the notion of “finance“; discovering that ultimately it just means finish. Therefore, maybe the wise way to think about an approach to finance is to think about the end?

Not being a fool!

1. Not making big decisions at night, when you’re tired, or about to sleep.
2. Not making decisions when you’re “hot headed”. Cool, rational logic, hard, slow, enforced decisions are best.
3. No irrational passion with decision making

PHILOSOPHY BY KIM

Essays by KIM

1. LOOK *BEYOND*
2. BECOMING MORE IMMORAL?
3. ‘LUCK’ VS COURAGE
4. ‘SKILL’ VS MERIT?
5. Becoming Antifragile
6. How to “Improve” Men
7. The Art of Virtue
8. How to Dominate
9. JUST SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES AND WISDOM WITH OTHERS.
10. How to Get More Done in a Single Day – MEMENTO MORI PHILOSOPHY
11. THINK FOR YOURSELF
12. Cruel?
13. GO DEMIGOD.
14. How to Be Happy: Challenge and Danger Philosophy
15. To Become Greater, You Must Become *LESS* Productive!
16. Imperfect Beauty
17. The Philosophy of Pleasure
18. What Interests You?
19. Anti Theory of Everything
20. Become?
21. STRONGER OR NOT?
22. Carte Blanche Ideals
23. CHOOSE JOY
24. Don’t Judge Your Impulses
25. On Becoming Less Human
26. COWARDICE.
27. The Philosophy of Futurism
28. PHILOSOPHY IS VALUE-SETTING
29. PHILOSOPHY IS NOT LIFESTYLE
30. WHY STANDARDIZATION IS BAD.
31. YOUR OWN TABLE OF VALUES.
32. RETRO IS BAD.
33. INSANELY LOFTY THOUGHTS.
34. Strive to *Lose* Weight, Not *Gain* Weight
35. DIABLO II ANALOGIES FOR REAL LIFE.
36. If You Know Your *WHY* You Can Discover Any *HOW*
37. Life is Too Short to Be Miserable
38. What Consumption Takes Skill?
39. OFF THE GRID.
40. REALITY IS CRUEL.
41. Pain is Information
42. WHY REMOVE VULGARITY AND DISORDER FROM OUR EYES?
43. AUTOTELIC.
44. UNPLUG.
45. How to Become a Philosopher
46. SUBOPTIMAL IS OPTIMAL
47. THE LUST FOR MORE.
48. TO DO IS TO BECOME.
49. IN PRAISE OF AGGRESSIVE.
50. THE PHILOSOPHY OF OPTIMISM
51. OUR PHILOSOPHICAL WILL TO EXISTENCE
52. Is Hope a Vice?
53. MOVE MEAN
54. Carte Blanche Ideals
55. One Interesting Thought
56. What Lasts? What Doesn’t Last?
57. A WOUND STIMULATES THE RECUPERATIVE POWERS
58. Children & Purpose
59. Thoughts on Becoming a Parent
60. Where Does Our Desire to Upgrade Come From?
61. WE ALWAYS NEED SOMETHING FURTHER TO ASPIRE TO.
62. Self-Task Yourself an Awesome Mission in Life
63. Differentiation vs Equalization
64. My Passion to *Become* Something More
65. No Aesthetic or Ethos is Forever
66. What is Your Higher Purpose in Life?
67. IT WILL NEVER SATISFY YOU.
68. How to Decide
69. Things You *Want* to Do vs Things You *MUST* Do
70. Towards a More Beautiful Mode of Existence and Future
71. EXTREME GRATITUDE.
72. AMAP (As Much as Possible) or None.
73. Why or How Does it Matter?
74. The Philosophy of Time and Events
75. How *Not* to Resent
76. FORWARD LOOKING
77. DOMAIN FLEXIBILITY.
78. The Miracle of Human Growth
79. EXTREME ADAPTATION.
80. Why Plan?
81. You Don’t Need to Justify Yourself
82. The Philosophy of Ego
83. True vs False Passions
84. How to Achieve Tranquility
85. On Making Your Own Philosophy
86. The Purpose of Life is to Create New Life
87. Think On!
88. The Wisdom of Doing Nothing
89. Congruency
90. My Thoughts on Meditation
91. The Philosophy of Purpose
92. Emulate Yourself
93. Good Fear, Bad Fear
94. For the Betterment of Humanity or Just Yourself?
95. What you *really* believe in and care for is manifested through your actions (or non-actions)
96. Why Culture is Your Enemy
97. YOUR EXPERIENCES ARE KING.
98. LIFE IS INHERENTLY GOOD.
99. Artistic, Physical, and Philosophical Muscles
100. All New Experiences are Good Experiences
101. What is the Purpose of X?
102. UTILITY.
103. Philosophy is a Luxury
104. The Attempt is More Interesting than the Result
105. Joyfulness vs “Happiness”
106. Effectiveness Over Happiness
107. Self Actualization
108. MAXIMAL ENGAGEMENT
109. Life & Pain
110. On Living Every Day with No Regret
111. Learn as if you’re going to live forever, live as if you’re going to die tomorrow
112. Live Every Day Like it Were the Last Day of Your Life
113. Self-Determination
114. FALSE GRATITUDE vs REAL GRATITUDE
115. HOW TO LIVE MORE
116. THE UPSIDE OF TRAGEDY
117. Satisfaction is a Sucker’s Game
118. Supreme Repose
119. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? According to ERIC KIM
120. STUBBORN, FLEXIBLE
121. EVERYTHING HAPPENS AS IT *SHOULD* HAVE HAD HAPPENED
122. Good Addiction, Bad Addiction?
123. What is the Best Life?
124. The Philosophy of Thinking
125. The Philosophy of Conspiracies
126. Conspiracies
127. Growth
128. Skepticism.
129. What Do You Really Want Out of Life?
130. Seem or Be?
131. Learn Through Pain
132. Respect Yourself
133. In Praise of Elitism
134. Why Independent Thinking?
135. I Will Never Die
136. Bitter is Better
137. The Genesis of Nihilism and Existential Dread
138. The Ethics of Personal Enrichment
139. Good vs Not Good
140. Punished by Privilege
141. Abstinence Over Moderation
142. Just Leave Others Alone
143. You Can Only Critique that Which You Truly Understand and Love
144. ERIC KIM Critique of Metaphysics
145. Only Trust Philosophers Who Deadlift
146. Heuristic: If Someone Talks Shit About Others Behind Their Back, Most Likely They’re Also Talking Shit About You Behind Your Back
147. Virtue is a Privilege
148. What Are Your Life Goals?
149. Honesty
150. Why I’m Anti Moderation
151. No Spite, No Malice.
152. Ascending Life or Descending Life?
153. Double Edged Sword
154. Ignorance.
155. Why I Don’t Trust “Nice Guys”
156. Why You Must Share Your Opinion
157. Selfish Isn’t Evil
158. Wisdom is the Goal
159. YOU ARE KING.
160. MASTER YOURSELF
161. What is “Good” for You is Often what is Bad for You
162. Care.
163. BITTERSWEET
164. ONE REP MAX
165. Morality and Ethics is the Snare
166. BY HELPING YOURSELF, YOU BEST HELP OTHERS
167. Insanity is Good.
168. Think Deep.
169. PHILOSOPHY IS THE FUTURE.
170. Open Mind vs Closed Mind
171. ENTHUSIASM IS GENIUS
172. Towards a More Critical and Rigorous Line of Thinking
173. How to Encourage and a Foster Independent and Free Thinking
174. What is the Purpose of Life?
175. WHY PHILOSOPHY IS SUPREME.
176. Elitism.
177. I Cannot Form an Opinion About Somebody Until I’ve Met Them in the Flesh
178. ALL GENETICS ARE GOOD GENETICS.
179. Happiness vs Freedom
180. The Birth of a Hater
181. My Way Isn’t the Right Way
182. Walking as an Existential Thing
183. Why I’m So Tolerant
184. Mortal Gods
185. THE HUMAN SPECIES
186. Why I’m So Skeptical
187. Just Follow the Money
188. Why Selfish?
189. WHY WE CANNOT BLAME OTHERS
190. Why Are We So Anti Elitism?
191. What Actually Interests You?
192. How to Become Yourself
193. SELF HATE
194. Optimistic Fatalism
195. Death is the Ultimate Creative Constraint
196. FLUX.
197. How to Think for Yourself
198. FLESH
199. How to Live the Best Life
200. Why Live a Life Without Regrets?
201. Why Plato Ruined Art and Aesthetics for Us
202. Self Respect
203. Hypocrite vs Contradict
204. Ideals vs Reality
205. Spaceship Philosophy
206. What is Your Ideal Life?
207. MY EXTREME GRATITUDE TOWARDS LIFE AND BEING ALIVE!
208. Critique of Utilitarianism
209. Don’t Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated
210. The Eternal Recurrence of Tragedy and Joy in Life
211. Elite Asceticism
212. Why I Don’t Like Numbers
213. Action and Reaction, Cause and Effect
214. The Antidote to Nihilism: The Philosophy of Nothingness
215. ERIC KIM Notes on Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
216. EXPLOIT CHAOS.
217. WHY I DON’T BELIEVE IN GENETICS
218. Self-Wisdom
219. The Future Belongs to the Fearless
220. INDIVIDUALISM
221. Why Live Forever?
222. THIS TOO WILL PASS.
223. Why Education?
224. How to Become Yourself
225. Things Shouldn’t Go Back to the Way They Used to Be
226. Why Am I So Cruel?
227. The Great Joy of Existence
228. Virtue for the Sake of Virtue
229. NO DISDAIN.
230. INTELLIGENT IGNORANCE
231. A LIFE WITHOUT PAIN, DIFFICULTY OR TRAGEDY ISN’T A LIFE WORTH LIVING
232. BITTER IS BETTER.
233. EXPLOIT THE BEST FROM TRAGEDY AND LIFE 
234. DISREGARD FOR SELF-PRESERVATION
235. PAIN.
236. WHAT IF EVERYTHING IS NOT GONNA BE ALRIGHT?
237. Tomorrow is Never
238. Life is the Ultimate Creative Constraint
239. EMBODIED REALITY
240. BLACK SWAN
241. THINGS WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THE WAY THEY USED TO BE
242. What are you *really* afraid of?
243. HAPPINESS ISN’T THE GOAL
244. Philosophy is King
245. Why is Selfish Evil?
246. YOU’RE CONSTANTLY IN A STATE OF BECOMING
247. ENTITLEMENT A SIN?
248. NARCISSISM
249. BE BRUTALLY HONEST WITH YOURSELF
250. WHY FREE WILL?
251. OBEY YOUR OPINION
252. EGO IS GOOD.
253. WHY IT IS GOOD TO BE INTO YOURSELF
254. Seek the Good Pain
255. Anti-Perfection in Photography, Art, and Life
256. Can You Become an End into Yourself?
257. WHY I LIVE
258. Why I Hate Decline
259. Why I Eat
260. Why am I So Positive and Optimistic?
261. EFFORT IS ENJOYMENT
262. Never Stop Gaining
263. TRUST YOURSELF
264. A Life of Maximal Personal Independence
265. What Do You Desire to Become?
266. What Do I Want from Technology?
267. Stratified Society
268. Do You Love or Hate Reality?
269. On the Brian, Body and Mind
270. I’m Maximally Happy, Now What?
271. Care over Fame
272. ACTIVE NIHILISM
273. Never Stop Subtracting
274. How to Live a Happier and More Epic Life
275. A Risker Life is a Better Life
276. Only Work on Things You Can Imagine Doing for Eternity
277. How to Maximize Your Happiness
278. Influence
279. The Gladiator Makes His Plans once He Enters the Ring
280. Meditations on Meaning in Life
281. There is Nothing More Interesting than Human Beings
282. Is Hope a Vice?
283. EGO
284. Why Be Unique?
285. Happiness is Metabolism Health and Strength
286. You’re the Hero
287. Is Productivity a Virtue or Vice?
288. Why Do We Prize the Rare?
289. The Joy of Uncertainty
290. How Should I Best Use My Time and Life?
291. A Life Without Pain or Suffering Isn’t a Life Worth Living
292. Free or Unfree?
293. What Do You Really Care For in Life?
294. Anti-Satisfaction in Life
295. Why Think?
296. The Eternal Return
297. Only Do What is Best for You!
298. Truthiness
299. Why Be Happy?
300. Permissionless Living
301. In Praise of Unconventional Wisdom
302. Become the Change Which You Wish to See in the World
303. Happiness
304. Beyond Freedom
305. Idolize People, Not Stuff
306. What Makes You Stronger? What Makes You Weaker?
307. Why Hate?
308. The Secret of Happiness
309. You’re Constantly in a State of Becoming
310. Life is about Choices, Not Obligations
311. Anti-Nihilism
312. First, Do What is Best for You.
313. Live Dynamic
314. How to Prosper
315. Is the Point of Life to Be Satisfied?
316. SUPREME EFFORT OF WILL.
317. How to Become more Idealistic
318. Thrivival 101
319. Create Yourself
320. Non-Small
321. Inspiration
322. How to Live a Heroic Life: Dare the Heights!
323. Human Augmentation
324. Prune
325. Happiness: Do What You Want to Do (And Don’t Do What You Don’t Want to Do)
326. Avoid Vain (Empty) Pursuits in Life
327. Modern Slavery
328. Kill the Leeches
329. Wisdom Augmentation
330. Why We Need Friction in Life
331. Straight Line Philosophy
332. What’s Your End-Game in Life?
333. Create Your Own Happiness Today
334. Desire Both Pain and Pleasure in Life
335. Try the Impossible
336. SELF-RESPECT
337. Anti-Social Extrovert
338. Never Blame Anybody But Yourself
339. Human Flourishing
340. Simpler, Not Better.
341. How to be Free
342. Embrace the Extremes
343. Cultivate Your Own Culture
344. COURAGE.
345. Thrivival
346. Inner Power
347. How to Live a Purposeful Life
348. My Definition of Happiness
349. Why Change is Good
350. Why Work?
351. How to Live the Happiest Possible Life
352. The Two-Pronged Approach to Maximize Joy in Your Life
353. You Always Have Another Option!
354. INFINITISM
355. Never Stop!
356. What is Your Self-Directed Purpose in Life?
357. Live Today Like it Were Your Last
358. Do You Photograph to Live, or Live to Photograph?
359. ARTIST-PHILOSOPHER
360. Live Life to the Fullest!
361. In Praise of Selfishness
362. Why You Must Be a YAY-SAYER to Succeed in Entrepreneurship and Life
363. Why I Love Walking
364. Live Life Like a Video Game!
365. Simple Luxuries in Life
366. Treat Your Life Like a Fun Experiment!
367. Only Prove it to Yourself
368. You Don’t Always Need to Feel Joyful to Live a Fulfilling and Meaningful Life
369. Life is Too Short to Be Bored!
370. Money Cannot Destroy Boredom
371. How to Find Inspiration in Life
372. Why You Must Ignore Haters to Succeed and Win in Life
373. An Active Life is a Happy Life
374. My Simple Joys in Life
375. Never Stop Striving
376. How to Motivate Yourself in Life
377. How to Be Optimistic in Life
378. How to Dictate Your Purpose in Life
379. In Praise of a Dynamic Life
380. PURPOSE.
381. How to Enjoy Life
382. Photography Therapy
383. How to Conquer Regret
384. Take Your Play Very Seriously.
385. How to Prosper
386. Memento Vivere
387. Destroy in Order to CREATE
388. Trust Your Body More Than Your Mind
389. Make Photos to Make Meaning in Your Life
390. Seek Knowledge, Not Information
391. The Purpose of Human Life
392. How to Overcome Impedence
393. Why I Love Death
394. How to Be Centered in the Eternal Now
395. How to Be Happy
396. Why Do You Care What Others Think of You?
397. Why I’m Happy
398. Why?
399. Why I’m So Prolific
400. How to Reduce LAG in Life

Masters of Philosophy »

• Seneca
• Marcus Aurelius
• Publilius Syrus

Personal Philosophy »

• You Are the Light of the World
• Your Soul is a Diamond in the Rough
• Why Live?

Stoicism »

• How to Be a Stoic Street Photographer
• How to Use Photography as Self-Therapy
• How to Free Your Soul From Disturbance

Zen Philosophy »

• How to Be a Zen Street Photographer
• Zen in the Art of Street Photography
• How to Find Tranquility in Your Photography

Life Lessons »

• How to Conquer Your Fears in Life
• Conquer Yourself
• How to Focus

Learn more: Start Here >

Perhaps the best way to deal with the ‘bad’ stuff in life, just make it morosely entertaining for yourself!

STOICISM 101

Become invincible:

1. Stoic Aesthetics?
2. The Philosophy of Ugliness
3. Bad Stoicism
4. Stoicism 2.0
5. Becoming Stoic
6. LEMONADE.
7. Why Arguments and Confrontations Are Good
8. “I’m Over It”
9. How to Deal With Miserable People
10. How to Become a Stoic
11. How to Ignore
12. Pretend like you didn’t hear them
13. Bad Stoic Strategies
14. The Stoic Way of Dealing With Unpleasant or Miserable People
15. HOW TO BECOME A STOIC
16. Stoicism Stunts Our Power?
17. Stoicism is Mental Resistance Training
18. STOIC STRATEGIES.
19. How to Become Fearless
20. Extreme Stoicism
21. Ethics are Aesthetic
22. Indifference to Pain or Suffering
23. When is Stoicism Good? When is Stoicism Bad?
24. Why Others Criticize or Insult You
25. True Difficulty
26. What if Covid Never Goes Away?
27. SUPER STOIC
28. Anti-Hedonism
29. HOW TO CONQUER FEAR
30. ANTI FEAR
31. It is the Duty of the Strong to Help the Weak
32. The Goal is to Become Stronger
33. HYPER STOICISM
34. HYPER HERO
35. TRANSFORM EVERY DOWNSIDE INTO AN UPSIDE
36. STOICISM x Child’s Mind
37. The Art of Manly Virtue
38. Resistance Makes Us Stronger!
39. DON’T LIVE IN FEAR
40. Emotions are Good
41. Conquer Your Anger
42. BLACK EAGLE
43. DIFFICULTY AWAKENS YOUR INNER-GENIUS.
44. STOICISM IS ARMOR FOR THE MIND
45. The Spartan-Stoic Lifestyle
46. How I Conquered Fear
47. HOW TO CURE FEAR.
48. LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.
49. The Upside of Poverty
50. How I Became Me
51. THE WILL TO POWER, OR THE WILL TO FEAR?
52. ATTACK REALITY
53. Living *THROUGH* History
54. How to Fear Less
55. Fear is the Ultimate Contagious Disease
56. STOICISM FOR DUMMIES
57. Don’t Be Scared!
58. WHAT CAN YOU CONTROL, WHAT CAN YOU NOT CONTROL?
59. HOW YOU CAN CONQUER FEAR
60. YOU’RE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE.
61. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
62. WHY AREN’T THINGS WORSE?
63. My Philosophy on Masculinity
64. A Riskier Life is a Better Life #philosophy #stoicism
65. How to Creatively Flourish in Life
66. Introduction to Stoicism
67. How to Become Stronger
68. How to Conquer Depression With Photography
69. What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger
70. How to Respect Yourself
71. How to Believe in Yourself
72. How to Steer Fear
73. How to Conquer Pessimism
74. How to Conquer Anxiety
75. How to Overcome Your Fear of People
76. How to Be Optimistic
77. Why I Don’t Take My Anger Seriously
78. HOW TO BECOME MORE POWERFUL
79. POSITIVITY.
80. HOW TO BECOME SUPERHUMAN
81. How to Give a Fuck Less
82. ALL IN.
83. Why I Cut My Dad Out of My Life.
84. Your iPhone Only Has 5% Battery Left.
85. How not to give a FUCK about your REPUTATION
86. WHAT IS A HUMAN?
87. HAPPINESS.
88. The Regret Minimization Framework in Photography and Life
89. How to Be a HERO
90. Conquer Your Fears by Making Fear Your Slave
91. Rule Circumstances; Don’t Let Your Circumstances Rule You
92. How to Love Yourself
93. How to Turn Shit into Gold
94. Your Parents Fuck You Up
95. Immortality
96. What Kills You Makes You Stronger
97. How to Be Patient
98. How to Conquer Anger
99. How to Bounce Back in Life
100. How to Overcome Resistance
101. Nothing Unlimited is Good; Nothing Good is Unlimited
102. You Have No Limits
103. Can 1’s and 0’s Hurt You?
104. The Envious Moment is Flying Now
105. Tomorrow We’ll Sail the Wide Seas Again
106. How to Forgive Others
107. Focus on Your Actions, Not the Results
108. Everything Will Be Alright
109. How to Be a Stoic Street Photographer
110. How to Be a Spartan Photographer
111. How to Overcome Your Fears in Life
112. How to Stop Worrying in Life
113. How to Use Photography as Self-Therapy
114. How to Free Your Soul From Disturbance
115. 3 Stoic Techniques that Can Help You Gain Tranquility
116. Can People Weaker than You Hurt You?
117. Does a Doctor Get Angry at a Crazy Patient?
118. Own Nothing

The Stoic Masters

Learn from the master stoics:

• Seneca
• Marcus Aurelius
• Epictetus
• Publilius Syrus
• Heraclitus

See all philosophy >

Critical, kritikos, means to judge.

To think critically means to wisely judge things, whether you deem it fit or not.

Or, judge it as being profitable or not, or advantageous or not.

Steering clear of foolishness?

There is no such thing as good or bad, or evil. To me it all comes down to wise or foolish.

What is foolish, foolishness, foolish behavior? Typically things which can cause permanent bodily mutilation, or a traumatic death. Driving fast, racing, texting while driving, drinking while driving or being high while driving etc.

What is the point of thinking?

A life of pure theory divorced from action seems a bit flaccid. I believe that your thoughts should also be in accordance with your actions.

For example, my thoughts or philosophies on fitness and weightlifting; I actually apply it to my own approach, and my thoughts and thinking often come to me after much experimentation.

Action first, thoughts later.

Rather, the goal is to become a solo thinker:

EK LIFE

Empower yourself in life:

1. ON KILLING MANY BIRDS WITH A FEW STONES
2. The Never-Ending Journey
3. The City vs Country Life
4. How to Accomplish and Do More Everyday
5. 29 Life Lessons I’ve Learned
6. How to Conquer Your Fears in Life
7. Conquer Yourself
8. How to Focus
9. Avoid Excess
10. Innovation is Knowing What Not to Do in Your Photography and Life
11. Embracing FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
12. Endurance
13. Don’t Crowd-Source Your Self-Esteem

See all philosophy >

Vlog

First ascertain what you really desire in life, and then, choose the intelligent strategy how to most directly get there.

PHILOSOPHY BY KIM

Essays by KIM

1. LOOK *BEYOND*
2. BECOMING MORE IMMORAL?
3. ‘LUCK’ VS COURAGE
4. ‘SKILL’ VS MERIT?
5. Becoming Antifragile
6. How to “Improve” Men
7. The Art of Virtue
8. How to Dominate
9. JUST SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES AND WISDOM WITH OTHERS.
10. How to Get More Done in a Single Day – MEMENTO MORI PHILOSOPHY
11. THINK FOR YOURSELF
12. Cruel?
13. GO DEMIGOD.
14. How to Be Happy: Challenge and Danger Philosophy
15. To Become Greater, You Must Become *LESS* Productive!
16. Imperfect Beauty
17. The Philosophy of Pleasure
18. What Interests You?
19. Anti Theory of Everything
20. Become?
21. STRONGER OR NOT?
22. Carte Blanche Ideals
23. CHOOSE JOY
24. Don’t Judge Your Impulses
25. On Becoming Less Human
26. COWARDICE.
27. The Philosophy of Futurism
28. PHILOSOPHY IS VALUE-SETTING
29. PHILOSOPHY IS NOT LIFESTYLE
30. WHY STANDARDIZATION IS BAD.
31. YOUR OWN TABLE OF VALUES.
32. RETRO IS BAD.
33. INSANELY LOFTY THOUGHTS.
34. Strive to *Lose* Weight, Not *Gain* Weight
35. DIABLO II ANALOGIES FOR REAL LIFE.
36. If You Know Your *WHY* You Can Discover Any *HOW*
37. Life is Too Short to Be Miserable
38. What Consumption Takes Skill?
39. OFF THE GRID.
40. REALITY IS CRUEL.
41. Pain is Information
42. WHY REMOVE VULGARITY AND DISORDER FROM OUR EYES?
43. AUTOTELIC.
44. UNPLUG.
45. How to Become a Philosopher
46. SUBOPTIMAL IS OPTIMAL
47. THE LUST FOR MORE.
48. TO DO IS TO BECOME.
49. IN PRAISE OF AGGRESSIVE.
50. THE PHILOSOPHY OF OPTIMISM
51. OUR PHILOSOPHICAL WILL TO EXISTENCE
52. Is Hope a Vice?
53. MOVE MEAN
54. Carte Blanche Ideals
55. One Interesting Thought
56. What Lasts? What Doesn’t Last?
57. A WOUND STIMULATES THE RECUPERATIVE POWERS
58. Children & Purpose
59. Thoughts on Becoming a Parent
60. Where Does Our Desire to Upgrade Come From?
61. WE ALWAYS NEED SOMETHING FURTHER TO ASPIRE TO.
62. Self-Task Yourself an Awesome Mission in Life
63. Differentiation vs Equalization
64. My Passion to *Become* Something More
65. No Aesthetic or Ethos is Forever
66. What is Your Higher Purpose in Life?
67. IT WILL NEVER SATISFY YOU.
68. How to Decide
69. Things You *Want* to Do vs Things You *MUST* Do
70. Towards a More Beautiful Mode of Existence and Future
71. EXTREME GRATITUDE.
72. AMAP (As Much as Possible) or None.
73. Why or How Does it Matter?
74. The Philosophy of Time and Events
75. How *Not* to Resent
76. FORWARD LOOKING
77. DOMAIN FLEXIBILITY.
78. The Miracle of Human Growth
79. EXTREME ADAPTATION.
80. Why Plan?
81. You Don’t Need to Justify Yourself
82. The Philosophy of Ego
83. True vs False Passions
84. How to Achieve Tranquility
85. On Making Your Own Philosophy
86. The Purpose of Life is to Create New Life
87. Think On!
88. The Wisdom of Doing Nothing
89. Congruency
90. My Thoughts on Meditation
91. The Philosophy of Purpose
92. Emulate Yourself
93. Good Fear, Bad Fear
94. For the Betterment of Humanity or Just Yourself?
95. What you *really* believe in and care for is manifested through your actions (or non-actions)
96. Why Culture is Your Enemy
97. YOUR EXPERIENCES ARE KING.
98. LIFE IS INHERENTLY GOOD.
99. Artistic, Physical, and Philosophical Muscles
100. All New Experiences are Good Experiences
101. What is the Purpose of X?
102. UTILITY.
103. Philosophy is a Luxury
104. The Attempt is More Interesting than the Result
105. Joyfulness vs “Happiness”
106. Effectiveness Over Happiness
107. Self Actualization
108. MAXIMAL ENGAGEMENT
109. Life & Pain
110. On Living Every Day with No Regret
111. Learn as if you’re going to live forever, live as if you’re going to die tomorrow
112. Live Every Day Like it Were the Last Day of Your Life
113. Self-Determination
114. FALSE GRATITUDE vs REAL GRATITUDE
115. HOW TO LIVE MORE
116. THE UPSIDE OF TRAGEDY
117. Satisfaction is a Sucker’s Game
118. Supreme Repose
119. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? According to ERIC KIM
120. STUBBORN, FLEXIBLE
121. EVERYTHING HAPPENS AS IT *SHOULD* HAVE HAD HAPPENED
122. Good Addiction, Bad Addiction?
123. What is the Best Life?
124. The Philosophy of Thinking
125. The Philosophy of Conspiracies
126. Conspiracies
127. Growth
128. Skepticism.
129. What Do You Really Want Out of Life?
130. Seem or Be?
131. Learn Through Pain
132. Respect Yourself
133. In Praise of Elitism
134. Why Independent Thinking?
135. I Will Never Die
136. Bitter is Better
137. The Genesis of Nihilism and Existential Dread
138. The Ethics of Personal Enrichment
139. Good vs Not Good
140. Punished by Privilege
141. Abstinence Over Moderation
142. Just Leave Others Alone
143. You Can Only Critique that Which You Truly Understand and Love
144. ERIC KIM Critique of Metaphysics
145. Only Trust Philosophers Who Deadlift
146. Heuristic: If Someone Talks Shit About Others Behind Their Back, Most Likely They’re Also Talking Shit About You Behind Your Back
147. Virtue is a Privilege
148. What Are Your Life Goals?
149. Honesty
150. Why I’m Anti Moderation
151. No Spite, No Malice.
152. Ascending Life or Descending Life?
153. Double Edged Sword
154. Ignorance.
155. Why I Don’t Trust “Nice Guys”
156. Why You Must Share Your Opinion
157. Selfish Isn’t Evil
158. Wisdom is the Goal
159. YOU ARE KING.
160. MASTER YOURSELF
161. What is “Good” for You is Often what is Bad for You
162. Care.
163. BITTERSWEET
164. ONE REP MAX
165. Morality and Ethics is the Snare
166. BY HELPING YOURSELF, YOU BEST HELP OTHERS
167. Insanity is Good.
168. Think Deep.
169. PHILOSOPHY IS THE FUTURE.
170. Open Mind vs Closed Mind
171. ENTHUSIASM IS GENIUS
172. Towards a More Critical and Rigorous Line of Thinking
173. How to Encourage and a Foster Independent and Free Thinking
174. What is the Purpose of Life?
175. WHY PHILOSOPHY IS SUPREME.
176. Elitism.
177. I Cannot Form an Opinion About Somebody Until I’ve Met Them in the Flesh
178. ALL GENETICS ARE GOOD GENETICS.
179. Happiness vs Freedom
180. The Birth of a Hater
181. My Way Isn’t the Right Way
182. Walking as an Existential Thing
183. Why I’m So Tolerant
184. Mortal Gods
185. THE HUMAN SPECIES
186. Why I’m So Skeptical
187. Just Follow the Money
188. Why Selfish?
189. WHY WE CANNOT BLAME OTHERS
190. Why Are We So Anti Elitism?
191. What Actually Interests You?
192. How to Become Yourself
193. SELF HATE
194. Optimistic Fatalism
195. Death is the Ultimate Creative Constraint
196. FLUX.
197. How to Think for Yourself
198. FLESH
199. How to Live the Best Life
200. Why Live a Life Without Regrets?
201. Why Plato Ruined Art and Aesthetics for Us
202. Self Respect
203. Hypocrite vs Contradict
204. Ideals vs Reality
205. Spaceship Philosophy
206. What is Your Ideal Life?
207. MY EXTREME GRATITUDE TOWARDS LIFE AND BEING ALIVE!
208. Critique of Utilitarianism
209. Don’t Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated
210. The Eternal Recurrence of Tragedy and Joy in Life
211. Elite Asceticism
212. Why I Don’t Like Numbers
213. Action and Reaction, Cause and Effect
214. The Antidote to Nihilism: The Philosophy of Nothingness
215. ERIC KIM Notes on Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
216. EXPLOIT CHAOS.
217. WHY I DON’T BELIEVE IN GENETICS
218. Self-Wisdom
219. The Future Belongs to the Fearless
220. INDIVIDUALISM
221. Why Live Forever?
222. THIS TOO WILL PASS.
223. Why Education?
224. How to Become Yourself
225. Things Shouldn’t Go Back to the Way They Used to Be
226. Why Am I So Cruel?
227. The Great Joy of Existence
228. Virtue for the Sake of Virtue
229. NO DISDAIN.
230. INTELLIGENT IGNORANCE
231. A LIFE WITHOUT PAIN, DIFFICULTY OR TRAGEDY ISN’T A LIFE WORTH LIVING
232. BITTER IS BETTER.
233. EXPLOIT THE BEST FROM TRAGEDY AND LIFE 
234. DISREGARD FOR SELF-PRESERVATION
235. PAIN.
236. WHAT IF EVERYTHING IS NOT GONNA BE ALRIGHT?
237. Tomorrow is Never
238. Life is the Ultimate Creative Constraint
239. EMBODIED REALITY
240. BLACK SWAN
241. THINGS WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THE WAY THEY USED TO BE
242. What are you *really* afraid of?
243. HAPPINESS ISN’T THE GOAL
244. Philosophy is King
245. Why is Selfish Evil?
246. YOU’RE CONSTANTLY IN A STATE OF BECOMING
247. ENTITLEMENT A SIN?
248. NARCISSISM
249. BE BRUTALLY HONEST WITH YOURSELF
250. WHY FREE WILL?
251. OBEY YOUR OPINION
252. EGO IS GOOD.
253. WHY IT IS GOOD TO BE INTO YOURSELF
254. Seek the Good Pain
255. Anti-Perfection in Photography, Art, and Life
256. Can You Become an End into Yourself?
257. WHY I LIVE
258. Why I Hate Decline
259. Why I Eat
260. Why am I So Positive and Optimistic?
261. EFFORT IS ENJOYMENT
262. Never Stop Gaining
263. TRUST YOURSELF
264. A Life of Maximal Personal Independence
265. What Do You Desire to Become?
266. What Do I Want from Technology?
267. Stratified Society
268. Do You Love or Hate Reality?
269. On the Brian, Body and Mind
270. I’m Maximally Happy, Now What?
271. Care over Fame
272. ACTIVE NIHILISM
273. Never Stop Subtracting
274. How to Live a Happier and More Epic Life
275. A Risker Life is a Better Life
276. Only Work on Things You Can Imagine Doing for Eternity
277. How to Maximize Your Happiness
278. Influence
279. The Gladiator Makes His Plans once He Enters the Ring
280. Meditations on Meaning in Life
281. There is Nothing More Interesting than Human Beings
282. Is Hope a Vice?
283. EGO
284. Why Be Unique?
285. Happiness is Metabolism Health and Strength
286. You’re the Hero
287. Is Productivity a Virtue or Vice?
288. Why Do We Prize the Rare?
289. The Joy of Uncertainty
290. How Should I Best Use My Time and Life?
291. A Life Without Pain or Suffering Isn’t a Life Worth Living
292. Free or Unfree?
293. What Do You Really Care For in Life?
294. Anti-Satisfaction in Life
295. Why Think?
296. The Eternal Return
297. Only Do What is Best for You!
298. Truthiness
299. Why Be Happy?
300. Permissionless Living
301. In Praise of Unconventional Wisdom
302. Become the Change Which You Wish to See in the World
303. Happiness
304. Beyond Freedom
305. Idolize People, Not Stuff
306. What Makes You Stronger? What Makes You Weaker?
307. Why Hate?
308. The Secret of Happiness
309. You’re Constantly in a State of Becoming
310. Life is about Choices, Not Obligations
311. Anti-Nihilism
312. First, Do What is Best for You.
313. Live Dynamic
314. How to Prosper
315. Is the Point of Life to Be Satisfied?
316. SUPREME EFFORT OF WILL.
317. How to Become more Idealistic
318. Thrivival 101
319. Create Yourself
320. Non-Small
321. Inspiration
322. How to Live a Heroic Life: Dare the Heights!
323. Human Augmentation
324. Prune
325. Happiness: Do What You Want to Do (And Don’t Do What You Don’t Want to Do)
326. Avoid Vain (Empty) Pursuits in Life
327. Modern Slavery
328. Kill the Leeches
329. Wisdom Augmentation
330. Why We Need Friction in Life
331. Straight Line Philosophy
332. What’s Your End-Game in Life?
333. Create Your Own Happiness Today
334. Desire Both Pain and Pleasure in Life
335. Try the Impossible
336. SELF-RESPECT
337. Anti-Social Extrovert
338. Never Blame Anybody But Yourself
339. Human Flourishing
340. Simpler, Not Better.
341. How to be Free
342. Embrace the Extremes
343. Cultivate Your Own Culture
344. COURAGE.
345. Thrivival
346. Inner Power
347. How to Live a Purposeful Life
348. My Definition of Happiness
349. Why Change is Good
350. Why Work?
351. How to Live the Happiest Possible Life
352. The Two-Pronged Approach to Maximize Joy in Your Life
353. You Always Have Another Option!
354. INFINITISM
355. Never Stop!
356. What is Your Self-Directed Purpose in Life?
357. Live Today Like it Were Your Last
358. Do You Photograph to Live, or Live to Photograph?
359. ARTIST-PHILOSOPHER
360. Live Life to the Fullest!
361. In Praise of Selfishness
362. Why You Must Be a YAY-SAYER to Succeed in Entrepreneurship and Life
363. Why I Love Walking
364. Live Life Like a Video Game!
365. Simple Luxuries in Life
366. Treat Your Life Like a Fun Experiment!
367. Only Prove it to Yourself
368. You Don’t Always Need to Feel Joyful to Live a Fulfilling and Meaningful Life
369. Life is Too Short to Be Bored!
370. Money Cannot Destroy Boredom
371. How to Find Inspiration in Life
372. Why You Must Ignore Haters to Succeed and Win in Life
373. An Active Life is a Happy Life
374. My Simple Joys in Life
375. Never Stop Striving
376. How to Motivate Yourself in Life
377. How to Be Optimistic in Life
378. How to Dictate Your Purpose in Life
379. In Praise of a Dynamic Life
380. PURPOSE.
381. How to Enjoy Life
382. Photography Therapy
383. How to Conquer Regret
384. Take Your Play Very Seriously.
385. How to Prosper
386. Memento Vivere
387. Destroy in Order to CREATE
388. Trust Your Body More Than Your Mind
389. Make Photos to Make Meaning in Your Life
390. Seek Knowledge, Not Information
391. The Purpose of Human Life
392. How to Overcome Impedence
393. Why I Love Death
394. How to Be Centered in the Eternal Now
395. How to Be Happy
396. Why Do You Care What Others Think of You?
397. Why I’m Happy
398. Why?
399. Why I’m So Prolific
400. How to Reduce LAG in Life

Masters of Philosophy »

• Seneca
• Marcus Aurelius
• Publilius Syrus

Personal Philosophy »

• You Are the Light of the World
• Your Soul is a Diamond in the Rough
• Why Live?

Stoicism »

• How to Be a Stoic Street Photographer
• How to Use Photography as Self-Therapy
• How to Free Your Soul From Disturbance

Zen Philosophy »

• How to Be a Zen Street Photographer
• Zen in the Art of Street Photography
• How to Find Tranquility in Your Photography

Life Lessons »

• How to Conquer Your Fears in Life
• Conquer Yourself
• How to Focus

Learn more: Start Here >

I studied sociology as an undergrad, and it might’ve been one of the most formative things for me. But what is sociology, and what is the difference between sociology and philosophy?

My personal thought is sociology is practical, pragmatic, applied philosophy to society, other people, every day life.

SOCIOLOGY by KIM

1. SOCIAL DOMINANCE THEORY
2. FLAT SOCIETY
3. National vs Individual Pride
4. Dystopia is a Utopia
5. A NEW SOCIETY.
6. THE DEEP INDIVIDUAL.
7. Why is It So Hard for Us To Follow Our Gut and Instinct?
8. Sociology of Comparison
9. Mimetic Desires
10. Interest in Humans or Objects?
11. Social Stochastic Resonance
12. How to Live Bravely in Today’s Brave New World and Society
13. Arousal
14. Is Humanity on the Decline?
15. Social Innovations
16. Society *Shouldn’t* Be Fair
17. Why Society Doesn’t Want Free Thinkers and Free Livers
18. Our New Soft Society
19. HARD SOCIETY

Sociological Theory

• TOLERANCE AND INTOLERANCE
• POST-MONETARY SOCIETY.
• Simulated Universal Basic Income
• DIGITAL CAPITALISM
• Capitalism 2.0
• SOCIETY 2.0

---

Photography and Sociology

• Street Photography Sociology
• Visual Sociology through Street Photography
• How You Can Apply Sociology to Your Street Photography Projects
• 10 Things Sociology Has Taught Me About Street Photography

SOCIOLOGY by KIM

1. Sociology vs Philosophy?
2. SOCIAL DOMINANCE THEORY
3. FLAT SOCIETY
4. National vs Individual Pride
5. Dystopia is a Utopia
6. A NEW SOCIETY.
7. THE DEEP INDIVIDUAL.
8. Why is It So Hard for Us To Follow Our Gut and Instinct?
9. Sociology of Comparison
10. Mimetic Desires
11. Interest in Humans or Objects?
12. Social Stochastic Resonance
13. How to Live Bravely in Today’s Brave New World and Society
14. Arousal
15. Is Humanity on the Decline?
16. Social Innovations
17. Society *Shouldn’t* Be Fair
18. Why Society Doesn’t Want Free Thinkers and Free Livers
19. Our New Soft Society
20. HARD SOCIETY

Sociological Theory

• TOLERANCE AND INTOLERANCE
• POST-MONETARY SOCIETY.
• Simulated Universal Basic Income
• DIGITAL CAPITALISM
• Capitalism 2.0
• SOCIETY 2.0

---

Photography and Sociology

• Street Photography Sociology
• Visual Sociology through Street Photography
• How You Can Apply Sociology to Your Street Photography Projects
• 10 Things Sociology Has Taught Me About Street Photography

Carte blanche baby!

New mind drip from EK NEWS:

DOMINATE THE STREETS:

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 101

1. How I Became the Greatest Street Photographer Alive
2. Antifragile Photography
3. How to Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography
4. INSANELY AUDACIOUS AND BOLD
5. 5 Simple Street Photography Techniques
6. STREET PHOTOGRAPHER.
7. The Street Photographer Ideal
8. 50 Street Photography Tips, Techniques and Ideas
9. Street Photography Values
10. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY DOESN’T NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE IN IT.
11. Why Street Photography is So Great
12. WHY BECOME A STREET PHOTOGRAPHER?
13. Society Photography, Not “Street” Photography
14. How to Street Photography
15. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY OPTIONALITY.
16. 10 Street Photography Tips
17. The Street Photographer as the Apex Photographer
18. Street Photography & Adrenaline
19. STREETTOGS STARTING GUIDE
20. 50 Street Photography Tips by ERIC KIM
21. What I Wish I Knew If I Started Street Photography All Over Again
22. Photograph like it’s not a big deal
23. Suburb Street Photography
24. What is Our Personal Motivation Behind Street Photography?
25. WHY I’M SO PASSIONATE ABOUT STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
26. Personal Street Photography
27. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY AS A PRACTICE.
28. Pandemic Street Photography
29. AIRPORT STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
30. How to Shoot Street Photography Right Now
31. Towards a More Independent Street Photography Approach
32. How Street Photography Improves Your Life
33. How to Tell Stories in Your Street Photos
34. Face Street Photography
35. How to Start Shooting Street Photography
36. How to Shoot Street Photography During a Pandemic
37. 7 Street Photography Assignment Ideas

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY STARTER KIT

Master street photography with STREET PHOTOGRAPHY STARTER KIT.

---

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 101

If you’re new to street photography, start here:

• The Ultimate Street Photography Tutorial
• Street Photography 101 Tutorial
• 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
• How to Shoot Street Photography

---

Brave New Street Photography

• 10 Lessons I’ve Learned from Street Photography
• SKIN IN THE GAME: STREET PHOTOGRAPHY ETHICS
• The Beauty of Mundane Happenings
• Humans and Environments
• Define Street Photography for Yourself
• Street Photography of People You Know
• Street Photography Composition Ideas
• How to Shoot Political Photography
• Social Photography
• Street Photography Lifestyle
• Why Street Photography is So Fun
• Street Photography for Mental Health
• How to Become a Street Photography Sharpshooter
• How to Shoot Kid Street Photography
• STREET PHOTO MANUAL
• Street Photography is an Approach, a Technique, and an Ethos

Street Photographs

1. How to Shoot Street Photography with Dads and Kids
2. HOW I BECAME SUCH A GREAT STREET PHOTOGRAPHER
3. Use Quarantine as an Opportunity to Pick up Film Photography
4. Hong Kong Street Photography by ERIC KIM

Street Photography Philosophy

• Brave New Street Photographer
• How to Talk to Strangers
• How to Shoot More Dynamic Street Photographs
• WHY I LOVE ARCHITECTURE AND STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
• Why Street Photography Brings Me So Much Joy
• How to Shoot Street Photography Video
• How to Shoot Street Photography in the Brave New COVID World
• The Future for Street Photography
• ALL STREET PHOTOGRAPHS ARE GOOD PHOTOGRAPHS.
• AMERICA by KIM
• Street Photography in a Non-Travel World?
• How to Shoot Street Photography During COVID-19
• You’ve Never Shot Photography Until You’ve Shot Street Photography
• Xenophilia: Love of Strangers
• My Street Photography Philosophy
• Why Street Photography is Important for Society
• HOW STREET PHOTOGRAPHY CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
• STREET PHOTOGRAPHY IS ABOUT LOVING ALL PEOPLE
• Real Life People vs Abstract People
• Is it OK to Piss Off or Annoy People in Photography?
• ANTI PURISM IN STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
• Street Photography of People You Know
• Street Photography is Courage
• MY STREET PHOTOGRAPHY PHILOSOPHY
• Street Photography Motivation from ERIC KIM
• I AM STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
• WHY TALK TO STRANGERS?
• Why Street Photography is Supreme
• How to Make Great Street Photos
• Street Photography Ideas by ERIC KIM
• Why Street Photography?
• The Street Photographer’s Soul
• How to Become a Fearless Street Photographer
• Black and White or Color for Travel Street Photography?
• Street Photographers are Adrenaline Junkies
• How to Master Street Photography
• Almost Anything and Everything is Street Photography
• Advice for Aspiring Street Photographers
• Street Photography Sociology
• Why There’s No Right or Wrong Way to Shoot Street Photography
• The Street Photographer as a Soldier-Artist
• Why Street Photography is the Best Photography
• Street Photography is a Way of Life
• How to Conquer Anxiety
• Street Photography is Art with People

Street Photography Articles

• How to Edit and Sequence a Photography Project
• Practical Street Photography Tips
• 5 Simple Street Photography Assignments
• Street Photography Composition Ideas
• 10 Advanced Street Photography Tips and Techniques
• Daredevil Photography
• Lingering Technique: How to Work the Scene in Street Photography
• Why Photograph People?
• No Guilt in Street Photography
• Street Photography is Hard.
• Street Photography Inspiration
• 5 Simple Tips How to Shoot Better Street Photos
• 10 Super Simple Street Photography Tips
• How to Shoot Head-On in Street Photography
• The Decapitation Technique in Street Photography
• Be Brazen in Street Photography
• How to Shoot Better Street Photographs
• Drive-By Technique in Street Photography
• How to Shoot a Wedding Like a Street Photographer
• Street Photography is 80% Risk Taking!
• 10 Simple Street Photography Principles
• 5 Fundamental Street Photography Principles
• 10 Street Photography Assignment Ideas
• How to Tell Stories in Street Photography

---

Street Photography Techniques

1. How to Shoot Head-On Street Photography
2. Street Photography Composition Tips
3. In Praise of Street Vlogging
4. How to Shoot Video Street Photography
5. Street Photography Technique: The Stalker Technique
6. Photography Technique: Take Photos While Walking!
7. New Tokyo GoPro Fusion POV Street Photography YouTube Videos
8. ERIC KIM Street Photography Tips and Technique
9. The 360 Degree Technique in Street Photography
10. How to Work the Scene in Street Photography
11. How to Shoot Layers and the Bookend Technique in Street Photography
12. Street Photography Technique: GET CLOSE & FILL THE FRAME + GOLDEN DIAGONAL COMPOSITION
13. Street Photography Techniques: The 3D Scan/360 Degree Technique (Shooting Head-on) and Holding Your Camera High in the Air and Point Downwards (and Use Your LCD Screen to Frame the Scene)
14. The Walking Alongside Someone and Shooting Until They Notice You Street Photography Technique
15. SUPER INNOVATIVE NEW GOPRO STREET PHOTOGRAPHY POV EXPERIENCE: Cutoff Technique, Shooting Head-on with Flash, and Slow-Motion on RICOH GR II at 28mm
16. How to Shoot a Street Portrait: Tips, Technique, and GoPRO POV Tutorial
17. Street Photography Technique/Composition: Leading Lines and Crouching Down Low
18. How to Shoot Layers in Street Photography: GoPRO POV Video Composition Tutorial
19. How to Shoot Street Photography with a 24mm Lens
20. The Cutoff Technique in Street Photography
21. THE CUTOFF TECHNIQUE IN STREET PHOTOGRAPHY: GOPRO POV KYOTO ERIC KIM

---

Street Photography Ideas

• Street Photography is Like Fishing
• Why Do We Feel Nervous Shooting Street Photography?
• Street Photography Philosophy
• Everyday Street Photography
• Why Street Photography?
• Why You Must Follow Your Own Voice in Street Photography
• How to Overcome Guilt in Street Photography
• 5 Dynamic Off-Center Street Photography Compositions
• 5 Night Street Photography Composition Tips
• How to Talk to Strangers
• How to Overcome Fear in Street Photography
• Street Photography Empowerment
• Eric Kim’s Top 30 Street Photography Tips
• How to Shoot Street Photography on a 35mm Lens
• 7 Tips How to Conquer Your Fears of Shooting Street Photography
• Street Photography Lifestyle
• How to Use Tactful Flattery in Street Photography
• How to Conquer Social Anxiety With Street Photography
• Street Photography Secrets Debunked
• 10 Dynamic Street Photography Tips
• The Benefits of Shooting Street Photography
• The Street Photography Manifesto
• My Experience Shooting Digital Medium Format in Street Photography
• Why Do You Feel Guilty Shooting Street Photography?
• Improvise in Street Photography
• Ethics in Street Photography

---

Street Photography Composition Techniques

• 10 Inspirational Sergio Larrain Compositions
• 5 Henri Cartier-Bresson Photography Composition Lessons
• Street Photography Technique: Overlap
• Street Photography Composition Lesson: Chunking
• The Fishing Technique in Street Photography

---

STREET NOTES.

Push yourself out of your comfort zone with STREET NOTES: Mobile Edition.

STREET NOTES PAPER EDITION ON AMAZON >

---

LEARN FROM THE MASTERS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

Timeless wisdom from the masters of street photography.

Learn more about MASTERS >

Buy MASTERS on Amazon >

---

FUNDAMENTALS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

• The Psychology of Street Photography
• Fundamentals to Street Photography
• How to Conquer Fear in Street Photography
• Street Photography Secrets
• NEO STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
• Street Photography Lenses
• Street Photography Settings
• Street Photography Techniques
• Street Photography Ideas
• CLOSER.
• CLEAN BACKGROUND

Street Photography Inspiration

• How to Enter the Street Photography Zone
• Simple Street Photography Tips
• How to Defuse Confrontations in Street Photography 
• How to Make Controversial Street Photographs
• Street Photography Project Ideas
• How to Make Good Street Photos
• Is Defining “STREET PHOTOGRAPHY” a Good Thing?
• STREET PHOTOGRAPHY “RULES” TO BREAK
• Walking Meditation in Street Photography
• 10 COMMANDMENTS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
• Street Photography is Improvisation
• In Praise of Randomness in Street Photography
• How to Become a Fearless Photographer
• How to Make Better Street Photographs
• 12 ERIC KIM Street Photography Assignments
• Meaningful Street Photography
• 25 Street Photography Tips by ERIC KIM

---

Beginner Street Photography Articles

Get started in street photography:

Definitions in Street Photography

• Visual Sociology Street Photography
• Why Street Photography?
• What is Street Photography?
• Why Shoot Street Photography?
• The History of Street Photography

How to Shoot Street Photography

• How to Shoot Street Photography
• Street Portraits 101 by ERIC KIM
• The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Street Photography
• 70 Street Photography Tips for Beginners
• 15 Street Photography Techniques and Tips
• A Letter to My 18 Year Old Self: If I Started Street Photography All Over Again

Street Photography Equipment

• What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?
• What is the Best Lens for Street Photography?
• What to Consider When Buying a Camera

See all equipment articles >

How to Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography

• How to Conquer Your Fears in Life
• Shoot What You’re Afraid Of
• How to Channel Your Fear into Bravery

See all articles to conquer your fears >

---

Intermediate Street Photography Articles

Take your street photography to the next level:

• How to Become a Stoic Street Photographer
• The 10 Principles of Good Street Photography
• 7 Tips How to Capture “The Decisive Moment” in Street Photography
• The Importance of Social Skills in Street Photography
• The Street Photography Code of Ethics
• “Taking” vs “Making” Photos in Street Photography
• Follow Your Gut in Street Photography
• 10 Reasons Why You Should Never Chimp While Shooting Street Photography

---

Advanced Street Photography Articles

Find deeper meaning in your street photography:

• How to Master Street Photography
• How to Be a Zen Street Photographer
• Personal Street Photography
• The “Bookend” Technique in Street Photography
• Street Photography is Self-Therapy
• Zen in the Art of Street Photography
• Taoism and Street Photography
• How to Find Your Style in Street Photography
• Follow Your Gut in Street Photography

---

Street Photography Tips & Technique

Learn how to shoot on the streets:

• 70 Street Photography Tips for Beginners
• 15 Street Photography Techniques and Tips
• Flash Street Photography Guide
• Take More Risks
• Don’t Think About Composition When You’re Shooting Street Photography
• 7 Tips How to Capture “The Decisive Moment” in Street Photography
• 7 Tips How to Make a Great Street Photograph
• Tokyo Street Photography Contact Sheets
• Video: Why it is Important to “Work the Scene” in Street Photography
• Shoot Less, Better
• Make Shitty Photos
• Shoot Effortlessly
• 10 Tips for Candid Street Photography
• 103 Lessons I’ve Learned From Street Photography

See all street photography tips and techniques >

Street Photography Guides

In-depth guides on street photography:

• How to Shoot Candid Street Photography
• How to Shoot Street Portraits with Permission
• How to Shoot Black and White Street Photography
• How to Shoot Color Street Photography
• How to Shoot Street Portraits with Permission
• How to Shoot Layers in Street Photography
• How to Shoot Urban Landscapes

Street Photography Equipment

The best equipment for street photography:

• What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?
• What is the Best Lens for Street Photography?
• Why I Love Cameras with Non-Interchangeable Lenses
• The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide for Cameras in Street Photography
• What to Consider When Buying a Camera for Street Photography
• In Street Photography, The Smaller the Camera, the Better
• Why Sharpness is Overrated in Street Photography
• How to Shoot Street Photography on a DSLR

See all equipment articles >

Street Photography Editing and Workflow

• Video: Introduction to Editing, Processing, and Workflow in Lightroom
• How to Edit (Choose Your Best Photos) in Street Photography
• How Studying Contact Sheets Can Make You a Better Street Photographer
• Debunking the “Myth of the Decisive Moment”

How to Start a Street Photography Project

• Free E-Book: The Street Photography Project Manual
• How to Start Your Own Street Photography Project
• How to Come Up With a Personal Photography Project Idea

---

Learn From the Masters of Street Photography

“He without a past has no future.”

Start here:

1. Why Study the Masters of Photography?
2. Great Female Master Photographers
3. Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
4. 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
5. Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
6. Download All Articles >

---

The Masters of Photography

Classics never die:

• Alfred Stieglitz
• Alec Soth
• Alex Webb
• Alexey Brodovitch
• Anders Petersen
• Andre Kertesz
• Ansel Adams
• Araki
• Blake Andrews
• Bruce Davidson
• Bruce Gilden
• Constantine Manos
• Daido Moriyama
• Dan Winters
• David Alan Harvey
• David Hurn
• Diane Arbus
• Dorothea Lange
• Elliott Erwitt
• Eugene Atget
• Eugene Smith
• Fan Ho
• Garry Winogrand
• Gordon Parks
• Helen Levitt
• Henri Cartier-Bresson
• Irving Penn
• Jacob Aue Sobol
• Jeff Mermelstein
• Joel Meyerowitz
• Joel Sternfeld
• Josef Koudelka / Part 2
• Josh White
• Lee Friedlander
• Lisette Model
• Magnum Contact Sheets
• Magnum Photographers
• Mark Cohen
• Martin Parr
• Martine Franck
• Mary Ellen Mark
• Rene Burri
• Richard Avedon
• Richard Kalvar
• Robert Capa
• Robert Frank
• Saul Leiter
• Sergio Larrain
• Sebastião Salgado
• Shomei Tomatsu
• Stephen Shore
• The History of Street Photography
• Todd Hido
• Tony Ray-Jones
• Trent Parke
• Vivian Maier
• Walker Evans
• Weegee
• William Eggleston
• William Klein
• Zoe Strauss

---

Free Downloads

• Eric Kim Lightroom Presets
• Street Photography Presentations

See all free downloads >

Free Street Photography Books

Distilled information on street photography:

• STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MANUAL by ERIC KIM
• The Art of Street Photography
• 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
• Street Photography Contact Sheets
• Street Photography 101
• Street Photography 102
• Film Street Photography Manual
• The Street Photography Composition Manual
• The Street Portrait Manual
• 31 Days to Overcome Your Fear in Street Photography
• Zen in the Art of Street Photography

For more resources on photography, Start Here >

COMPOSITION by KIM

In pursuit of making (greater) compositions!

THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY COMPOSITION

1. Self Study Composition
2. CUT OUT THE WHITES.
3. How to Compose in Photography
4. WHAT MAKES A GOOD PHOTO?
5. Creative Focus in Photography
6. DISCLARITY
7. Study Great Compositions
8. Self Study Composition
9. The Human Body is Poetry
10. How to level-up your own photography composition
11. Composition is Everywhere
12. Low-Key Photography
13. 12 Photography Composition Ideas
14. Chiaroscuro in Photography

---

VIRTUAL REALITY COMPOSITION

• ERIC KIM VIRTUAL REALITY PHOTOGRAPHY COMPOSITION LESSON

The Game of Composition

• Photography Image Selection/Editing Technique: Choose Photos You Want to Draw Composition Over
• Photography and Planes: Composition
• HOW ERIC KIM STUDIES COMPOSITION
• Photography Composition Techniques
• Beyond “Clever” and Ironic Photos
• How to Be More Creatively Innovative with Your Compositions as a Photographer
• How to See in Layers
• Video Street Photography Composition Lesson by ERIC KIM (4K)
• How I Analyze My Photos
• The Game of Composition
• Why I Like to Shoot Layered Street Photography Compositions
• Composition and Decomposition: Construct and Deconstruct Great Art

Technical compositions

• Circle Photography Composition Technique
• Wavy/Wave Composition
• ERIC KIM Photography Composition Techniques
• How to Stress Test Your Photos
• Bounding Boxes for Photography Composition

Composition Studies

1. Helmut Newton Photography Composition Studies
2. W. Eugene Smith Composition Studies
   
3. PDF: ERIC KIM Photography Composition Studies
   
4. PDF: Josef Koudelka Photography Composition Studies
   
5. PDF: Richard Avedon Photography Composition Studies
   
6. PDF: Henri Cartier-Bresson Photography Composition Studies

---

Philosophy of Composition

• How to Teach Yourself Composition in Photography
• Striving to Discover New Compositions in Photography
• Off-Center Composition
• Why I Love Composition
• Philosophy of Composition
• More Dynamic Photos, More Powerful Photos!

Aesthetics

• Image Quality and Great Photos
• Imperfect Photos are More Beautiful
• Do you photograph the world better, the same, or worse than reality? #aesthetics
• Aesthetics are Ethics
• Beauty over Truth #philosophy #aesthetics
• Philosophy of Aesthetics and Beauty in Photography
• Aesthetics in Photography
• Aesthetics Strengthen, Simplify, and Focus
• Not better image quality; more beautiful aesthetics!
• Why Aesthetics?

---

Master composition for yourself:

Photography Composition Concepts

• Outline Photography Composition
• Re-Interpret your Photos
• Visual Gist
• Dynamic Composition
• 10 Tips How to Work Your Compositions in Photography
  • Download ZIP of composition files >
• Composition for the Sake of Composition
• The Gaussian Blur Test
• How to Teach Yourself Photography Composition
• Composition vs Aesthetics in Photography
• 10 Simple Composition Tips to Make Better Photos
• How to Compose a Photograph
• Edge Detection Photography Composition
• Vector (Arrow) Photography Composition
• Clear and Obscure (Chiaroscuro) Photography Composition

Street Photography Composition Tips

• 7 Street Photography Composition Tips
  The Superman Low Angle Perspective Photography Composition Effect
• High Angle Perspective Street Photography Composition Technique
• How to Shoot Low Angle Perspective Street Photography Composition Technique

Photography Composition Tips

• 5 Photography Composition Ideas
• How to Photograph Motion
• Photography Composition: Which Direction is Your Subject Looking?
• Blocking Technique in Photography
• How to Shoot a Triangle Photography Composition
• How to shoot a golden triangle composition in street photography
• 8 Simple Curve Composition Tips
• 5 Simple Henri Cartier-Bresson Composition Tips
• Foot Zoom
• Photography Composition: Light and Dark
• Street Photography Composition Lesson #16: Scale
• Shape, Arrangement, Position (S.A.P.) and Contour, Inter-Contact, Position (C.I.A.) in Photography
• 10 Tips How to Fill the Frame in Photography
• Look Up! 16 Photography Composition Perspective Tips
• 5 Simple Street Photography Composition Tips
• Depth Perception
• Golden Angle Composition in Street Photography
• Photographer as an “Arranging Artist”
• Dynamic Off-Center Street Photography Compositions
• 5 Essential Composition Tips in Photography

Color Theory

• Red and Green Composition Color Theory For Photographers
• The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Color Photography
• Opponent Process Color Theory For Photographers
• Color Theory For Photographers
• Color Manual
• How to Shoot Color Street Photography

Learn From the Masters of Composition

• 10 Lessons Matisse Can Teach You About Art and Life
• Henri Cartier-Bresson Composition
• 10 Timeless Lessons Edward Weston Can Teach You About Photography
• 10 Inspirational Sergio Larrain Compositions
• 5 Henri Cartier-Bresson Photography Composition Lessons

Dynamic Photography Composition 101

• Introduction to Dynamic Photography Composition
• How to Visually Analyze Your Photography Compositions
• Dynamic Tension: Opponent Based Theory For Photography
• Opponent Process Color Theory For Photographers
• Dynamic Photography Composition 101: Figure to Ground

Painting Compositions

• Johannes Vermeer
• Raphael

Dynamic Photography Composition Tips

• 7 Simple Photography Composition Tips
• How to Make Aggressive Photography Compositions
• 10 Dynamic Photography Composition Tips
• How to Make More Dynamic Picture Compositions
• Unorthodox Photography Composition Techniques
• Deconstructed: Saigon Eric Kim Photos

Composition Theory

Take your composition to the next level:

• Gestalt Theory
• Juxtaposition
• Center Eye
• Low-Angle
• Dutch Angle
• Deep Depth
• Spacing
• Silhouette
• Leading Lines
• Figure to Ground
• Fibonacci Spiral
• Cropping
• Emotion
• Composition by Eric Kim

---

Street Photography Composition 101

For distilled lessons on composition, read the free ebook: “The Street Photography Composition Manual.”

Further articles to improve your compositions in photography:

• Composition Lesson #1: Triangles
• Composition Lesson #2: Figure-to-ground
• Composition Lesson #3: Diagonals
• Composition Lesson #4: Leading Lines
• Composition Lesson #5: Depth
• Composition Lesson #6: Framing
• Composition Lesson #7: Perspective
• Composition Lesson #8: Curves
• Composition Lesson #9: Self-Portraits
• Composition Lesson #10: Urban Landscapes
• Composition Lesson #11: “Spot the not”
• Composition Lesson #12: Color Theory
• Composition Lesson #13: Multiple-Subjects
• Composition Lesson #14: Square Format

Composition Theory

Learn compositional theory:

• Why is Composition Important?
• Don’t Think About Composition When You’re Shooting Street Photography
• How to Use Negative Space
• Street Photography Composition 101
• The Theory of Composition in Street Photography: 7 Lessons from Henri Cartier-Bresson

---

Compositional lessons from the masters of art

• Composition Lessons Raphael Can Teach You About Photography
• In-Progress: Leonardo da Vinci

---

Composition lectures

---

Golden Diagonal Composition

DESIGN THOUGHTS

1. INSANELY LIGHTWEIGHT
2. MORE AGGRESSIVE DESIGN
3. COMPROMISE DESIGN.
4. ‘WASTEFUL’?
5. Tight vs Loose
6. Thick vs Thin
7. Why Lamborghini is No Longer Interesting to Me
8. DESIGN PHILOSOPHY IS AN ETHOS.
9. LESS SURFACE AREA.
10. ANTI IN-BETWEEN
11. CLASSIC/TIMELESS IS BORING.
12. Photographers are Designers
13. Why Perfect?
14. Beautiful but Boring
15. AGGRESSIVE DESIGN.
16. DESIGN IS KING.
17. WHY DESIGN?
18. THE RAGING BULL.
19. BARE BONES.
20. The Best Car for Thinking
21. Zen Aesthetics
22. Why Minimalism?
23. SPARTAN DESIGN.
24. Generic Design
25. An Elite Aesthetic
26. Not Hateful Design
27. New Forward Facing Design vs Retrospective and Nostalgic Design
28. Depressing Design vs Uplifting Design
29. The Best Design Towards What Ends?
30. Exciting or Boring Design?
31. On Design & Photography
32. A Designer Desires to Design and Create Things!
33. Delightful Technology and Design
34. Dynamic Aesthetics
35. Design vs Brand Prestige
36. Classic Proportions, Modern Design
37. Why Does Design Matter?
38. The Best Design
39. MUSCULAR DESIGN.
40. Camera Design
41. Watch Design

STOICISM 101

Become invincible:

1. Stoic Aesthetics?
2. The Philosophy of Ugliness
3. Bad Stoicism
4. Stoicism 2.0
5. Becoming Stoic
6. LEMONADE.
7. Why Arguments and Confrontations Are Good
8. “I’m Over It”
9. How to Deal With Miserable People
10. How to Become a Stoic
11. How to Ignore
12. Pretend like you didn’t hear them
13. Bad Stoic Strategies
14. The Stoic Way of Dealing With Unpleasant or Miserable People
15. HOW TO BECOME A STOIC
16. Stoicism Stunts Our Power?
17. Stoicism is Mental Resistance Training
18. STOIC STRATEGIES.
19. How to Become Fearless
20. Extreme Stoicism
21. Ethics are Aesthetic
22. Indifference to Pain or Suffering
23. When is Stoicism Good? When is Stoicism Bad?
24. Why Others Criticize or Insult You
25. True Difficulty
26. What if Covid Never Goes Away?
27. SUPER STOIC
28. Anti-Hedonism
29. HOW TO CONQUER FEAR
30. ANTI FEAR
31. It is the Duty of the Strong to Help the Weak
32. The Goal is to Become Stronger
33. HYPER STOICISM
34. HYPER HERO
35. TRANSFORM EVERY DOWNSIDE INTO AN UPSIDE
36. STOICISM x Child’s Mind
37. The Art of Manly Virtue
38. Resistance Makes Us Stronger!
39. DON’T LIVE IN FEAR
40. Emotions are Good
41. Conquer Your Anger
42. BLACK EAGLE
43. DIFFICULTY AWAKENS YOUR INNER-GENIUS.
44. STOICISM IS ARMOR FOR THE MIND
45. The Spartan-Stoic Lifestyle
46. How I Conquered Fear
47. HOW TO CURE FEAR.
48. LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.
49. The Upside of Poverty
50. How I Became Me
51. THE WILL TO POWER, OR THE WILL TO FEAR?
52. ATTACK REALITY
53. Living *THROUGH* History
54. How to Fear Less
55. Fear is the Ultimate Contagious Disease
56. STOICISM FOR DUMMIES
57. Don’t Be Scared!
58. WHAT CAN YOU CONTROL, WHAT CAN YOU NOT CONTROL?
59. HOW YOU CAN CONQUER FEAR
60. YOU’RE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE.
61. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
62. WHY AREN’T THINGS WORSE?
63. My Philosophy on Masculinity
64. A Riskier Life is a Better Life #philosophy #stoicism
65. How to Creatively Flourish in Life
66. Introduction to Stoicism
67. How to Become Stronger
68. How to Conquer Depression With Photography
69. What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger
70. How to Respect Yourself
71. How to Believe in Yourself
72. How to Steer Fear
73. How to Conquer Pessimism
74. How to Conquer Anxiety
75. How to Overcome Your Fear of People
76. How to Be Optimistic
77. Why I Don’t Take My Anger Seriously
78. HOW TO BECOME MORE POWERFUL
79. POSITIVITY.
80. HOW TO BECOME SUPERHUMAN
81. How to Give a Fuck Less
82. ALL IN.
83. Why I Cut My Dad Out of My Life.
84. Your iPhone Only Has 5% Battery Left.
85. How not to give a FUCK about your REPUTATION
86. WHAT IS A HUMAN?
87. HAPPINESS.
88. The Regret Minimization Framework in Photography and Life
89. How to Be a HERO
90. Conquer Your Fears by Making Fear Your Slave
91. Rule Circumstances; Don’t Let Your Circumstances Rule You
92. How to Love Yourself
93. How to Turn Shit into Gold
94. Your Parents Fuck You Up
95. Immortality
96. What Kills You Makes You Stronger
97. How to Be Patient
98. How to Conquer Anger
99. How to Bounce Back in Life
100. How to Overcome Resistance
101. Nothing Unlimited is Good; Nothing Good is Unlimited
102. You Have No Limits
103. Can 1’s and 0’s Hurt You?
104. The Envious Moment is Flying Now
105. Tomorrow We’ll Sail the Wide Seas Again
106. How to Forgive Others
107. Focus on Your Actions, Not the Results
108. Everything Will Be Alright
109. How to Be a Stoic Street Photographer
110. How to Be a Spartan Photographer
111. How to Overcome Your Fears in Life
112. How to Stop Worrying in Life
113. How to Use Photography as Self-Therapy
114. How to Free Your Soul From Disturbance
115. 3 Stoic Techniques that Can Help You Gain Tranquility
116. Can People Weaker than You Hurt You?
117. Does a Doctor Get Angry at a Crazy Patient?
118. Own Nothing

The Stoic Masters

Learn from the master stoics:

• Seneca
• Marcus Aurelius
• Epictetus
• Publilius Syrus
• Heraclitus

See all philosophy >

Entrepreneurship by KIM

Become the change which you desire to see manifested in the world!

Become you.

1. Making Money as a Hobby
2. The Best Exercises for Entrepreneurs
3. INCOME VS EXPENSES MONEY LIFESTYLE PHILOSOPHY
4. Entrepreneurship is the privilege of being able to attempt something new
5. How to Become More Influential
6. The Point of Life is Entrepreneurship?
7. How to Think Like an Entrepreneur
8. Become the Outlier
9. Self Reliance
10. How to Extend Your Reach
11. NEWS: How to Think Like an Entrepreneur
12. PVP (Player vs Player)
13. How I became so influential
14. WE LOVE THE *SENSATION* OF RISK-TAKING
15. WHY HIGH PROFIT MARGINS?
16. INNOVATION THOUGHTS
17. OVERCONFIDENCE IS GOOD.
18. GARAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
19. PERHAPS IT IS GOOD TO BE “DELUSIONAL”
20. USE YOUR WEALTH TO BUY STUFF, OR TO BUILD AND INNOVATE STUFF?
21. HOW TO THRIVE
22. Target Demographic
23. Ambition Over Happiness
24. Anti Collaboration
25. The Will to Economy
26. Why New?
27. CHOOSE ADRENALINE.
28. No Looking Back.
29. 1000x Different
30. BECOME SPENDTHRIFT
31. THE BENEFIT OF JUST ONE.
32. EXTREME INNOVATION.
33. Practicality is Boring
34. BECOME YOUR OWN STANDARD.
35. NEVER STOP ITERATING.
36. CONDENSE.
37. Take Lots of Small Financial Risks
38. Control Over Convenience
39. Why Are Chinese Companies So Innovative?
40. INSANELY DIFFERENT.
41. Why Doesn’t Anything Ever Satisfy Me?
42. THE GREAT PASSION.
43. Perhaps Dissatisfaction is Good
44. ONE REP MAX.
45. WHAT DO YOU *REALLY* WANT IN LIFE?
46. LIFE IS ABOUT STRIVING FOR MORE.
47. NEVER STOP LINKING.
48. THE GREATEST.
49. WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!
50. THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
51. ERIC KIM CRITIQUE OF ROMANTICISM
52. COMPLACENCY.
53. JUST BUY IT.
54. ALL ABOUT YOU.
55. MOVE THE WORLD
56. Boring or Not Boring?
57. What if Your Past Self were Inferior to Your Present Self?
58. THE PHILOSOPHY OF PROGRESS
59. CULTURE IS YOUR ENEMY.
60. Difficulty & Interest
61. The Will to Expansion
62. What is Work?
63. SOUL IN THE GAME.
64. JUST START IT.
65. Not Boring
66. PRIDE IN YOUR OWN NAME / BRAND
67. AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TOLERATE.
68. Speed is Paramount
69. TAKE IT BACK TO THE BEGINNING.
70. A Life With No Risk Taking is *NOT* a Life Worth Living
71. Dissatisfaction is Good
72. GREATER STRENGTH, GREATER CHALLENGES.
73. In Praise of the New
74. Uncorrupted Desires
75. You Cannot Fake Passion
76. SELF-OVERGOING
77. FORM YOURSELF.
78. Personal Entrepreneurship
79. RELENTLESS.
80. PUT YOUR NAME ON IT.
81. A Life of Expansion
82. SELF-ENTREPRENEURSHIP
83. YOU ARE THE EXCEPTION.
84. Use Your Life as an Experiment to Self-Develop Yourself to Heights Never Seen Before
85. Invest in New Developments
86. Investing Towards What End?
87. The 90%/10% Principle in Entrepreneurship
88. Speed Wins
89. The Philosophy of Happiness
90. When to Over-Estimate, When to Under-Estimate?
91. Never Stop Iterating
92. Money as a Tool for Life and Artistic Experimentation
93. Less But More Premium
94. Mainstream vs Low-Key Success
95. Why Dissatisfaction is Good
96. SEEK YOUR OWN PERSONAL MAXIMAL BENEFIT INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING
97. Manifest Your Destiny
98. Is it Best to *Not* Communicate Your Inner Thoughts or Ideas With Others?
99. CREATE THINGS YOU WISH TO SEE MANIFESTED IN THE WORLD
100. How to Do More Work
101. CONTROL.
102. Competition is for Losers
103. Change.
104. Your Competitive Advantage with Insanely Fast Wifi and High Speed Internet
105. Pseudo Individualism
106. Natural Internal Promoting vs External Promptings

Think for Yourself.

1. Survival vs Thrivival
2. Become Rich
3. SECRETS.
4. Why it is Better to Beg for Forgiveness than Ask for Permission
5. Thinking About the Past Prevents You From Thinking About the Future
6. How to Predict the Future
7. Tools of Mass Distraction
8. So What?

FREEDOM

• On Leaving a Legacy
• I wanna be me!
• Productivity for personal freedom
• How to Purchase your Freedom

---

Never stop innovating.

---

Entrepreneurship Mindset

• What is Your Dream in Life?
• 8 Blogging Productivity Tips
• Why Be Normal?
• How Much Suffering Are You Willing to Endure to Achieve Your Dreams?

---

Put a Dent in the Universe.

• Innovate for the Sake of Innovating!
• Reality is Malleable!
• Stoic Entrepreneurship
• Against Self-Preservation
• The Purpose of Life is to Make New Stuff!

---

BECOMING HAPPY

Everyone wants to be happy, even our best friend Aristotle said it is the one thing that men seek for the sake of itself.

What what is happiness? I think I got the answer; walking is happiness. Any sort of life, lifestyle, lifestyle approach which allows you to maximize your walking is happiness.

Strategies

I cannot speak for most people, because I don’t have a “real job“. That is, I don’t have a workplace, an office, or a place I must typically commute to.

However Cindy does.

A simple thought that I had is if you have the option, spend extra money which affords you the privilege to walk. For example, I wonder if in fact, shelling out the extra thousand, 2000, 3000, 4000, $5000, maybe even $10,000 a month would be positively beneficial to give you the privilege of walking.

It seems that the modern-day strategy that people partake in is that they sacrifice time in foolish ways. They decide to live further out, further away from work, in the suburbs, which means that they must spend more time driving in order to get to their workplace, in order to have the privilege of having a bigger house, a cheaper house, a smaller mortgage, cheaper rent etc.

Enemies to happiness?

Being forced to be indoors against your own will, this is cruel.

Also, being forced to be stuck in a car, in a bus, in an Uber, even if you had your own private driver, this is cruel.

For example, I once read an interview with Jony Ive, this is when he was still at Apple, in which he would commute for almost 2 hours a day (one way, so 4 hours every day in total), going from a desirable area of San Francisco to the Apple office in Cupertino, having a private driver chauffeur him in his Bentley,and I suppose Jony would just be in the backseat, doing work on his iPhone, iPad, MacBook laptop, etc. If I was Joni and truly committed, I would not make this foolish decision. I would literally just rent a hotel or an apartment or a house literally right next to Apple campus, or who knows, be like Elon Musk and just sleep in a sleeping bag in the office.

However, if you were forced to be sedentary or sitting, for four hours a day, or five hours a day, even if you were the backseat of a Rolls-Royce, a Bentley, Lamborghini, a McLaren, whatever; would it be worth it? No. Even as a thought experiment, if you had a totally maxed out Tesla model S plaid, or a Tesla model X plaid, with 100% auto pilot, assuming the technology was flawless, and you could do other stuff while being autonomously driven around, would you still want to be forced to be sedentary, for 4-5 hours a day? No.

Can happiness be purchased?

You cannot buy happiness. You can buy insanely great coffee, ERIC KIM OMAKASE COFFEE, 100% fine robusta which physiologically speaking, will give you a marvelous happiness bump and boost, but ultimately, beyond coffee, happiness cannot be bought.

Things that money can do which can assist you and aid you in happiness include,

1. Using your money to buy a gym membership, or a yoga, CorePower membership
2. Using your money to buy beef and meat, either at Costco or the Costco Business Center. I recommend the beef ribs, or the beef tri-tip!
3. Using your money to pay for rent closer to your workplace, which allows you to have a 100% walking pedestrian lifestyle.
4. Having a situation which allows you to work outside, outdoors, without having to be stuck indoors or inside an office.
5. Buy an iPad Pro, the 11 inch smaller one, no accessories. The ultimate photo viewing device, and productivity device, it has brought me 1000 times more joy than any iPhone.

Physiology for the sake of what?

There’s a strange bias in today’s world that we have to somehow maximize our productivity, in order for the sake to work more, contribute more to society, “make a difference“.
For example, the modern-day notion of going to the gym and working out and exercising, the only thought is this:

It is critical for you to exercise daily, because it will make you healthy and healthier, in order for you to keep working more.

The reason why this line of thinking is so twisted is that it is for the sake of maximizing your work capacity, not your own personal happiness. Man is not permitted to be happy for the sake of being happy.

Happiness is also a flawed end goal

The other day, I was so insanely happy, maybe a 50 out of 10. But at the end of the day, happiness is a bit inconsequential. For me what is more critical is having the opportunity, physiological energy to pursue my creative tasks. Whether it be reviewing my photos, writing and blogging, thinking, producing knowledge, sending out email newsletters, etc.

Philosophy paths

Peter Limberg— shout out to him for his great “Minimum Viable Philosophy” essay. I like his tagline, “Less Foolish”.

A cool trend I see is the trend towards philosophy. Why? This is what I think:

“Self development” is just philosophy in (modern day capitalistic) disguise.

And what do I mean by this? Ultimately any sort of business, self development book is centered around a certain philosophy. And the book typically preaches some sort of strategy and technique in order to achieve that philosophical end.

Don’t be a dummy.

In life, there is no such thing as virtue, or sin, vice. To me, it is all about wisdom, knowledge, becoming less foolish, and “not being a dummy.”

I like the word dummy, because it is not so serious. For example, we joke around with kids to not be a dummy. Maybe this is a better path for us.

You should start your own philosophy blog

Oh and today’s world of ChatGPT, AI assisted writing, the question,

How do you know if something was written by ChatGPT, or a real human being?

For the most part you can’t. However, anything written by ERIC KIM passes the Turing test. Why? The way I talk is non-standard, the way I write is genuine, and ultimately I think the future of writing and thinking is predicated around philosophy. That is, there is already enough information and wisdom on the Internet on how to do anything. But not much information on why do XYZ. Or, should we do XYZ.

For example, I firmly believe that if your goal is to become superhuman, eating beef and meat is critical. But I philosophical question is should we eat beef and meat? Even if it is bad for the planet?

For example, if someone tells me, “Eric, you shouldn’t eat meat because it is bad for the planet“. But what if I say, “I know that eating meat is bad for the planet, but eating beef is best for me. So I don’t care.” Is one permitted to talk like this? This is the task and role of philosophy and ethics.

---

Hygiene?

The etymology of hygiene, in ancient Greek is the art of health.

In modern day times, hygiene as a concept has fallen out of vogue. Why? In the states, a lot of the modernized westernized world, we take it for granted. There is regular trash pick ups, we have clean albeit not too tasty running tapwater, and mostly clean air. And also, most foods we buy or eat, whether it be at the grocery store or a restaurant will not cause us food poisoning.

Food hygiene is very underrated as a concept. We moderns prefer tasty or good tasting food, we don’t really care much for hygiene anymore.

Hygiene as a metaphorical or philosophical concept

Here is where I find hygiene critical; some people, mentally, physically or unwell, their mental hygiene is poor, and their physical physiological bodily hygiene is also probably poor. Used as a metaphor.

If you see weird homeless people on the street, cracked out, smelling bad, do you distain the way they act? No. You just keep your distance, and run away.

In the zone?

Another thing that I’ve discovered is when I’m in the zone, I get so focused on the task at hand that when other people say random maybe possibly demeaning stuff to you, I don’t even have to forcibly ignore them, I just literally can’t hear them, I hear them literally, but because I’m so focused at the task at hand, what they said or intended doesn’t upset me.

What does it even mean to be happy?

I was doing some research on the etymology of happy, and no one is really quite certain where that word comes from. There are certain theories, like “happen”— fortunate, happen chance, hap— chance, luck, fortune, hampa— good luck, chance, from Proto indo European *kob— which means good fortune, prophecy, to bend, bow, fit in, work, succeed.

So why does this matter?

It seems that nowadays, English is the dominant world language. And if we operate in a certain linguistic manner, perhaps the common day words we use should be used with more precision and clarity.

For example, John Stuart Mill, a lot of the early American developers preach notions of the “pursuit of happiness“. But the issue is, if you can’t even define happiness, or if the notion of happiness is a modern day one, then perhaps this is not a good goal or path.

I say instead of seeking to be “happy“, maybe it is better to seek to be strong, well, powerful, and in a great mood. It seems that also, one of my passions being thinking, having the opportunity and clarity of thought is supreme to me.

Now what?

I still think certainly at the end of the day, it is fine to use every day words colloquially. So for example, what contributes a great life to me?

First, artistic and creative productivity. To me this pertains to photography, both shooting and making photos, reviewing photos, enjoying my photos, sharing my photos, thinking about photos, and the aesthetic joy that I get from looking at my own photos.

Second, philosophical and thinking power; this means, I have a passion for thinking, and thinking interesting thoughts. A life without thoughts is not a life worth having.

Third, the health, strength, growth, and muscles of my family. This pertains to my son, and also my wife. And of course certainly myself. Other day I took Seneca to the jungle gym, and at two years seven months old, the pure undiluted joy that he gets from running across the suspension bridge and the jungle gym is pure bliss to me.

Also, witnessing his muscular development, and how much pride and joy that I get watching him eat 100% grass fed ground beef, in super mini burger patties for him, and also him eating while you thinly sliced meat that we buy from H Mart. Seeing Seneca consume beef, and building his muscles brings me great joy.

As a tangent, I think a lot of this modern-day notions of child development are skewed. Rather than trying to educate your kids, make them brain smart, I think a better goal and path is instead, to develop their muscles.

---

Seeking happiness towards what ends?

First and foremost, as biological beings, I think perhaps it is critical for us to first seek to be physically, physiologically strong and well. An optimization towards physiological well-being is a good one.

Why? It is the necessary path. Without physiological strength and well-being, you can’t do anything. For example, it doesn’t matter if you have $100 billion in the bank, if you are physically or physiologically unwell, if you only sleep two hours a night, if you have no muscles or hotspots in your body, Nothing can be done.

Willpower is not real. Muscle power is real.

Society living is the best living

What is the point of money? Having the privilege of being around other human beings. This, paying rent, and buying beef as well. But beyond this, the additional utility of money is slim; once you have your digital camera, your Internet Wi-Fi connection, your iPad Pro etc., what else do you need? Not much.

---

Think more with KIM

If you’re hungry to think more, deeper and further, think with me at one of my upcoming workshops:

1. CONQUER STREET PHOTOGRAPHY IN PHILLY OCTOBER 14th
2. Discover your creative mission in life — DOWNTOWN LA, NOVEMBER 4th

Also incoming SUPER STOIC DOWNTOWN LA WORKSHOP— stay posted.

---

EK PHOTO SUPPLY

1. EK NECK STRAP MARK II: Conquer the unknown
2. HENRI NECK STRAP MARK IV: LEGENDS NEVER DIE.
3. HENRI WRIST STRAP PRO: The mark of pros.

Obtain all >

---

Happy thoughts

How about for now, let us just make our own personal happiness our priority?

The philosophy of happiness >

---

Experiments

If you’re having a hard time sleeping, my simple suggestion; start going to the gym at least once every single day, and use a hot sauna at least once a day, or really severe cases, go to the hot sauna twice a day.

One thing I found really interesting being in Japan, being at those random Japanese businessman hotels, or the wonderful Ryokans in Kyoto Uji, is at least in Japanese culture, the hot baths, are an integral part of their life and culture. That is, before they sleep, doing a really really hot bath is critical.

The same thing is in Korean culture, the jjim jjil bbang. Apparently in northern Scandinavian and Swedish countries, the really really hot sauna, whether it be dry or humid and steamy is also a critical part of their health.

According to the biological phenomenon hormesis, port duration of extreme heat and humidity is positively good for our physiological health and well-being.

---

All I need?

All I need is insanely fast Wi-Fi, muscle in my legs (985 pound atlas lift), iPad Pro and EK COFFEE and I’m happy!

House hunting thoughts

I never really knew, but I suppose I have very strong opinions on homes and living quarters and situations. That means for the most part I hate ugly. I hate old and ugly danky dark, dim, and ghetto apartments, especially here in LA.

I have a theory:

Perhaps ugly aesthetics actually causes our physiological happiness and well being to go down.

What is ugliness? Anything which causes our physiological well being to go downwards.

For example, I think the reason why old and danky and ghetto apartments have such an adverse reaction to us is because they scream “hygenically dangerous”. Hygiene as “the art of health”.

For example, the dark and danky typically means moldy. Mold is a poison.

Thus, the simplest thing with homes, houses, condos, duplexes, town houses, flats, hotels, airbnbs, motels sleeping or living quarters etc:

1. Ensure there is no mold
2. No poor air circulation (good air circulation is nett we for our health)
3. Not dark and dim and danky (sunlight, the sun as the best disinfectant, and mold killer)
4. Not loud
5. Not dirty
6. Not old

---

Now what?

After my Ricoh GR IIIX died, I’ve just been using my LUMIX G9 and Leica LUMIX 12mm f1.4 Lens and it produces insanely beautiful photos! Downsides — insanely big and heavy, which is bad.

I want something insanely different

At this point, money is no concern for us.

In terms of innovative cameras, I’m trending towards the point and shoot, integrated flash department. For example,

1. Panasonic Lumix DCZS80
2. Olympus Tough Camera TG6

The only concern:

Are the integrated in camera JPEG settings good for us?

Also,

1. Canon Cinema Camera
2. Hasselblad Primer Kit
3. LUMIX S5 IIX

---

Share your best

Arsbeta.com — upload and share your best photos now!

---

What’s on my mind?

1. Still house apartment hunting in LA — checking out Culver City (downtown Culver City is insanely cool and walkable). Also going to check out Westwood and Sawtelle
2. Still backlogged around 7,000 photos on my LUMIX g9– on iPad Pro. Working on reviewing them!

Future photo innovations?

1. An AI-assisted Tool to help us cull down and curate our favorite photos.
2. Or an AI app thing that helps us automatically pick our best photos?

---

Forward the turbo!

ERIC KIM NEWS >

Hungry to learn more?

BOOKS

---

PHILOSOPHY BY KIM

Essays by KIM

1. BECOMING MORE IMMORAL?
2. ‘LUCK’ VS COURAGE
3. ‘SKILL’ VS MERIT?
4. Becoming Antifragile
5. How to “Improve” Men
6. The Art of Virtue
7. How to Dominate
8. JUST SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES AND WISDOM WITH OTHERS.
9. How to Get More Done in a Single Day – MEMENTO MORI PHILOSOPHY
10. THINK FOR YOURSELF
11. Cruel?
12. GO DEMIGOD.
13. How to Be Happy: Challenge and Danger Philosophy
14. To Become Greater, You Must Become *LESS* Productive!
15. Imperfect Beauty
16. The Philosophy of Pleasure
17. What Interests You?
18. Anti Theory of Everything
19. Become?
20. STRONGER OR NOT?
21. Carte Blanche Ideals
22. CHOOSE JOY
23. Don’t Judge Your Impulses
24. On Becoming Less Human
25. COWARDICE.
26. The Philosophy of Futurism
27. PHILOSOPHY IS VALUE-SETTING
28. PHILOSOPHY IS NOT LIFESTYLE
29. WHY STANDARDIZATION IS BAD.
30. YOUR OWN TABLE OF VALUES.
31. RETRO IS BAD.
32. INSANELY LOFTY THOUGHTS.
33. Strive to *Lose* Weight, Not *Gain* Weight
34. DIABLO II ANALOGIES FOR REAL LIFE.
35. If You Know Your *WHY* You Can Discover Any *HOW*
36. Life is Too Short to Be Miserable
37. What Consumption Takes Skill?
38. OFF THE GRID.
39. REALITY IS CRUEL.
40. Pain is Information
41. WHY REMOVE VULGARITY AND DISORDER FROM OUR EYES?
42. AUTOTELIC.
43. UNPLUG.
44. How to Become a Philosopher
45. SUBOPTIMAL IS OPTIMAL
46. THE LUST FOR MORE.
47. TO DO IS TO BECOME.
48. IN PRAISE OF AGGRESSIVE.
49. THE PHILOSOPHY OF OPTIMISM
50. OUR PHILOSOPHICAL WILL TO EXISTENCE
51. Is Hope a Vice?
52. MOVE MEAN
53. Carte Blanche Ideals
54. One Interesting Thought
55. What Lasts? What Doesn’t Last?
56. A WOUND STIMULATES THE RECUPERATIVE POWERS
57. Children & Purpose
58. Thoughts on Becoming a Parent
59. Where Does Our Desire to Upgrade Come From?
60. WE ALWAYS NEED SOMETHING FURTHER TO ASPIRE TO.
61. Self-Task Yourself an Awesome Mission in Life
62. Differentiation vs Equalization
63. My Passion to *Become* Something More
64. No Aesthetic or Ethos is Forever
65. What is Your Higher Purpose in Life?
66. IT WILL NEVER SATISFY YOU.
67. How to Decide
68. Things You *Want* to Do vs Things You *MUST* Do
69. Towards a More Beautiful Mode of Existence and Future
70. EXTREME GRATITUDE.
71. AMAP (As Much as Possible) or None.
72. Why or How Does it Matter?
73. The Philosophy of Time and Events
74. How *Not* to Resent
75. FORWARD LOOKING
76. DOMAIN FLEXIBILITY.
77. The Miracle of Human Growth
78. EXTREME ADAPTATION.
79. Why Plan?
80. You Don’t Need to Justify Yourself
81. The Philosophy of Ego
82. True vs False Passions
83. How to Achieve Tranquility
84. On Making Your Own Philosophy
85. The Purpose of Life is to Create New Life
86. Think On!
87. The Wisdom of Doing Nothing
88. Congruency
89. My Thoughts on Meditation
90. The Philosophy of Purpose
91. Emulate Yourself
92. Good Fear, Bad Fear
93. For the Betterment of Humanity or Just Yourself?
94. What you *really* believe in and care for is manifested through your actions (or non-actions)
95. Why Culture is Your Enemy
96. YOUR EXPERIENCES ARE KING.
97. LIFE IS INHERENTLY GOOD.
98. Artistic, Physical, and Philosophical Muscles
99. All New Experiences are Good Experiences
100. What is the Purpose of X?
101. UTILITY.
102. Philosophy is a Luxury
103. The Attempt is More Interesting than the Result
104. Joyfulness vs “Happiness”
105. Effectiveness Over Happiness
106. Self Actualization
107. MAXIMAL ENGAGEMENT
108. Life & Pain
109. On Living Every Day with No Regret
110. Learn as if you’re going to live forever, live as if you’re going to die tomorrow
111. Live Every Day Like it Were the Last Day of Your Life
112. Self-Determination
113. FALSE GRATITUDE vs REAL GRATITUDE
114. HOW TO LIVE MORE
115. THE UPSIDE OF TRAGEDY
116. Satisfaction is a Sucker’s Game
117. Supreme Repose
118. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? According to ERIC KIM
119. STUBBORN, FLEXIBLE
120. EVERYTHING HAPPENS AS IT *SHOULD* HAVE HAD HAPPENED
121. Good Addiction, Bad Addiction?
122. What is the Best Life?
123. The Philosophy of Thinking
124. The Philosophy of Conspiracies
125. Conspiracies
126. Growth
127. Skepticism.
128. What Do You Really Want Out of Life?
129. Seem or Be?
130. Learn Through Pain
131. Respect Yourself
132. In Praise of Elitism
133. Why Independent Thinking?
134. I Will Never Die
135. Bitter is Better
136. The Genesis of Nihilism and Existential Dread
137. The Ethics of Personal Enrichment
138. Good vs Not Good
139. Punished by Privilege
140. Abstinence Over Moderation
141. Just Leave Others Alone
142. You Can Only Critique that Which You Truly Understand and Love
143. ERIC KIM Critique of Metaphysics
144. Only Trust Philosophers Who Deadlift
145. Heuristic: If Someone Talks Shit About Others Behind Their Back, Most Likely They’re Also Talking Shit About You Behind Your Back
146. Virtue is a Privilege
147. What Are Your Life Goals?
148. Honesty
149. Why I’m Anti Moderation
150. No Spite, No Malice.
151. Ascending Life or Descending Life?
152. Double Edged Sword
153. Ignorance.
154. Why I Don’t Trust “Nice Guys”
155. Why You Must Share Your Opinion
156. Selfish Isn’t Evil
157. Wisdom is the Goal
158. YOU ARE KING.
159. MASTER YOURSELF
160. What is “Good” for You is Often what is Bad for You
161. Care.
162. BITTERSWEET
163. ONE REP MAX
164. Morality and Ethics is the Snare
165. BY HELPING YOURSELF, YOU BEST HELP OTHERS
166. Insanity is Good.
167. Think Deep.
168. PHILOSOPHY IS THE FUTURE.
169. Open Mind vs Closed Mind
170. ENTHUSIASM IS GENIUS
171. Towards a More Critical and Rigorous Line of Thinking
172. How to Encourage and a Foster Independent and Free Thinking
173. What is the Purpose of Life?
174. WHY PHILOSOPHY IS SUPREME.
175. Elitism.
176. I Cannot Form an Opinion About Somebody Until I’ve Met Them in the Flesh
177. ALL GENETICS ARE GOOD GENETICS.
178. Happiness vs Freedom
179. The Birth of a Hater
180. My Way Isn’t the Right Way
181. Walking as an Existential Thing
182. Why I’m So Tolerant
183. Mortal Gods
184. THE HUMAN SPECIES
185. Why I’m So Skeptical
186. Just Follow the Money
187. Why Selfish?
188. WHY WE CANNOT BLAME OTHERS
189. Why Are We So Anti Elitism?
190. What Actually Interests You?
191. How to Become Yourself
192. SELF HATE
193. Optimistic Fatalism
194. Death is the Ultimate Creative Constraint
195. FLUX.
196. How to Think for Yourself
197. FLESH
198. How to Live the Best Life
199. Why Live a Life Without Regrets?
200. Why Plato Ruined Art and Aesthetics for Us
201. Self Respect
202. Hypocrite vs Contradict
203. Ideals vs Reality
204. Spaceship Philosophy
205. What is Your Ideal Life?
206. MY EXTREME GRATITUDE TOWARDS LIFE AND BEING ALIVE!
207. Critique of Utilitarianism
208. Don’t Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated
209. The Eternal Recurrence of Tragedy and Joy in Life
210. Elite Asceticism
211. Why I Don’t Like Numbers
212. Action and Reaction, Cause and Effect
213. The Antidote to Nihilism: The Philosophy of Nothingness
214. ERIC KIM Notes on Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
215. EXPLOIT CHAOS.
216. WHY I DON’T BELIEVE IN GENETICS
217. Self-Wisdom
218. The Future Belongs to the Fearless
219. INDIVIDUALISM
220. Why Live Forever?
221. THIS TOO WILL PASS.
222. Why Education?
223. How to Become Yourself
224. Things Shouldn’t Go Back to the Way They Used to Be
225. Why Am I So Cruel?
226. The Great Joy of Existence
227. Virtue for the Sake of Virtue
228. NO DISDAIN.
229. INTELLIGENT IGNORANCE
230. A LIFE WITHOUT PAIN, DIFFICULTY OR TRAGEDY ISN’T A LIFE WORTH LIVING
231. BITTER IS BETTER.
232. EXPLOIT THE BEST FROM TRAGEDY AND LIFE 
233. DISREGARD FOR SELF-PRESERVATION
234. PAIN.
235. WHAT IF EVERYTHING IS NOT GONNA BE ALRIGHT?
236. Tomorrow is Never
237. Life is the Ultimate Creative Constraint
238. EMBODIED REALITY
239. BLACK SWAN
240. THINGS WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THE WAY THEY USED TO BE
241. What are you *really* afraid of?
242. HAPPINESS ISN’T THE GOAL
243. Philosophy is King
244. Why is Selfish Evil?
245. YOU’RE CONSTANTLY IN A STATE OF BECOMING
246. ENTITLEMENT A SIN?
247. NARCISSISM
248. BE BRUTALLY HONEST WITH YOURSELF
249. WHY FREE WILL?
250. OBEY YOUR OPINION
251. EGO IS GOOD.
252. WHY IT IS GOOD TO BE INTO YOURSELF
253. Seek the Good Pain
254. Anti-Perfection in Photography, Art, and Life
255. Can You Become an End into Yourself?
256. WHY I LIVE
257. Why I Hate Decline
258. Why I Eat
259. Why am I So Positive and Optimistic?
260. EFFORT IS ENJOYMENT
261. Never Stop Gaining
262. TRUST YOURSELF
263. A Life of Maximal Personal Independence
264. What Do You Desire to Become?
265. What Do I Want from Technology?
266. Stratified Society
267. Do You Love or Hate Reality?
268. On the Brian, Body and Mind
269. I’m Maximally Happy, Now What?
270. Care over Fame
271. ACTIVE NIHILISM
272. Never Stop Subtracting
273. How to Live a Happier and More Epic Life
274. A Risker Life is a Better Life
275. Only Work on Things You Can Imagine Doing for Eternity
276. How to Maximize Your Happiness
277. Influence
278. The Gladiator Makes His Plans once He Enters the Ring
279. Meditations on Meaning in Life
280. There is Nothing More Interesting than Human Beings
281. Is Hope a Vice?
282. EGO
283. Why Be Unique?
284. Happiness is Metabolism Health and Strength
285. You’re the Hero
286. Is Productivity a Virtue or Vice?
287. Why Do We Prize the Rare?
288. The Joy of Uncertainty
289. How Should I Best Use My Time and Life?
290. A Life Without Pain or Suffering Isn’t a Life Worth Living
291. Free or Unfree?
292. What Do You Really Care For in Life?
293. Anti-Satisfaction in Life
294. Why Think?
295. The Eternal Return
296. Only Do What is Best for You!
297. Truthiness
298. Why Be Happy?
299. Permissionless Living
300. In Praise of Unconventional Wisdom
301. Become the Change Which You Wish to See in the World
302. Happiness
303. Beyond Freedom
304. Idolize People, Not Stuff
305. What Makes You Stronger? What Makes You Weaker?
306. Why Hate?
307. The Secret of Happiness
308. You’re Constantly in a State of Becoming
309. Life is about Choices, Not Obligations
310. Anti-Nihilism
311. First, Do What is Best for You.
312. Live Dynamic
313. How to Prosper
314. Is the Point of Life to Be Satisfied?
315. SUPREME EFFORT OF WILL.
316. How to Become more Idealistic
317. Thrivival 101
318. Create Yourself
319. Non-Small
320. Inspiration
321. How to Live a Heroic Life: Dare the Heights!
322. Human Augmentation
323. Prune
324. Happiness: Do What You Want to Do (And Don’t Do What You Don’t Want to Do)
325. Avoid Vain (Empty) Pursuits in Life
326. Modern Slavery
327. Kill the Leeches
328. Wisdom Augmentation
329. Why We Need Friction in Life
330. Straight Line Philosophy
331. What’s Your End-Game in Life?
332. Create Your Own Happiness Today
333. Desire Both Pain and Pleasure in Life
334. Try the Impossible
335. SELF-RESPECT
336. Anti-Social Extrovert
337. Never Blame Anybody But Yourself
338. Human Flourishing
339. Simpler, Not Better.
340. How to be Free
341. Embrace the Extremes
342. Cultivate Your Own Culture
343. COURAGE.
344. Thrivival
345. Inner Power
346. How to Live a Purposeful Life
347. My Definition of Happiness
348. Why Change is Good
349. Why Work?
350. How to Live the Happiest Possible Life
351. The Two-Pronged Approach to Maximize Joy in Your Life
352. You Always Have Another Option!
353. INFINITISM
354. Never Stop!
355. What is Your Self-Directed Purpose in Life?
356. Live Today Like it Were Your Last
357. Do You Photograph to Live, or Live to Photograph?
358. ARTIST-PHILOSOPHER
359. Live Life to the Fullest!
360. In Praise of Selfishness
361. Why You Must Be a YAY-SAYER to Succeed in Entrepreneurship and Life
362. Why I Love Walking
363. Live Life Like a Video Game!
364. Simple Luxuries in Life
365. Treat Your Life Like a Fun Experiment!
366. Only Prove it to Yourself
367. You Don’t Always Need to Feel Joyful to Live a Fulfilling and Meaningful Life
368. Life is Too Short to Be Bored!
369. Money Cannot Destroy Boredom
370. How to Find Inspiration in Life
371. Why You Must Ignore Haters to Succeed and Win in Life
372. An Active Life is a Happy Life
373. My Simple Joys in Life
374. Never Stop Striving
375. How to Motivate Yourself in Life
376. How to Be Optimistic in Life
377. How to Dictate Your Purpose in Life
378. In Praise of a Dynamic Life
379. PURPOSE.
380. How to Enjoy Life
381. Photography Therapy
382. How to Conquer Regret
383. Take Your Play Very Seriously.
384. How to Prosper
385. Memento Vivere
386. Destroy in Order to CREATE
387. Trust Your Body More Than Your Mind
388. Make Photos to Make Meaning in Your Life
389. Seek Knowledge, Not Information
390. The Purpose of Human Life
391. How to Overcome Impedence
392. Why I Love Death
393. How to Be Centered in the Eternal Now
394. How to Be Happy
395. Why Do You Care What Others Think of You?
396. Why I’m Happy
397. Why?
398. Why I’m So Prolific
399. How to Reduce LAG in Life

Masters of Philosophy »

• Seneca
• Marcus Aurelius
• Publilius Syrus

Personal Philosophy »

• You Are the Light of the World
• Your Soul is a Diamond in the Rough
• Why Live?

Stoicism »

• How to Be a Stoic Street Photographer
• How to Use Photography as Self-Therapy
• How to Free Your Soul From Disturbance

Zen Philosophy »

• How to Be a Zen Street Photographer
• Zen in the Art of Street Photography
• How to Find Tranquility in Your Photography

Life Lessons »

• How to Conquer Your Fears in Life
• Conquer Yourself
• How to Focus

Learn more: Start Here >

Vlog

The goal is to gain ascendancy, not to become “happier”:

Entrepreneurship by KIM

Become the change which you desire to see manifested in the world!

Become you.

1. Business vs Entrepreneurship?
   TAKE REAL CHANCES
2. Making Money as a Hobby
3. The Best Exercises for Entrepreneurs
4. INCOME VS EXPENSES MONEY LIFESTYLE PHILOSOPHY
5. Entrepreneurship is the privilege of being able to attempt something new
6. How to Become More Influential
7. The Point of Life is Entrepreneurship?
8. How to Think Like an Entrepreneur
9. Become the Outlier
10. Self Reliance
11. How to Extend Your Reach
12. NEWS: How to Think Like an Entrepreneur
13. PVP (Player vs Player)
14. How I became so influential
15. WE LOVE THE *SENSATION* OF RISK-TAKING
16. WHY HIGH PROFIT MARGINS?
17. INNOVATION THOUGHTS
18. OVERCONFIDENCE IS GOOD.
19. GARAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
20. PERHAPS IT IS GOOD TO BE “DELUSIONAL”
21. USE YOUR WEALTH TO BUY STUFF, OR TO BUILD AND INNOVATE STUFF?
22. HOW TO THRIVE
23. Target Demographic
24. Ambition Over Happiness
25. Anti Collaboration
26. The Will to Economy
27. Why New?
28. CHOOSE ADRENALINE.
29. No Looking Back.
30. 1000x Different
31. BECOME SPENDTHRIFT
32. THE BENEFIT OF JUST ONE.
33. EXTREME INNOVATION.
34. Practicality is Boring
35. BECOME YOUR OWN STANDARD.
36. NEVER STOP ITERATING.
37. CONDENSE.
38. Take Lots of Small Financial Risks
39. Control Over Convenience
40. Why Are Chinese Companies So Innovative?
41. INSANELY DIFFERENT.
42. Why Doesn’t Anything Ever Satisfy Me?
43. THE GREAT PASSION.
44. Perhaps Dissatisfaction is Good
45. ONE REP MAX.
46. WHAT DO YOU *REALLY* WANT IN LIFE?
47. LIFE IS ABOUT STRIVING FOR MORE.
48. NEVER STOP LINKING.
49. THE GREATEST.
50. WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!
51. THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
52. ERIC KIM CRITIQUE OF ROMANTICISM
53. COMPLACENCY.
54. JUST BUY IT.
55. ALL ABOUT YOU.
56. MOVE THE WORLD
57. Boring or Not Boring?
58. What if Your Past Self were Inferior to Your Present Self?
59. THE PHILOSOPHY OF PROGRESS
60. CULTURE IS YOUR ENEMY.
61. Difficulty & Interest
62. The Will to Expansion
63. What is Work?
64. SOUL IN THE GAME.
65. JUST START IT.
66. Not Boring
67. PRIDE IN YOUR OWN NAME / BRAND
68. AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TOLERATE.
69. Speed is Paramount
70. TAKE IT BACK TO THE BEGINNING.
71. A Life With No Risk Taking is *NOT* a Life Worth Living
72. Dissatisfaction is Good
73. GREATER STRENGTH, GREATER CHALLENGES.
74. In Praise of the New
75. Uncorrupted Desires
76. You Cannot Fake Passion
77. SELF-OVERGOING
78. FORM YOURSELF.
79. Personal Entrepreneurship
80. RELENTLESS.
81. PUT YOUR NAME ON IT.
82. A Life of Expansion
83. SELF-ENTREPRENEURSHIP
84. YOU ARE THE EXCEPTION.
85. Use Your Life as an Experiment to Self-Develop Yourself to Heights Never Seen Before
86. Invest in New Developments
87. Investing Towards What End?
88. The 90%/10% Principle in Entrepreneurship
89. Speed Wins
90. The Philosophy of Happiness
91. When to Over-Estimate, When to Under-Estimate?
92. Never Stop Iterating
93. Money as a Tool for Life and Artistic Experimentation
94. Less But More Premium
95. Mainstream vs Low-Key Success
96. Why Dissatisfaction is Good
97. SEEK YOUR OWN PERSONAL MAXIMAL BENEFIT INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING
98. Manifest Your Destiny
99. Is it Best to *Not* Communicate Your Inner Thoughts or Ideas With Others?
100. CREATE THINGS YOU WISH TO SEE MANIFESTED IN THE WORLD
101. How to Do More Work
102. CONTROL.
103. Competition is for Losers
104. Change.
105. Your Competitive Advantage with Insanely Fast Wifi and High Speed Internet
106. Pseudo Individualism
107. Natural Internal Promoting vs External Promptings

Think for Yourself.

1. Survival vs Thrivival
2. Become Rich
3. SECRETS.
4. Why it is Better to Beg for Forgiveness than Ask for Permission
5. Thinking About the Past Prevents You From Thinking About the Future
6. How to Predict the Future
7. Tools of Mass Distraction
8. So What?

FREEDOM

• On Leaving a Legacy
• I wanna be me!
• Productivity for personal freedom
• How to Purchase your Freedom

---

Never stop innovating.

---

Entrepreneurship Mindset

• What is Your Dream in Life?
• 8 Blogging Productivity Tips
• Why Be Normal?
• How Much Suffering Are You Willing to Endure to Achieve Your Dreams?

---

Put a Dent in the Universe.

• Innovate for the Sake of Innovating!
• Reality is Malleable!
• Stoic Entrepreneurship
• Against Self-Preservation
• The Purpose of Life is to Make New Stuff!