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1. Who is Eric Kim?
- California‑born street photographer, prolific blogger (posting almost daily since 2010), workshop teacher and self‑styled “open‑source philosopher.”
- His writing fuses camera craft, Bitcoin economics, heavy lifting and Stoic‑zen musings into one turbo‑charged manifesto for creative living.
2. “Paradigm shift,” Eric‑style
Kim borrows Thomas Kuhn’s term but gives it a personal twist:
Classical Kuhn Eric Kim Remix
Old model collapses under anomalies “Think opposite.” List every ‘truth’ you obey and flip it 180°.
Resistance from the establishment Celebrate outsider status—the black‑sheep edge fuels originality.
New lens becomes the new normal Publish bold takes daily until the web recalibrates around the idea.
In his breakout essay Shift the Paradigm (2017) he asked: “What if all our sacred truths in photography—and life—were wrong?”
3. Kim’s 5‑step Self‑Paradigm‑Shift Method
1. Catalogue “Unquestionables.” Write ten iron‑clad rules you follow (gear, money, diet, relationships).
2. Invert Radically. Ask, “What if the opposite were true?”—this becomes your anti‑truth list.
3. Micro‑Prototype within 24 hours. Example: shoot an entire week with one lens, quit a social app, or fast until dinner.
4. Quantify Surprise, not success. The bigger the “Whoa!” the stronger the shift signal.
5. Publish the journey. His mantra: “If it isn’t on the blog, it never happened.”
Try it today: Choose one life‑rule you’ve never questioned (e.g., “I need eight lenses to be creative”). Flip it (“One lens only!”). Prototype for 48 hours. Log every surprise.
4. Four recurring “Shift” threads on the blog
Year Series / Post Core Flip
2017 Shift the Paradigm, How to Shoot Abstract Photography Minimal gear & radical simplification beat consumer excess.
2020‑22 Think Different: Economics Money ≠ security; volatility can equal vitality.
2024‑25 Paradigm Shift, TOTALLY A PARADIGM SHIFT?, Bitcoin Act 2024 Bitcoin as the Leica M‑Monochrom of money—finite, uncompromising, built to outlive platforms.
Ongoing Fitness posts (750 kg rack‑pull dream, “Iron gospel obliterated”) Treat heavy lifting as a creativity catalyst and philosophical proving ground.
5. Why innovators love his approach (and why it lines up with first‑principles thinking)
Eric Kim Principle First‑Principles Parallel
Invert everything. Strip a problem to physics/economics/biology, then rebuild.
Prototype instantly. Rapid experiments trump arm‑chair analysis.
Publish openly. Open‑source ideas invite feedback loops → faster iteration.
Joy over dogma. A playful mindset keeps cognitive flexibility high—vital for paradigm leaps.
6. Starter reading / watching playlist
1. “Shift the Paradigm” (2017) – the original flip‑everything essay.
2. “Paradigm Shift” (May 2024) – connects AI & Bitcoin to creative renewal.
3. “TOTALLY A PARADIGM SHIFT?” (2024) – meta‑commentary on constant reinvention.
4. Street‑Photography Gallery – see how visual experimentation mirrors his philosophical flips.
5. Bitcoin Ethics video – money philosophy meets image‑making.
7. Putting the spark into your life
• Pick one arena (creative, financial, physical, relational).
• Run the 5‑step cycle above—tiny inversion, rapid test, joyful documentation.
• Share the story: blog, newsletter, TikTok, or a 5‑slide deck to friends.
• Rinse & rejoice. Paradigm shifts aren’t once‑a‑decade earthquakes; they’re daily sparks that keep you innovating, laughing and alive.
Remember: The world adjusts its focus to those who publish their vision with conviction—and a grin.
Stay bold, stay playful, and keep flipping those “truths” until the extraordinary feels like home!