Author: erickim

  • *Refining* Your Artistic Vision

    Also, the art of street photography:

    First, I think the best thing to understand and to think is that photography, street photography is art. And whether it is “fine” art or not, to “refine”— is what we typically think.

    To refine, to clarify or purify, something to an end (finis, fin)— to “fine” a substance — is what we typically think.

    So, I think when we think about fine art, maybe the idea is we refine our artistic vision, and we create images and purify and refine images, and we seek to clarify our artistic vision through our images.

  • Critiques About Modern Day Bodybuilding 

    First, The secret that literally everyone is on steroids, even the natural ones. I would customize that 100% of all the people on Facebook Instagram TikTok and YouTube are on steroids, or a “natural” form of steroids.

    Second, it seems that their methods are very very strange and bizarre and don’t make any sense because once again, they obfuscate the fact that they are on steroids!

    For example, a lot of bodybuilders have certain strange theories on how they build muscle and whatever, but the biggest issue the biggest issue here is that their methods theories and techniques have no veracity if once again, they are on steroids!

    So for example, you could probably eat super super dirty, and poorly, and yet still get spectacular gains because you’re on steroids! So I suppose the question is:

    How much of your technique theories and approach is legitimate, and how much of it is steroids?


    I don’t even trust protein powder

    I have a theory that protein powder just makes you fat. Assuming that protein powder is just powder cows milk, even this 100% whey protein powder whatever, essentially it is a money making scam. I have been able to make insane gains, fasting all day, simply having 100% carnivore meal in the evening, trying to aim for about 4 to 5 pounds of beef. I’ll enjoy ground beef, 80%, or beef ribs, beef liver, beef heart, ribeye steaks and the like.

    Honestly,  i’m sure protein powder is fine, but still… I think the biggest issue in bodybuilding is this constant sense of FOMO; like I remember when I was younger, I would almost had this anxiety that immediately 15 or 30 minutes after working out if I didn’t eat protein powder, if I didn’t have a 100% way protein shake, or protein powder, I would somehow “lose “ my gains.

    Measurements

    Another real big problem here is this obsession to measure yourself to weigh yourself etc. I’ve never really taped measured my muscles or whatever I feel this is ridiculous, but certainly a lot of guys overly obsessed about his weight. Like guys are always trying to gain weight. Not lose weight.

    But the reason why this is so ridiculous is that the scale doesn’t know if the weight is fat or muscle. Only you could know by just looking in the mirror, naked, if you could see your six pack and penis arrow, you’re in good territory. And this is what a lot of guys don’t understand; everyone is trying to become super super big and massive like the Incredible Hulk or they want to look like an orc, but, this is not sexy and attractive to women. They would prefer a more Brad Pitt fight club, ERIC KIM, Adonis physique. In Elsa pose this is the thing I don’t understand; for male bodybuilders, how much of it is to impress women versus other men?

     Assuming you’re trying to stunt on other men, this is also a bit ridiculous because just because you have bigger muscles doesn’t mean that you would be more dominant in a fist fight. And it also doesn’t really measure your courage.

     If anything, what is actually much more impressive if you’re trying to stunt on other guys, is to just get into powerlifting or hypelifting or strongman style exercises; he who can lift the most weight, has the biggest dick. 

    Big dick KIM

    Until you could successfully lift 1000 pounds, you got nothing on me.

    this myth of multiple small meals throughout a day

    This is also pseudo scientific; I’ve proved that you could lift 1000 pounds, while fasting, and I’ve been doing this for about seven years; no breakfast no lunch, only old massive 100% carnivore dinner.

    Also, I’m the only weightlifter and bodybuilder that I know and also power lifter and hype lifter who literally eats no starches no carbs etc. The notion that you need carbs to build muscle is another silly fallacy. I think the only reason why people don’t experiment with this simple thought, is once again, this fear of missing out on the gains. 

  • Respect, Disrespect?

    I suppose one of the good things about Asian Confucian culture, and also being Korean Korean American is the focus and ethos of respect, and also more importantly, disrespect. For example, I find the ethics the morality that ethos of Achilles in the Iliad so refreshing; There seems to be more truth in his approach, rather than our emasculated, castrated notions of honor and respect in today’s times. For example, there is nothing that provokes my wrath more than disrespect.

    Disrespect can take lots of different forms. When people don’t greet you, treat you with respect, or acknowledge you or your kids. In Korean culture, to simply “een-ssa” somebody is one of the most chief virtues. And it is super simple; to greet somebody, when they come and go etc.

    Are there certain individuals who deserve more respect than others? 

    In the grand comedy of life, yes. The first thought I have is this whole notion of Confucian respect for elders, and also, filial piety to be quite base.  For example, if you think about Achilles, all he thought was his own personal glory, and had no cares or concerns for all these other superficial things. He didn’t really care about his father in the far away land, and even Achilles didn’t really care about the well-being of his own blood son, Who was far away. In fact I found this really interesting, I actually didn’t know that Achilles had his son! Changes everything; I’m just going to be and become a modern day version of Achilles, and think of Seneca like my heir. Or just son.

    Kleos

    So if I did it all over again, went back to college University or whatever, I might have just studied ancient Greek literature and the Classics, maybe also barbelling it with computer science.  I think sociology was great, but sociology after you run its course, becomes a bit flaccid; you could probably learn the fundamentals of all of sociology and just like six months, whereas the wisdom of ancient Greek literature can span millennia.

    Why?

    Typically, when things have been around and lasted a very long time, there is a reason.

    “Everything lasts for a reason” – TALEB

    For example, when we superficially look at people who have been around for a very very long time, and somehow we think they are “cheating”, or illegitimate… We got a pause and think; what are their cheap virtues which allow them to have such grand longevity?

    For example, one nefarious character seems to be Tony Robbins, but it looks like he’s been in the game for a very very long time. As a consequence, he’s probably doing something right. And also this goes with the rich dad poor dad guy, and some other modern day business entrepreneurs. And also the same thing with Donald Trump; he’s pretty old now, 70s… But the fact that he’s been around this long in politics business etc., probably means he’s doing something right, even though he might be a morally bad or evil person.

    Who lasts?

    Even right now, the reason why I consider maybe Kanye West to be the most ANTIFRAGILE individual of them all, even surpassing Jay-Z is because Kanye West has spoken his mind about everything, and he’s still in the game! He’s still making music, he’s still making art, and apparently his new Yeezy sock sneakers came out!

    And I think it should be admired, who last and who doesn’t last, because durability in the words of Nietzsche is essentially the chief good on the planet. 

    Why?

    So it looks like durability has fallen out of vote. Why? Because durability does not sell. For example, honestly I think we are all always itching for a reason to buy something new, to sell something new, etc. And the reason why this is so annoying is that you’re kind of secretly hoping for things to break, in order to “upgrade“ to that new new thing. And this is honestly the psychology behind upgrading to the new iPhone, or buying a new camera or digital camera or car whatever; we quickly tire of the old, we desire the new.

    This is where reading the Elliot has been so refreshing; in a world before capitalism in consumerism was even invented, I think you start to see a little bit more honest approaches in which humans go out and do things. For example, everybody already knows that the armor of Achilles is by far the most supreme on the planet. And also what is it is if we think about the Iliad , essentially obviously everyone knows that the Earth is big, but the whole drama is just centered around the super super tiny part of Troy, which becomes a whole microcosm in itself. This is great because we tend to think about global politics too much; international affairs. But rather, I think we should think super super local, super super specialized. Like local city politics over national ones or even international ones.

    And this is my thought on America, rather than over extending ourselves and meddling in the affairs of other places, we should just fortify ourselves, we should become the next Sparta, the next Troy, the new ancient Greeks.

    Morals of the story

    So I just finished reading the Emily Wilson translation of the Iliad, A+ plus.  and what is super interesting is the end of the Elliot, is actually quite anti-climatic; King Priam gets the body of Hector back,  and also, Achilles finally is able to go back to bed with Breisis,,, his prize and trophy, the original quarrel with King Aggamenon.

    And the reason why this is also important is that it teaches us a lot about war, revenge etc. Essentially I think one of the soft morals of the stories that even though you get your revenge, your heart will not be settled. For example, even after Achilles kills Hector, pierces his ankles and drags him around The city gates of Troy several times, even around his own Greek encampment, his heart is still not soothed. He still mourns the death of Patroclus,,, and no matter what he does, he cannot bring his best friend back from the dead.

    I think a very simple idea is as long as you have a beautiful woman, a beautiful wife to go back to bed with, to literally sleep in the same bed with, you should consider yourself 100% supremely happy and joyful. And especially if your wife has birthed you a son, you should be forever grateful, even the adage “never go to sleep angry“ is a good one. 

    Another thing that I learned about the morals and ethics of the Iliad and Achilles; just speak your damn mind! I think to not speak your mind is cowardice. 

    I think one of the bad things about stores is that often more than not, it is too centered around “forgiveness“, and just being quiet. And the reason why this is such a bad strategy is that this ends up leading to pent up anger frustration and also, Pettiness. A real man has iron lungs and speaks his truth, no matter how bad it may seem, but instead most mortals hold petty anger jealousy and spite in their hearts forever until their grave. 

    I also think what is so interesting about the Iliad and the ancient Greeks is how they were oratory, oral culture. Which means that everything was said out loud, nothing was held silent. 

     in fact, my personal thought is maybe the worst bad thing that has happened to modern Day Society, the reason why people are so strange and antisocial is actually not the iPhone, but actually, AirPods, AirPods pros, headphones, noise canceling headphones etc. Because the truth is, your ears might be 1 trillion times more sensitive than your eyes; Even though I personally love my vision and photography, actually music, rhythm, souls and beats gets me more energized than the visual. 

    And I think maybe the reason why this is so important is because audio audio things are still quite critical; for example, after listening to almost every single Michael sailor talk and interview, and putting pretty much 100% of my traditional Roth IRA and IRA into micro strategies stock, There is more veracity in words and the human voice, rather than just images, Talking Heads, as well as text.

    In fact, one of the funniest things that I listen to was hearing Donald Trump talk to the bitcoin conference, I realize, I actually never really heard him talk out loud, maybe besides the debate he had about four years ago with Joe Biden.

    I feel like maybe in the future, the skills of the oral culture will be critical; teaching people to be a postmaster or public speaker, well actually ironically in the future become more and more important!

    And also my personal thought, I thought this back in Providence Rhode Island even before Seneca was born, was that Social skills or the future will be the future, because ultimately, in some ways technology is a bit overrated, more important than technology is the social. I suppose this is outside of studying sociology, it taught me how Sociology and social things interactions are so critical; because everything comes down to the Social, after a long enough timespan.

    For example, everyone wants the Lamborghini, but actually it’s not the Lamborghini that we want, we want the Lamborghini to be flashy and to flex our manliness ego and attitude, and in the hope of somehow attracting really really hot and beautiful women, and the hope is being able to Bed these bimbos, and to maximize our sexual pleasure and ejaculate in them on them all around them,  to face all of their openings closings and orifices, to defile all of their body parts breast butt waist face mouth vagina butthole hands whatever, I think this is the whole ethos behind porn pornography.

    But, this is a very misguided approach. I think we gotta make combat, man-to-man combat cool again.

    Guns are for guys with small dicks

    The bigger your gun, the smaller your dick size. 

    Honestly, anyone who has a gun or owns a gun, who is not military or ex military or police is a pussy with a small dick.

    Why?

    Maybe my thoughts is the big problem, even being here in California, is asymmetric warfare; now that I have a son to live for, even if there is a one percent chance or even a .5% chance that the other party might have a gun, I will always err on the side of caution. Why? Because, even though I look like a god in the flesh, any skinny fat loser with a small dick, with a gun can pop me and boom I’m dead. 

    No the reason why this is so problematic is once again, you could be like the midget in Austin Powers, even have a small and modest pistol and kill somebody who looks like John Cena with just the flick of your finger.

    I think what was so refreshing in ancient Greek times, was that battle, or was much more honest. Even back in the Iliad in ancient Greek times, everyone knew that the archers with bow and arrows ruler bunch of pussies. Why? Asymmetric warfare; you could hide behind a wall and shoot arrows at me which can kill me, And you yourself are not exposed to danger. And this is where I think that there needs to be more flesh in the game ; no knives, no guns, no pistols, only hands.

    Actually if anything, maybe even if you have some teenage adolescent boys, and they are having some sort of argument, just have them put on some boxing gloves and protective helmets and gear and just have them sparred out. It might lead to faster conflict resolution than these sissy approaches of just “talking about your feelings“.

    And actually, the critical issue here is that there’s a difference if you are male versus female. The strange modern day trend of trying to equivalize the both I think is actually properly detrimental to society and beyond. 

    No suppose this is where maybe all boys Catholic schools might still be a good idea; honestly how much of my education was wasted because I’ll just distracted by all these pretty girl at school, wearing super super mini skirts in class?

    What’s the point of education anyways?

    I suppose the real critical issue here is in regards to the purpose of school and education. In ancient Sparta, I think young boys were with their mothers, until they became seven years old, and then they entered the “karneia”– which was essentially SWAT training for young Spartan boys, to breed them to become the next generations of Warriors.

    And the reason I also find this important is that true courage must also go lock and lock and hand in hand with physical courage. Once again, you cannot have courage by being the fat world of Warcraft to dude on South Park, being a keyboard warrior. And actually the issue of the Internet now, is I think the safe bet is to assume that 100% of the toxic comments and arguments on the Internet or just bots, none of them are real life humans.

    And this is where I think the wise strategy, is to disable all comments, all metrics whatever;  even views could be Game of Thrones so easily; just hire a corporation in India to spin up 1 trillion fake bots, to inflate your view numbers, in order for you to get some sort of sponsorship or whatever.

    In fact, I think if you just pay 100 bucks or 200 bucks, you could pay some sort of outsourcing Indian corporation to give your video 10 or even 100 million views!

    And also, maybe if you pay 300 bucks or so, you could easily get 1 million fake subscribers to your YouTube Instagram whatever.

    And the reason why we should not even discuss TikTok is that TikTok is the enemy, come on, it is mainland China in the flesh! In some ways I think we have to adopt an anti-mainland Chinese approach again ;; even something interesting that I learned from Peter Thiel was the original notion of being politically corrected was that you sent you were a devout follower of Stalin and Lennon, communism is bad. And truth be told it seems like 95% of higher education university professors are essentially low-key communists, anarchist, and would prefer that America burn to the ground.

    Why is this important? Even Apple, Apple corporation should not be trusted; because she is in bed with me! As long as foxconn exists, as long as iPhones and Apple products are made in mainland China, Apple should almost be seen as a low-key connection to the enemy;; any time any corporation gets into bed with mainly in China pick government there etc., they should not be trusted.

    And truth be told,  the reason why all publicly traded corporations are unethical is that it is their moral and ethical imperative to increase profits and potential future profits at any cost. Thus, the drive towards sensationalism with Google, anger porn, and insane news reporting to maximize advertising revenue. Don’t trust any mainstream media or news even the good ones. And don’t even trust NPR and Al Jazeera etc.; they are all bad. The left the right the middle the conservative the Republicans of the Democrats, the fake woke liberals, the small dick flag Humpers on the right Donald Trump supporters etc.; everyone is bad.

    Also did you know, that our savior and Messiah Obama actually increased deportations and incarceration during his administration, more so than any other politician? Everyone is bad and evil, this is reality; let us not try to embellish anything.

    Democrats are bad, libertarians are bad, Republicans are bad, conservatives moderates in their rules everyone is bad; anyone who is on the political spectrum, is bad.

    Now I suppose the question is once you have acknowledged and understood that anything everyone and everything is bad; then what?

    Optimistic fatalism

    So my critique about the Russians and the eastern Europeans, post USSR, people from Bulgaria Hungary, the Polish the old Soviet bloc; is they are too fatalistic. Their ethos is everything is bad evil and not worth looking for so let us simply trudge through this miserable life with a minimum amount of misery, knowing that the past present and future will be bad and always remain to be bad, might even get worse.

    In America, we also see a similar trend. Essentially we should consider most of the media, social media Facebook Instagram Snapchat Twitter and like to just be channels of misinformation, Sunsational for advertising revenue, Google here is the bad guys; as long as Google ad sense exists, Everything will always become hyper sensationalized, in order to boost the lagging profits of Google.

    And funny enough here is where Apple is still a little bit more ethical than Google; Apple is trying to sell you iPhones, iPhone pros, and her new subscription services, at least this is more honest and transparent than Google who is trying to offer you all this great “free stuff“, but to inundate you with click baity advertisements, insanity on YouTube, and conspiracy theories.

    One of my grand ideas is simple; the best strategy in life is to assume that 100% of the conspiracy theories are all false,. Even the true ones.

    Why? This is much more of a optimistic positive and good approach; obviously we know everything is bad and evil and corrupt, but so what? Better to be the gleeful dark grim and humorous spartan, laughing while the enemy puts them with arrows, “fighting in the shade“, shout out to Zack Snyder the best director of all time. This movie has dictated all of my manly ethos, ever since I was a teenager in high school, when I first watched the movie 300 in theaters. Now, manliness has fallen out of Vogue; all of these guys in LA are a bunch of cowardly antisocial skinny fat weaklings, who might drive a base level Porsche or Audi; work at Google in secret, or stuck on zoom calls all day; super antisocial yet binge on ironic HBO comedies at night, make a big income but have no kids, not getting married, maybe they own some sort of wimpy rescue dog.

    Is it OK to be mean?

    In the area there is a scene in which one of the Greeks is beating Odysseus, and Odysseus gets pissed off, takes his scepter and starts beating him up until welts raise on his back and the Greek comrade is weeping. All the while the other Greeks in the camp are just laughing.

    Laughter is divine and godlike. Even my friend Sara Lando, one of the greatest fine art photographers of all time, shout out, who studied ancient Greek, taught me that the word enthusiasm actually just literally meant a god dwelling within you; and the idea of passion was actually a bit misguided, passion  is more like passionate of the Christ, like pain and suffering is virtuous. And the reason why I think this line of thinking is so dangerous is that also, I see a lot of these modern fake ass woke liberals, especially trying to nail themselves to the cross.

    Martyrdom is never worth it– anybody who is a martyr or seeks to become a martyr is secretly just trying to commit suicide with a good conscience. 

    Even Jesus, my personal read is obviously Jesus wanted to keep living! But I guess he had real balls, rather than renounce his things, he decided to stick to them; if we think about Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth as a real life flesh bound human being, assuming we trip away the hocus-pocus, read the Jefferson Bible, then, we can make some progress?

  • The Philosophy of Passion

    And also, what will actually “improve“ your life? 

    Some morning reflections:

    So something that I wrote on pursuing your passion, part of an edited volume written by Terri Anderson, probably the most influential teacher I’ve had of all time, at UCLA sociology, essentially what I wrote at the time, being either 20 or 21 years old, was the virtues of following your passion.

    So it looks like, nearly 15 years later, I was right. With a long enough time scale, 15 years, age 21 to 36, I guess I was right.

    Why?

    I think the trouble that a lot of people have is pursuing their passion because it is not immediately apparent how we could have an economic payoff. Ultimately because we all live in a capitalistic society, what it comes down to is money making, or money making potential. But if you already have $2 million in the bank, and you know that you’re a bitcoin is going up 55% APY, year over year ,,, in theory indefinitely … then what?

    I just did some math with ChatGPT, $5M — $10,000 USD, with a 55% APY with bitcoin,  will be big! Once again, that $10,000 you put in it today, assuming that 30 years from now that it could be worth 5 million, wouldn’t it be worth it?

    The $615,000 iPhone Pro

    Another big thought, let us say that the new iPhone Pro cost you $1200 USD. With a 55% APY, that $1200 iPhone is going to run you $615,000, about two Lamborghinis, in 30 years! 

    Why is it so hard to think long-term and ahead?

    Obviously it does not natural. This difficult to think and predict 30 years from now. Yet, I am shocked… Brad Pitt I think it’s almost 25 years my senior? I think Brad Pitt just turned 60 years old, I’m shocked. I’m 36, so 30 years from now, I’m going to be about the age of Brad Pitt?

    I saw a little bit of the new Apple TV WOLFS movie, and the bromance between Brad Pitt and George Clooney was cute. George Clooney looks fantastic, and he is 63 years old! I almost feel like George Clooney is aging in reverse? He is maybe the ultimate anti-fragile handsome actor; the older he becomes, the more handsome and charming he becomes? I’m not 100% sure about the controversy, but I think NASSIM TALEB may have called him out on Twitter a while back being some sort of fake activist? Maybe Clooney was accepting money from the saudis or something? Not 100% sure, but still, objectively George Clooney looks fantastic! 


    The ethics of following your passion

    This is my personal read on things; I think the critical issue here is that ironically enough… Passion following your passion, or even being passionate has fallen out of Vogue? What that means is we are living in a new age of Malay; all these fake ass woke activist, many of whom are on these Ridiculous plant-based diets, maybe they have a bunch of tattoos, they’re always on Instagram and on their phones, pretend to not care, drink fruit smoothies from Erewhon, kind of try to get into working out, say that eating meat is bad for the planet in the carbon footprint, yet they have a dog, which might be 1 trillion times worse for the “carbon footprint“?

    Anyways, my general critique is whenever you meet these strange individuals in the flesh, all of them tend to be quite short, not very attractive, not very good looking, overfat, and actually… Really into fashion? Their fashion choices are very bizarre, it is a will towards uglification,  – their virtue is ugly, being ugly, and continually self-abnegating themselves to forever become ever more fat, self pitiful and ugly.

    Ugly loves ugly

    I think at least one of the positive trends in LA, is there is a new counter culture at least within the aloe yoga community, the world towards beautification? And it looks like American apparel has been reborn under the guys of Los Angeles apparel? At least now, the bias is that they’re trying to make women beautiful again. Granted the big issues in LA is all these women are fake, all the men are fake, everybody is fake. All of the guys are Shorty guys, skinny fat losers who drive these huge MMGG wagon Mercedes cars, and the women all have these strange surgeries, to practically everything; to their nose face forehead jaw lips butt, breasts, etc.?  in fact at least the new thing I’m excited about the new John Wick ballerina movie is that the main actress, who is super hot, she is actually quite modest in terms of her full frontage breasts?  And I think this is a good trend; I like the Tran towards being natural all natural. Fake is ugly. Natural is beautiful.

    And this is also why I don’t like makeup, makeup is fake up. And also it causes you to get you a sty in your eye, it ruins your skin, is a waste of time is expensive in bed. The best thing you could just do for your skin ironically enough it just spend more time in the sun, spend more time exercising, getting more sleep etc. In fact I’ve noticed that people who sleep well tend to have better skin! People who sleep poorly have poor skin.

    Autotelic passion

    When your passion is self motivated and self driven, once you’re already dumb rich, then… It is adding like 10 turbo chargers to your soul. You never have to force yourself to do anything, because everything you do is self motivated. You are no longer driven by superficial notions of success, and honestly, ultimately, the notion of success is fake. For example I just finished reading the Emily Wilson translation of the Iliad, and ultimately, even after Achilles gets his revenge, it is a bit anti-climactic. Truth be told the heart of Achilles is not really 100% soothed, even though he finally gets Breisis back in his bed. His best friend Patroclus is dead, and getting revenge and despoiling the body of Hector doesn’t bring him back to life. And what is super interesting is at the end of the Iliad, it is almost like an anti-climax; it just ends, and then you’re left… That’s it? Then what? 

    Why?

    So I feel like I’m just getting started. This is the greatness of the whole carte blanche mentality and philosophy. And a beginners mind or child’s mind. The general idea is if you were born you again, right now, in this insanely futuristic world we live in with self driving way more cars, ChatGPT, bitcoin, AI etc.… Certainly we have to throw out the old blueprint and the old rulebook, and think things afresh. 

     I think the difficulty for most people is that starting totally carte blanche, totally brand new without using the pass for analogies is difficult. The past is much easier to discern, for example, being a historian is kind of safe; the past doesn’t change. But if you’re living in the present moment, and you’re also potentially marching bravely into the future, it is Like the fog of war, you can’t see shit! You can’t just turn on the map hack, like in star craft… To think about the future is hidden.

    Digital thoughts

    So my very very simple idea is the future is digital, we all know this. It’s funny, I was shocked, it looks like currently speaking, the Apple Store is on fire! Tons of people getting the new iPhone iPhone Pro, even though the customers themselves seem a bit disenchanted. But whatever, the reason why Apple ain’t going away anytime soon is that they are the most legalized profitable drug dealers of all time; I think that the iPhone might be more addictive than Chris still met, because it’s like almost if you took technology, digital things, sociology, culture self-worth or whatever, and then you put it on yourself like an ankle monitor forever, and you just keep upgrading forever until you die, that is the ultimate cash cow! We will continue to suck the teats of Apple until we die.

    In some ways, we could think of Apple like the new golden calf;  the new tower of Babel. And we all know how that ends…

    The new new

    In terms of innovation, ironically enough, I think the future is in the past. For example, I’ve gotten 1 trillion times more inspiration reading the Iliad,,, shout out to Emily Wilson and her new fantastic translation, then any loser business book written in the last 30 years.

    In fact, the only good business books in my opinion are Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, the new Elon Musk book by Walter Isaacson, and zero to one by Peter Thiel. Everything else is not worth reading, also the invent and wander book by Jeff Bezos. 

    The critical issue here is that nobody has balls anymore. And also everyone is hooked to YouTube Facebook Instagram TikTok Snapchat Twitter Google Google news Apple Apple news, HBO HBO Max Hulu Netflix YouTube etc. like crack cocaine. Also sports, sports are just a prostitution for the body for men; I don’t trust nobody who watches sports, whether it be football, hockey, or baseball. I find it insanely bizarre; it is like watching pornography, you’re seeing all these athletes essentially prostitute their bodies, injecting their butt holes with steroids, in order to win and perform well, Making a bunch of money, Indefinitely.

    Nike Nike Nike Nike Nike treat employees like slaves, gave LeBron a billi not to run away! – ye

    Honestly, it could all be seen as prostitution. For example, Nike very bad taste; plastering all these images of Kobe Bryant, with the tagline “no time to lose“, essentially prostituting the soul of Kobe Bryant,  to essentially sell more of his sneakers and merchandise? I find this disgusting. Almost like how Jay Z felt about when Prince died, and they started to parade all of his merchandise?

    do you want your masters with your masters? JAY Z

    I Think One of the Great Things About Living in La Is Being Here… I Feel Like I’m at the Epicenter of the Universe. Why? It’s Not Loser New York, Loser Brooklyn, Loser London Which RUNS the World, it is LA! For example just went to the Grove yesterday with Cindy and Seneca, and it was amazing! Shout out to Jeff Garlin. 

    Why? Everyone thinks that it is the Bay Area Silicon Valley Apple Google Facebook whatever which runs the show… But actually this is not true, it is about humans personality celebrities, the human soul, culture music ideas podcast etc. which run the planet.  For example, I think that Joe Rogan has more power than maybe even Donald Trump, because what… Every single man in America listens to Joe Rogan? And also, it looks like Kanye West, might be the ultimate robust or ANTIFRAGILE artist of all time? Even after his antisemitic remarks, losing his deal with Adidas… It looks like he is still in the game, and on the up and up? And speaking to a lot of folks, a lot of African-Americans, in LA… Everyone still loves Kanye. And the truth is in LA, antisemitism is real and runs deep; nobody likes the “Hebrews“, even a lot of Trader Joe’s employees I meant say that when you’re in Westwood, the Westwood Trader Joe’s, the “Hebrews“, treat you like shit.

    Oh and also… Philz is evil.  I met one of the friendly employees who was always kind to me who used to work at Phil‘s coffee, and she told me that she got fired because she was trying to get the Phil’s employees to unionize, and they fired her. Boycott Phil‘s coffee!


    Who got the power now?

    I’m a Spartan hoplite, meats undercover cop, meet CIA, meets SWAT team, meets blogger and vlogger. I could say with zero doubt that I am certainly the only, and the most influential the most entrepreneurial, the most powerful and interesting photographer or blogger or personality alive.

    I could say that my only rival might be Kanye West; but Kanye West is my big brother. Kind of like what Jay Z was to Kanye. I’m Kanye until I die!

    Why do people have such a hard time understanding me?

    The same difficulty they had with Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and also now Kanye West. In fact, I’m in a very good position because I am Asian American, Korean American, born in the states in the Bay Area, my English is 1 trillion times better than yours, I am wiser richer smarter stronger taller more handsome than you, and also I have a kid and a son… You wish you were me.

    In fact, the giant has arrived. Only Hermes the giant slayer, or Apollo can kill me. Nobody else.

    And the thing is honestly… In America, being an Asian guy is interesting… We are seeing as the safe ones, the meek ones,  with small dicks, and we sit on the sidelines, while Caucasian men “steal “our beautiful Asian Asian American women. But this is the wrong mentality. We the new studs! We the new rock stars!  

  • iPhone Pro is the Future for Street Photography

    Stop buying them Ricoh, start buying those iPhone Pros!

    The really really big issue here right now is supply chain issues. So this is where I am very very admiring of Tim Cook—the master of supply chain and logistics.

    Problems with Ricoh, Fujifilm & these Japanese companies

    So it seems the real critical issue here is supply chain issues. For example, I actually wanted to buy a new Fujifilm X100 VI, and also a new Ricoh GR III HDF… but the problem is they are all out of stock, all backordered… even if you want to buy it, you cannot.

    Therefore, the critical issue here is availability. I want to buy it, I have the money for it, but I can’t buy it! Super annoying.

    iPhone Pro thoughts

    Looks like Apple listened to me, my idea for a “quick draw” idea… made available via the new camera control thing in the bottom right corner. It is a good idea because it makes it very very quick and easy and available to quickly quickly quickly take a picture, without delay. All those other strange touch-enabled exposure control stuff seems more like a gimmick, because it kind of looks like what a Samsung phone would do… Anyways, better than nothing. And also having it in the bottom right corner is a good idea because these damn iPhones are so big now… And also the ability to just make all of your apps sit at the bottom of your screen is an insanely great idea because most people have pretty small hands, their thumbs cannot reach all the way to the top.

    NEW ERIC KIM APPLE TV+ SERIES: “Mastering the Art of Street Photography”

    So I have this pitch idea for Apple TV+ (eric@erickim.com)—and the general idea is how can you use an iPhone, iPhone Pro, etc., to travel the world, be like ERIC KIM or Henri Cartier-Bresson, and make really awesome photos?

    And also there would be a cool tie-in with the iPad Pro… The new M4 one… because I might be the only one I know, the only perhaps influential serious photographer on the planet who only uses an iPad Pro… I haven’t touched my laptop in about two years.


    Learn on

    To read some more in-depth thoughts on this subscribe to my podcast on Apple podcast here

    More podcast stuff here. 

    Also you could subscribe to me for free on Spotify here.


    Full post

    Also audio vlog >

    Learn more here.


    Why is this such a big deal? 

    I suppose this is a big deal because iPhone 16 Pro I think is finally probably good enough to replace the RICOH GR? 

    Granted the truth is in terms of image quality and workflow… The Ricoh GR III, Ricoh GR IIIx, now the HDF’s… aesthetically probably look way better, but maybe from a innovation perspective it makes more sense for us to just burn the ships behind us, and buy some thing which has an interesting double dipping ability – AI, ChatGPT as well as photography?

    Still artistic photography is the future

    I really thought that the iPhone commercial with the weekend was very lame.  Apple is taking the wrong direction here… Come on… Your mom is going to have zero inspiration or motivation to use the iPhone pro to shoot a commercial or to shoot cinema. Apple going to whole cinematic route with iPhone is a very bad idea. A better strategy is instead… To focus on the still photography aspect. 

    For example it looks like the new update on the photo styles is actually a super smart idea. No more needing to use loser Instagram or third-party apps — and actually… When are the things which inspired me to purchase some Apple stock at least with my Roth Ira accounts ,,,was the new iOS 18 is insanely great! And hats off to the apples photos team… It looks like what Apple is trying to do here is trying to cut out Instagram from the equation… And do the more smart strategy of making Apple photos look like it’s on social media platform?

    I don’t think Instagram Facebook Metais a sustainable model. Sooner or later people are going to get sick of the ads, and want to bail and jump ship. I also think the same thing will happen with Google… There’s going to be a point where everything is this going to ChatGPT everything or searchgpt everything — no more lower click bait Google and YouTube videos — nobody likes ads! Especially kids, they hate ads!

    Also a funny thought… Most google employees I know… Or IT tech workers, almost all universally have ad blockers on all of their devices. And almost all of them pirate stuff on VPNs and pirate bay etc. So it is a little bit ironic that Google is trying to crack down on AdBlockers now. My better suggestion is just try to make the YouTube premium app so so good on iPhone and Google devices… That you will actually make people happy to pay the $10 a month or whatever for YouTube premium! And also googles idea to monetize the pro version of Gemini AI is good idea. 

    I think about Google will certainly find very very soon, I think she already knows… Is advertising on the Internet is not a sustainable business model. Rather I think subscriptions and to pay for things is the way forward!


    Just buy it then return it?

    Maybe the good idea is just buy the new iPhone Pro and return it if you don’t like it ,,,? And just test it out?

    OWN YOUR CONTENT

    If you live long enough, you’re going to wish you didn’t sell the rights to your content to some third-party.

    Same to owning your own platform!

    Create for 30 years from now!

    PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101: How to Become a Photography Entrepreneur >


    Create your future!

    “I bought every V12 engine, wish I could take it back to the beginning” – JAY Z

    Also–

    Subscribe to the $20 a month ChatGPT pro,,, and experiment with the new ChatGPT o1 preview — your mind will be blown!

    AI ALL THE WAY!

    ERIC


    More AI thoughts here:

    erickim.ai


    Forward the turbo!

    EK NEWS SUPPLY >

    Also whenever in doubt,

    START HERE >


  • The Philosophy of Street Photography: Conquering Charisma

    Street photography isn’t just about capturing candid moments—it’s a philosophical journey that mirrors the complexities of life itself. As a philosopher with a camera, I’ve come to realize that conquering charisma in street photography is about more than technical skill; it’s about embracing a mindset that transcends the ordinary.

    Embrace Existential Presence

    To capture the essence of the streets, you must first be fully present. This echoes the existentialist belief that existence precedes essence. In the hustle of urban life, moments are fleeting. Being present allows you to seize these ephemeral instances that reveal deeper truths about humanity.

    Actionable Insight: Practice mindfulness as you walk. Feel the ground beneath your feet, listen to the symphony of city sounds, and let your intuition guide your lens.

    Overcome Fear Through Stoicism

    Fear is the mind’s way of holding us back from potential greatness. Stoic philosophy teaches us to differentiate between what’s within our control and what’s not. You can’t control how people react to your camera, but you can control your intentions and actions.

    Actionable Insight: Accept that discomfort is part of the process. Each time you confront your fear, you diminish its power over you.

    Seek the Universal in the Particular

    Hegel spoke of the universal manifesting in the particular. In street photography, a single image can reflect broader social truths. A solitary figure on a bench may symbolize isolation in modern society; a crowded marketplace might capture the chaos of urban life.

    Actionable Insight: Look for scenes that resonate on multiple levels. Ask yourself what universal themes are present in the moments you capture.

    Practice Minimalism

    In a world overloaded with material possessions and digital noise, minimalism offers clarity. By simplifying your gear and focusing on the essentials, you free your mind to concentrate on creative expression.

    Actionable Insight: Limit yourself to one camera and one lens. This constraint fosters creativity and forces you to see the world differently.

    Cultivate Empathy

    Empathy is the bridge that connects you to your subjects. It’s about understanding and sharing the feelings of another, a concept deeply rooted in phenomenology.

    Actionable Insight: Before pressing the shutter, take a moment to connect emotionally with your subject. This connection will translate into more impactful images.

    Reflect on the Impermanence of Life

    Buddhist philosophy reminds us of the transient nature of existence. Street photography captures moments that will never occur again in precisely the same way. Embracing this impermanence adds depth to your work.

    Actionable Insight: Let each photograph serve as a meditation on time’s fleeting passage. This perspective enriches your appreciation for each moment you capture.

    Develop Your Authentic Vision

    Nietzsche urged us to “become who we are.” In street photography, this means developing a style that is authentically yours, free from external influences and trends.

    Actionable Insight: Spend time analyzing your work to identify patterns and preferences. Cultivate these elements to develop a signature style.

    Engage in Continuous Learning

    Socratic wisdom emphasizes the importance of acknowledging our own ignorance. The streets are ever-changing, and there’s always something new to learn or a perspective to explore.

    Actionable Insight: Read widely—not just photography books but philosophy, literature, and art. Broadening your knowledge base will enrich your photographic vision.

    Radiate Positive Energy

    The energy you bring to the streets influences your interactions and, consequently, your photographs. A positive demeanor can open doors and create opportunities.

    Actionable Insight: Approach each day with gratitude and enthusiasm. Your positive outlook will reflect in your work and attract charismatic moments.

    Final Thoughts

    Conquering charisma in street photography is a philosophical endeavor. It’s about delving deep into the human condition, confronting your fears, and expressing your authentic self through your images. By integrating philosophical principles into your practice, you not only enhance your photography but also embark on a journey of personal growth.

    So grab your camera and step into the world with open eyes and an open mind. Let the philosophies of presence, courage, empathy, and authenticity guide you. The streets are rich with stories waiting to be told, and through your lens, you have the power to reveal the profound within the mundane.

    Don’t just take photos—philosophize with your camera. The world is your canvas, and your vision adds meaning to the moments you capture.