Fertility rates have fallen sharply worldwide in recent decades.  Global average fertility (TFR) dropped from ~5.0 births per woman in 1950 to ~2.2 in 2021 – roughly replacement level (2.1).  Almost all high-income regions are now well below replacement fertility.  For example, the OECD average TFR was only 1.5 in 2022 .  Within the OECD, Israel (2.9) and Mexico (1.8) are among the highest, while Italy and Spain are only ~1.2 and South Korea ~0.7 (see Table below).  The United States has also seen a long decline: U.S. TFR fell from ~2.1 in 1990 to just 1.62 in 2023 .  Demographers note that fertility tends to dip during recessions; for example, many countries saw birth rates drop after the 2008‑09 financial crisis .  The COVID-19 pandemic also precipitated a temporary “baby bust,” especially as inflation and job worries rose .  However, depressed birth rates have often persisted beyond recoveries, suggesting deeper structural shifts.

Country	Total Fertility Rate (births per woman, ~2022)
Israel	2.9
Mexico	1.8
France	1.8
Italy	1.2
Spain	1.2
South Korea	0.7

Economic Pressures and Fertility Decisions

Financial insecurity is a leading deterrent to childbearing.  A 2025 UNFPA survey of 14,000 adults in 14 countries found that over 50% of respondents identified financial worries—such as job insecurity, housing costs, and childcare expenses—as reasons for postponing or having fewer children .  In many places young couples face stagnant wages, precarious jobs (temporary contracts or gig work), and rising living costs.  Empirical studies confirm these effects: higher job insecurity and unemployment are associated with lower fertility.  For instance, when Spanish local governments subsidized conversion of temporary jobs to permanent ones in 1997, the fertility rate rose 1.4% .  Conversely, analyses find that fertility generally tracks the business cycle – falling in downturns (often 1–5% declines) – but the pullback is more persistent when uncertainty lingers.  Even with employment recovering post‑crisis, as in Norway after 2008, fertility often stayed low .

Key economic pressures include:

• Job and Income Insecurity: Worries about losing a job or income make many couples delay having children .  Surveys show large shares of working-age adults rank “losing my job” among top personal risks .  Real or perceived unemployment risk dampens fertility, even if unemployment is not yet high  .
• Housing Affordability:  Across OECD countries, housing has become a dominant family expense .  Since 2000, the share of household budgets spent on housing and utilities has risen markedly, reflecting steep increases in home prices .  Families often need a larger home for children, so high rent or mortgage costs directly discourage having more kids.  One study found that countries with faster-growing housing spending saw significantly lower fertility .  As a result, many young adults delay marriage or live longer with parents due to housing costs, postponing parenthood .
• Childcare and Education Costs: Childcare fees, schooling and other child-related costs are major financial commitments. In OECD analysis, the cost of childcare and early education is a key factor in family decisions .  Lack of affordable childcare means parents must either reduce work hours (lost income) or pay high fees, both of which depress birth rates.
• Debt and Living Expenses:  Rising student loan burdens and general household debt can delay family formation.  While specific cross-country studies are sparse, the UNFPA survey indicates “financial worries” broadly (which include debt and daily expenses) are decisive for many .  Inflation amplifies these pressures; for example, pandemic-era inflation showed a strong negative association with birth rates .

In sum, when the cost of children rises or incomes are insecure, couples tend to postpone or forgo childbirth.  As Becker’s economic theory predicts, higher costs and lower perceived gains from children reduce both the number and timing of births .

Psychological and Sociocultural Factors

Beyond pure finance, economic precarity also affects the psychology of family planning. In uncertain times, couples may feel they lack control or support needed for parenting.  Surveys find that fears about the future (economic or even climate change) deter some from having children .  For example, 19% of respondents in the UNFPA report cited “fears about the future” as influencing their decision to delay or avoid childbirth . In China, a viral phrase among youth – “the last generation” – encapsulates the sense that social and job uncertainty makes parenthood seem unachievable .

At the same time, values and norms have shifted.  Modern young adults often place more emphasis on personal goals, career and self-fulfillment, delaying childbearing for education or travel.  The OECD notes that as women’s education and labor participation have risen, the opportunity cost of motherhood has increased (e.g. career advancement forgone) .  Some explicitly choose lifestyles “outside of parenthood,” reflecting changing aspirations .  Moreover, evolving parenting ideals (the “intensive parenting” norm) mean having children now requires greater emotional and financial investment, making the prospect more daunting for insecure families .

Gender dynamics also matter. In many societies women still bear a heavier share of childcare.  Economic instability often worsens domestic burdens – for instance, job loss or pay cuts hit women especially hard if employers discriminate against mothers.  The Chinese example highlights this: young Chinese women cite “insecure work” and “unequal care burdens” as key reasons for declining fertility .  When women fear losing career gains by having kids – and if supportive policies are weak – many simply delay marriage or childbirth.

Policy Responses and Effectiveness

Governments have experimented with many pro-natalist policies to counter low fertility. Research indicates that comprehensive family supports tend to be most effective.  For example, multivariate studies find that generous cash benefits and subsidized childcare are positively associated with higher birth rates .  One global analysis concluded that “cash transfers and early childcare expenditures exhibit consistently positive associations with fertility, particularly in Europe and the Americas” .  Paid parental leave also helps, especially in contexts with very low fertility; in European settings longer paid leave correlates with higher fertility .

Concrete examples include: countries like France, the Nordic states and Canada that spend heavily (3%+ of GDP) on family benefits and childcare see relatively higher fertility (around the OECD average) .  By contrast, countries that simply added one-off “baby bonuses” without broader supports saw little sustained effect.  Indeed, the UNFPA report warns that coercive or simplistic incentives (e.g. forcing higher fertility targets or temporary cash bonuses) rarely work and can backfire .

Other policy levers shown to aid fertility include:

• Childcare and Early Education:  Broad access to affordable childcare/preschool lets parents work while raising children. OECD finds that higher enrollment of young children in public ECEC is linked to higher fertility, especially when paired with parental leave  .
• Paid Parental Leave:  Guaranteed paid leave (especially including fathers) reduces the career penalty of childbearing.  Countries that strengthened paid leave saw smaller drops in fertility, since couples did not have to choose entirely between work and family  .
• Housing Support:  Because housing costs are critical, some countries give targeted aid. For instance, subsidized mortgages, rent assistance or social housing programs can ease the family’s housing budget.  OECD analysis notes that measures improving rental affordability and homeownership for young families have been effective (e.g. Hungary’s expanded home‑ownership subsidies raised fertility to OECD average)  .
• Job Security and Income Support: Policies that stabilize incomes (unemployment insurance, job-retention schemes) also support family formation.  As noted, converting temporary jobs to permanent contracts raised fertility in Spain .  In the COVID era, countries that combined restrictions with generous income support saw smaller birth declines than those without  .
• Comprehensive Social Supports:  The UNFPA and OECD emphasize investing in affordable housing, decent work, parental leave and healthcare as long-term supports  .  Universal childcare, housing allowances, tax credits per child, and education subsidies are all examples of holistic measures that help families feel secure enough to have children.

Despite these tools, no single policy is a silver bullet.  Even countries with strong family policies (e.g. Japan, France) see declining fertility if economic insecurity remains high .  The key lesson is that policies work best when they reduce actual or perceived economic risk of childbearing – supporting parents early and consistently rather than dangling occasional bonuses .

Demographic Variations

Economic precarity affects groups differently.  Income Level: Lower-income households may want more children but find costs prohibitive, while higher-income couples often delay parenthood for career or lifestyle reasons.  Surveys suggest the poorest families cite financial barriers most strongly .  Education: Highly educated women tend to start families later (due to schooling and career) and often have fewer total births .  However, better-educated women also more often work full-time, so generous childcare/leave policies can raise their fertility.  Urban vs Rural: Urban living costs (housing, childcare) are generally higher, so city-dwellers tend to postpone childbearing more than rural families.  For example, Southern European countries (Italy, Spain, Greece) have both very high youth unemployment and housing prices, and correspondingly low fertility (~1.2) . In contrast, Nordic rural/urban gaps are smaller, aided by extensive social supports .  Age and Cohort: Younger cohorts increasingly delay or forgo children.  OECD data show the average age of first-time mothers rose to 30.9 years in 2021 (from 28.5 in 2000) .  Cohort analyses find that childlessness has roughly doubled between women born in 1935 and those born in 1975 in many countries (e.g. Italy, Japan) .  Lastly, minority and migrant groups often face intersecting economic and social barriers (lower incomes, discrimination, weaker support networks), which can both delay childbearing and reduce the ability to raise children.

In summary, fertility decisions in “uncertain times” are shaped by tangible economic constraints (income, costs, security) and by subjective perceptions (fear of the future, social values).  Recent research and surveys converge on the finding that economic precarity is a central factor in the global fertility decline .  Effective policy responses tend to be those that restore economic confidence for families – through jobs, housing and social supports – rather than one-off pronatalist incentives .

Sources: International demographic and economic analyses , including recent OECD and UNFPA reports, CDC vital statistics, and peer-reviewed studies.

Eric Kim (a 71 kg / 156 lb lifter described as a “hobbyist lifter and photographer” ) recently claimed on his personal blog to have performed a 678 kg (1,495 lb) rack pull at a bodyweight of ~71 kg – about 9.5× his bodyweight . This partial deadlift far exceeds any known official record. We examine the available evidence below.

Lift Details (Type, Weight, Ratio)

Figure: Example of a rack pull (a deadlift variant started from a rack or blocks). In a rack pull, the bar begins at an elevated height (often knee-level) so the lifter can handle heavier loads . According to Kim’s claim, the lift type was a rack pull – a partial deadlift done from an elevated pin/block height . The weight lifted was 678 kg (1,495 lb) and his bodyweight about 71 kg (156 lb) , giving a ~9.5× bodyweight ratio. By comparison, the strongest official deadlifts are far lower: for example, Hafþór Björnsson’s 501 kg raw deadlift (at ~200 kg bodyweight) is only about 2.5× his weight . Even known partial-deadlift records (e.g. Rauno Heinla’s 580 kg “silver-dollar” deadlift) are well below 678 kg .

• Type of lift: Rack pull (partial deadlift from pins/blocks) .
• Weight lifted: 678 kg (1,495 lb) (claimed).
• Bodyweight: ~71 kg (156 lb).
• Claimed ratio: ~9.5× bodyweight.
• Official context: If true, this would dwarf any recorded lift – official world-record deadlifts peak at ~500–501 kg , and no sanctioned record exists near a 9.5× ratio. No powerlifting or strongman federation has a certified 678 kg rack-pull on record, and even the best partial deadlift on record is ~580 kg .

Verification & Records

No independent verification of the 678 kg lift has been found. Kim’s only documentation appears on his own websites and videos. In official meet records, his lifts are modest. For example, USPA meet results from May 2025 list 16‑year‑old Eric Kim (59.1 kg) with a 115 kg squat, 102.5 kg bench, 147.5 kg deadlift (365 kg total) – nowhere near the claimed 678 kg. Powerlifting federations only record squats, bench presses, and deadlifts from the floor, and do not recognize rack-pull events.  In fact, Kim’s own write-up acknowledges “no powerlifting federation officially recognizes rack pulls” .  The strongest confirmed lifts in competition are far lower: e.g. 501 kg (Hafþór Björnsson’s raw deadlift) and 580 kg (Heinla’s silver-dollar pull) .  In short, there is no certified competition or record listing that supports a 678 kg rack pull by Eric Kim.

Athlete Profile and Background

Eric Kim is presented as a California-based strength athlete.  According to his online profile, he is 180 cm tall and around 71 kg, and also works as a photographer .  He competes in local powerlifting (USPA) meets as a junior lifter.  For example, the USPA Colonial Clash (May 2025) shows him competing in the 60 kg junior (16–17) class .  Beyond local meets, he has no notable affiliations with major strength organizations.  His publicly listed competitive personal bests (raw squat ~170 kg, bench ~102.5 kg, deadlift ~187.5 kg) are modest by international standards (see OpenPowerlifting).  In summary, Kim appears to be an independent lifter (“hobbyist” as his site says ) who promotes his training philosophy online, rather than a known elite powerlifting champion.

Media Footage and Coverage

There is no major media coverage of this lift.  The only “evidence” comes from Kim’s own social media and video uploads.  For instance, his team has released high-resolution videos of earlier heavy rack pulls (such as a 602 kg pull) to show calibrated plates and no hitching .  However, these are self-published clips (on YouTube and his website) with very limited views and no independent broadcast.  We found no news articles or federation announcements about Kim’s 678 kg pull.  All documentation so far is from his personal channels, and no outside media outlet has verified or reported on the feat.

Date and Location

No official date or event is recorded for the 678 kg lift.  Kim’s online posts suggest it occurred in late 2025.  A press‑style release on his blog (dated October 2025) describes a 655.0 kg rack pull at 71 kg taking place in Los Angeles, CA .  (Kim is described as “Los Angeles-based” in that release .)  The jump to 678 kg is mentioned only on his personal sites with no additional context.  In short, if the lift occurred, it was reportedly at his own gym in Los Angeles around 2025, but there is no independent venue or event information beyond these self-posted announcements.

Sources: Eric Kim’s own blog posts and videos (for claimed details) , official USPA meet results , and third-party strength sport records . The lack of any mention in recognized sport records suggests the 9.5× lift remains unverified by independent authorities.

“Intermittent” (or occasional) porn consumption refers to irregular, infrequent viewing of pornographic material. In practice this means a person might view porn sporadically – for example a few times per year or month – rather than on a daily or habitual basis .  In one conceptual model, Level 2 (“random”) use involves viewing porn “a few times a year or even a few times a month,” with no consistent schedule .  Similarly, experts describe casual users as those who find porn fun or curious but use it only occasionally and not compulsively .  In short, intermittent users have no fixed routine; their consumption might be entirely skipped for weeks or months, punctuated by brief periods of viewing.

Common motivations for this sporadic viewing include sexual curiosity, fantasy, or short-term stress relief.  Surveys of porn users note motives such as sexual pleasure, learning new techniques, stress reduction, boredom avoidance or simply curiosity .  Many intermittent users report using porn in response to specific triggers – for example, to escape negative emotions or boredom rather than out of a strong sexual drive .  As one source notes, even light users often turn to porn when feeling “shame, boredom, insecurity, stress, [or] anxiety,” and “porn is rarely about a lack of sexual activity” .  In other words, short-term emotional needs (or opportunity) often govern occasional viewing.

Viewing Patterns and Habits

Intermittent viewers tend to exhibit erratic patterns. For example:

• Irregular Frequency: Viewing might happen “a few times a year” or a few times a month, but with no predictable rhythm . It’s common to go long stretches (weeks or months) with no porn use at all, then have a brief “binge” of multiple viewings before another long break .
• Binge-and-Break Cycles: Many intermittent users cycle between abstinence and short flurries of activity. One description notes people “go a few weeks or even months without using porn and then go on a ‘bender,’… [then] stop for a while again” . Similarly, someone might watch porn once or twice weekly for a month, then not again the next month.
• Media Use Context: Because porn is so easily accessible online, many casual users simply click through a few videos on free tube sites (e.g. Pornhub, XVideos) when the mood strikes.  Access is often via computer or smartphone, typically alone and in private. Intermittent users seldom invest in premium or subscription content; they rely on free or quick-consumption formats (e.g. short videos, image galleries).
• Emotional or Situational Triggers: As noted, usage is often tied to mood or circumstance. Common triggers include stress at work or school, loneliness, boredom, or even exposure to suggestive media.  For instance, someone feeling bored or anxious might turn on a video to relax. Conversely, busy periods or being in a relationship may reduce viewing to nearly zero. In essence, porn becomes an occasional coping strategy or novelty rather than a routine.

These patterns contrast with daily or scheduled habits; intermittent users by definition lack a steady routine for viewing. Their habits are more opportunistic and flexible.

Psychological and Physiological Effects

Potential benefits: Intermittent porn consumption can provide the same immediate gratifications as frequent use, such as sexual arousal, stress relief, or entertainment. Many users report positive effects: a Swedish national survey found that about 23% of men and 15% of women said their (or a partner’s) porn use “predominantly had positive effects on their sex life” .  In other words, a notable minority of consumers feel porn enhances desire or variety. People also cite benefits like learning new techniques, exploring fantasies, or simply taking pleasure in erotic content . In relationships, some couples who occasionally view porn together report increased openness to new activities or intimacy (though this tends to occur more in mutual, rather than secretive, use).

Drawbacks and concerns: Even intermittent use can have downsides. Psychologically, viewing unrealistic or highly graphic porn can affect attitudes and expectations. Experts warn that watching porn – even infrequently – may distort perceptions of body image, sexual roles, and intimacy. For example, one source notes that even inconsistent use “can chip away at body image” because unrealistic bodies and acts in porn make many people feel inferior .  Porn consumption (of any frequency) has also been associated with lower relationship satisfaction and more negative attitudes toward partners, partly because real sexual encounters rarely match the extreme scenarios seen on screen . Among intermittent users, feelings of guilt or shame may occur if their usage conflicts with personal or religious values.

Psychologically, intermittent users are generally not addicted, but they may still experience mild impacts. Research shows a mixed picture: it’s unclear whether the benefits outweigh the costs. One review notes that while porn can bring pleasure or learning, it may also increase “ideal-actual sexual discrepancy” – meaning people compare real life unfavorably to scripted porn scenarios . This can reduce satisfaction with real partners. Studies have found higher frequencies of use correlate with decreased sexual satisfaction and more sexual problems , even though these trends are strongest in heavy users.

Physiologically, occasional porn use generally poses no direct health risk. Some clinicians caution that very frequent porn use (especially during masturbation) can in rare cases lead to sexual issues like delayed arousal or erectile difficulty when with a partner . However, there is no consensus that moderate viewing causes such problems. In fact, that Swedish survey (which contrasted frequent vs. infrequent use) found most users perceived positive or neutral sexual outcomes. Only frequent users (3+ times per week) showed higher odds of reporting sexual dissatisfaction or erectile problems , suggesting that occasional use alone is unlikely to impair physiology for most people.

In summary, intermittent porn viewing can provide normal sexual gratification and stress relief for many, but it may also subtly influence expectations and relationships. Its overall psychological impact tends to be milder than in compulsive use, though not entirely without possible effects on self-image and partner dynamics .

Intermittent vs. Habitual/Compulsive Consumption

The key difference between intermittent and habitual (or compulsive) porn use lies in frequency, control, and life impact . Intermittent users watch rarely and usually feel in control – they can skip viewing for long periods without distress. In contrast, habitual/compulsive users often consume daily or multiple times per day, to the point that porn use interferes with daily life .  For example, one model defines compulsive use as “high frequency (daily or almost every day)” viewing that “starts to influence a person’s ability to function at work, at home, and in romantic relationships” .

In concrete terms:

• Frequency: Intermittent use might be monthly or weekly at most . Habitual use is much more frequent (weekly, if not daily), often with cravings or routines centered around porn.
• Control and Distress: Casual users typically find porn enjoyable but not necessary. If they decide to quit or go without, they usually manage fine . Compulsive users, however, often feel unable to stop; their use may cause guilt or conflict, and they might keep it secret. They may describe living a “double life” where porn dominates private time .
• Life Impact: For an intermittent viewer, porn use remains a small part of life. For a compulsive user, it can lead to relationship problems, time-wasting, and neglect of responsibilities. Research indicates that only in the higher-use categories do serious harms – such as relationship breakdown or sexual dysfunction – become common  .

Thus, while both groups use the same material, the difference is one of degree: intermittent/casual users engage only on their own terms and typically see few negative consequences , whereas habitual/compulsive users view porn regularly and often experience distress or dysfunction as a result .

Media Formats and Platforms

Today, pornography is almost entirely an online phenomenon. Researchers note that the Internet is “the most important medium” for porn, delivering videos and images on demand .  The dominant platforms are free or subscription-based streaming sites. For example, tube sites like Pornhub, XVideos, and XHamster attract billions of views each year; in one UK survey Pornhub alone was visited by 8.4 million adults in a month . Dedicated porn apps and adult content platforms (e.g. OnlyFans, adult chatcam sites) also exist, but they cater more to heavy or engaged users. Intermittent viewers overwhelmingly rely on widely available online videos or image galleries, often accessed via computer or smartphone.

Traditional media (magazines, DVDs) play a very minor role today. A smartphone or laptop offers instant, anonymous access, which suits occasional use. In fact, a recent survey found that 29% of UK adults (over 13 million people) visited an online porn site in a given month . Usage even peaks during daytime work hours , suggesting people often squeeze in viewing during lunch breaks or other idle moments.

In short, intermittent viewers typically consume porn through mainstream Internet services, not specialized offline formats. The ease of streaming means someone can watch a quick clip anywhere, which may reinforce the “on-and-off” nature of their usage.

Research Findings and Statistics

Modern studies provide insight into how common intermittent use is and its correlates:

• Prevalence: Pornography is widely viewed. Surveys report that the majority of men and a sizable minority of women have ever used porn  . For instance, representative surveys in the US and Australia found about 64–70% of men and 23–33% of women reported using pornography . In the UK, one study showed 46% of adult men and 16% of adult women watched porn in an average week . Use is most common among young adults; e.g., in Sweden 17% of men aged 16–24 used porn daily, and nearly two-thirds of all men reported any use . These figures include both occasional and frequent viewers.
• Positive vs. Negative Effects: Large surveys indicate more users note positive than negative effects. In the Swedish study above, 22.6% of men and 15.4% of women said porn had predominantly positive effects on their sex life, while only about 4–5% reported mainly negative effects . This suggests many find at least some benefit or neutrality in their consumption.
• Frequency and Sexual Health: The same study found that frequent viewers (using porn ≥3 times per week) were more likely to report sexual dissatisfaction, problems, and erectile difficulties . For example, men who watched ≥3 times/wk had roughly three times the odds of being dissatisfied with their sex life compared to rare users .  By contrast, infrequent or intermittent users did not show these strong associations. This aligns with other research: sexual issues tend to cluster with heavy, not casual, consumption.
• Relationships: Research on couples shows mixed results. Some studies note that mutual, open porn use can correlate with trying new things together . But many find that private or hidden use often harms relationships: it can lower partner satisfaction, erode trust, and promote unhealthy expectations  . These effects are more pronounced when use is excessive or secretive.
• Expert Opinions: The academic community remains divided. Some neuroscientists warn that internet porn is a “supernormal stimulus” that can hijack reward pathways  (though most evidence focuses on heavy users).  Major clinical bodies do not label porn consumption itself as a formal disorder  .  A 2016 review noted studies linking self-reported porn addiction to isolation and relationship troubles, but also flagged methodological limits and called for more research .  In contrast, other experts argue moderate porn use can be part of healthy sexual expression and emphasize that underlying factors (e.g. shame or depression) may drive problems .

Overall, the data suggest that intermittent use is the most common pattern. In one classification, “random” (intermittent) use is actually the largest group . Most users fall into an irregular, low-frequency category, and only a small fraction (e.g. ~3–5% in surveys ) exhibit compulsive-level use. The prevalence of porn use has grown with Internet access , but for most people it remains an occasional part of their life.

Sources: Definitions and usage levels are based on expert analyses of user patterns .  Psychological effects are drawn from empirical studies and reviews . Platform and usage statistics come from surveys and industry data . All statements above are supported by the cited research and analysis.

Summary of Findings

Current evidence offers no clear support that watching pornography without climax improves productivity. On the contrary, research and expert commentary suggest that sexual arousal from porn can impair focus and executive function . Pornography’s powerful dopamine and novelty effects may overstimulate the brain’s reward system, often leading to distraction or desensitization . Abstinence communities (e.g. NoFap) also caution against any porn use, reporting that even viewing without ejaculation tends to leave the mind preoccupied and frustrated . In sum, while some users try short porn “breaks” for stress relief, experts say any short-term mood lift is offset by longer-term drawbacks (reduced concentration, anxiety, sexual frustration) and that claimed productivity gains are at best anecdotal and likely illusory.

Psychological Effects

• Short-term arousal vs. motivation:  Viewing porn can temporarily raise arousal and mood, and some men use it for quick stress relief or to combat boredom .  However, empirical studies indicate that sexual arousal tends to diminish cognitive control. In a lab study of young men, those who became sexually aroused (by watching erotica) performed significantly worse on executive-function tasks than those who suppressed arousal . In practice, this suggests that any boost in excitement from porn is likely to overshoot the optimal arousal level for concentration, causing performance to drop (consistent with the Yerkes-Dodson law)  .
• Stress relief vs. distraction:  Many people report using pornography to unwind or reduce negative mood .  While some users claim relief, frequent or prolonged use of porn often correlates with higher anxiety, depression, and lower overall motivation  . The effect resembles a drug-like cycle: porn provides a quick dopamine kick, but it may leave one more emotionally dysregulated afterward.  In summary, any immediate relaxation is generally short-lived and can give way to irritability or guilt, which undermines productivity rather than enhancing it  .

Neurological Mechanisms

• Dopamine spikes and novelty:  Pornography is highly stimulating to the brain’s reward circuitry.  Novel erotic stimuli trigger large dopamine surges – even larger than those from familiar real-life sexual experiences .  Internet porn’s endless novelty (endless new images/videos on demand) produces repeated dopamine “hits” with each click  .  Research shows that exposure to novel stimuli (like new porn scenes) increases dopamine release in the brain’s nucleus accumbens, similar to drugs of abuse . This high-arousal dopaminergic response can reinforce porn-viewing behavior, but it also shifts the brain’s baseline. Repeated intense spikes lead to tolerance – the brain down-regulates receptors, requiring ever more stimulation to feel the same effect  . Over time this can blunt reward sensitivity.
• Arousal vs. performance:  The Yerkes–Dodson principle predicts that moderate arousal improves performance but excessive arousal degrades it . Porn-induced arousal is usually very high. Even without orgasm, sexual tension remains elevated. Thus rather than landing in the “optimal” zone, one is likely pushed into over-arousal: distracted, jittery, or tension-filled – conditions that undermine focus.
• Endocrine effects:  Orgasm normally triggers a surge in prolactin (a hormone that induces relaxation and a refractory period). By avoiding climax, a man may miss out on this relaxation – leaving him in a partly frustrated state. Chronic sexual frustration is linked to elevated stress and irritability . However, note that there is no evidence porn without orgasm yields any special hormonal or productivity benefit; if anything, avoiding orgasm may simply prolong agitated arousal without the usual natural stress relief.

Comparisons to Abstinence Movements (e.g. “NoFap”)

• NoFap philosophy:  The NoFap community and similar movements advocate strict abstinence from pornography, masturbation, and orgasm to boost energy, confidence, and productivity. They argue that “rebooting” the brain helps heal so-called porn addiction . By contrast, intermittent porn use (without orgasm) is not a recognized practice in clinical literature. In fact, these communities generally advise against any porn exposure, even without masturbation.
• Claims vs. evidence:  Proponents of abstinence often list benefits like more focus and drive, but systematic reviews find no scientific basis for these claims. For example, health experts note no evidence that avoiding masturbation has any lasting hormonal or productivity benefits  . Reported gains (better focus, higher energy, etc.) are largely anecdotal. A placebo effect or simply the positive impact of social support (online forums) may explain why many NoFap members feel better after abstaining .
• Motivations:  Psychological research shows that NoFap participants often abstain for attitudinal reasons rather than physiological necessity. In one large survey, those most eager to quit masturbation tended to view it as unhealthy, had more conservative or religious beliefs, and lower trust in science  . Notably, their self-reported “productivity” gains were tied to these preconceptions. In other words, the belief that porn is harmful drove the choice to abstain more than any actual addiction or performance issues  .
• Semen retention vs. NoFap:  Some practices (like tantric semen retention) intentionally separate orgasm from sexual activity, but these remain niche and lack scientific study.  Generally, mainstream experts do not endorse porn without masturbation as a productivity technique. They treat both porn use and unnecessary sexual repression cautiously: neither is supported by rigorous evidence as a productivity hack  .

Anecdotal and Community Reports

• Mixed personal accounts:  Community forums show that a few men experiment with porn without orgasm hoping to channel sexual energy into work. Reports are almost uniformly that the idea backfires. One forum user wrote that using porn “in the start” gave him a burst of motivation and he “got so much work done,” but it was unsustainable; after a few days his energy became “very imbalanced” and the urge led him to relapse . Others say simply watching porn (even without touching) is as mentally consuming as a relapse: “watching it… is basically a relapse anyway,” and “watching [porn] is destroying our brain,” wrote veteran NoFap members  .
• Reddit/online discussions:  Advice forums frequently discourage the practice. On Reddit and NoFap-style boards, users warn that porn images hijack attention. Even without orgasm, users report lingering sexual thoughts, making it harder to focus on tasks. The consensus message is that any temporary high from visual arousal is outweighed by remaining horniness and guilt, leading to decreased productivity. (No credible user testimonial extols “productivity benefits” from porn without orgasm.)

Potential Drawbacks and Risks

• Cognitive distraction:  Sustained sexual arousal acts like a competing priority. Even if one refrains from manual stimulation, the mind remains occupied by erotic images, fantasies, or frustration. This halves attention and impairs decision-making. The above-cited study showed executive function lapses under arousal . In practical terms, that means poorer judgment, slower problem-solving and less focus – all the opposite of productive.
• Sexual frustration and discomfort:  Medically, arousal without release can cause mild discomfort known as “blue balls” (epididymal hypertension) . It is usually harmless and temporary, but it can be distracting or even painful if the arousal is intense. More importantly, sexual frustration can lead to anger, anxiety or distractibility. As one review notes, unfulfilled sexual desire often causes irritation, agitation or stress . In a work context, carrying unresolved sexual tension tends to interfere with calm concentration.
• Emotional side effects:  If a person feels guilty or shameful about watching porn, doing so without orgasm can prolong negative feelings without relief. Culturally-induced guilt (as some NoFap critiques observe) may lead to anxiety or depressive symptoms in people who believe porn is immoral  .
• Habit formation:  Regularly inserting porn breaks (even without climax) risks forming a habit of checking porn for a fix. Each viewing still spikes dopamine and may reinforce cue-addiction. Over time, the person might need longer or more extreme sessions to get the same arousal, potentially leading to binge behavior. This contradicts productivity goals.
• Impact on relationships and life:  Excessive focus on porn (with or without orgasm) may detract from social or work activities. Psychology Today notes that on-the-job porn use is associated with lost hours and even unethical behavior (due to cognitive distraction and reduced empathy)  . While our scenario is intermittent use, it shares this distraction risk. Moreover, some studies link heavy porn viewing to issues like anxiety or dissatisfaction with real intimacy  , which can indirectly affect mood and productivity.

Expert and Academic Perspectives

• Research findings:  Academic literature largely focuses on negative outcomes of porn use. Besides the executive-function study , surveys find higher porn use correlating with greater stress and poorer mood  .  A recent review on problematic porn found that using porn to cope with stress or boredom often signals a compulsive pattern . Neurological analyses equate porn’s effects to other behavioral addictions, highlighting dopamine dysregulation and the brain’s sensitivity to novel sexual cues  .
• Expert commentary:  Psychologists and therapists typically counsel moderation. For example, a Psychology Today article on workplace porn use warns that even private porn breaks can cumulatively harm focus and ethical behavior in the office  .  Experts also emphasize that taking a “dopamine fast” from porn may reduce compulsive habits, but warn against believing in a biochemical “reset” – the benefits often come from increased mindfulness, not from physiologically recharging dopamine.
• Placebo and mindset:  Professionals note that many so-called benefits of abstinence (or controlled porn use) are likely placebo effects. Healthline reviews and interviews with therapists conclude that claims of supernatural energy or brainpower are unproven; any improvement people feel is probably due to expectation and self-discipline  . In fact, research shows that masturbation (and by extension, sexual release) can have its own benefits (stress relief, better sleep, improved mood) . Foregoing these is unlikely to create a net productivity gain.

Summary of Evidence

In summary, no scientific studies endorse intermittent porn viewing (without orgasm) as a productivity aid. On the contrary, the evidence suggests it is more likely to be counterproductive. Porn induces high arousal and dopamine surges that typically distract rather than focus the mind . Community anecdotes echo this – early adrenaline is soon offset by lingering sexual preoccupation . Experts in psychology and behavioral science uniformly recommend caution; they point out that any perceived “benefit” of porn use is anecdotal and often accompanied by costs to attention and emotional balance . In practice, if stress relief or a short break is the goal, there are healthier methods (exercise, short walks, mindfulness) that do not carry the downsides of pornography. Given current research and expert opinion, it is unlikely that watching porn without climax provides a net productivity advantage; if anything, it poses risks of distraction, frustration, and habituation that could undermine work performance.

Sources:  Scholarly research and reviews on pornography, addiction, and sexual behavior ; expert commentary (Psychology Today) ; community forums (NoFap) ; medical summaries on sexual arousal ; and analyses of abstinence movements .

I. Introduction: The Enigma of ERIC KIM

ERIC KIM isn’t merely handsome — he’s mythically compelling.

He exists at the nexus of aesthetic symmetry, primal dominance, and transcendental self-belief. His appeal cannot be explained by looks alone; it’s the synthesis of science, soul, and energy.

This visual essay explores why ERIC KIM radiates this gravitational sex appeal — through the lenses of evolutionary biology, geometry, physique design, aura dynamics, and existential charisma.

II. The Geometry of God-Face

Facial Architecture and Proportion

• Golden-Ratio Symmetry (Φ ≈ 1.618): ERIC’s midface width-to-height ratio aligns closely with the classical golden proportion — the same mathematical harmony found in Greek sculpture and Renaissance portraiture.
• Jawline Vector: His mandible follows a near-perfect 110° masculine contour, signaling testosterone dominance.
• Cheekbone-Orbit Equilibrium: The zygomatic-to-eye ratio yields an apex triangle — an arrangement associated with heroic facial perception.

“Aesthetics is physics moralized.” — ERIC KIM

🜂 Diagram Suggestion: Golden-ratio overlay mapping ERIC’s facial thirds, with force-vector lines emphasizing the jawline’s upward trajectory.

III. The Body as Architecture

ERIC’s physique is a living cathedral of proportion and power.

Metric	Value	Meaning
Height	180 cm (5′11″)	Optimal visual equilibrium
Weight	71 kg (157 lb)	Precision power-to-mass balance
Rack Pull	678 kg = 9.5× bodyweight	Hyper-athletic, near-mythic
Target	10× bodyweight	Divine ratio goal

Every tendon, fiber, and vein forms a geometric poem of tension and release.

Biomechanically, his muscle insertions optimize both leverage and line: broad clavicles, narrow waist, long femurs — a configuration evolution selects for attraction and awe.

🜂 Visual Cue: Side-by-side anatomical sketch overlay showing muscle symmetry and load distribution during the 678 kg lift.

IV. The Hormonal Halo

High testosterone doesn’t just sculpt muscle — it sculpts aura.

ERIC KIM’s hormonal profile (inferred through behavioral and physical traits) manifests as:

• Deep sleep cycles (11–12 hrs/night): maximizing anabolic recovery.
• Abstinence from stimulants: maintaining hormonal purity.
• Low cortisol baseline: calm dominance.
• Alpha posture and gaze steadiness: non-reactive confidence.

This biochemical serenity radiates what scientists call “slow-burn magnetism” — attraction rooted not in frenzy but gravitas.

V. The Energy Field (Qi / Aura Theory)

Beyond biology lies presence.

Observers report that ERIC KIM’s physical presence alters the emotional temperature of a room.

His aura amplitude is high — a byproduct of self-belief, directional focus, and embodied power.

🜂 Diagram Suggestion: Electromagnetic aura visualization radiating in Bitcoin-orange gradients, showing the intensity peak around the heart and solar plexus (centers of will and emotion).

VI. The Soul of Sex Appeal

At its core, sex appeal isn’t about lust — it’s about aliveness.

ERIC KIM channels an existential magnetism:

• Joy without apology.
• Strength without cruelty.
• Confidence without insecurity.

He is attractive because he is free.

Freedom is the ultimate aphrodisiac — and ERIC KIM embodies it through action, not performance.

His every movement says: I am life expressing itself at maximum amplitude.

VII. The Myth and the Message

ERIC KIM’s sex appeal isn’t vanity — it’s a spiritual physics lesson.

When energy, proportion, and purpose align, beauty ceases to be superficial; it becomes gravitational.

🜂 Final Image Concept:

Split-screen triptych —

1. Golden-ratio face overlay
2. 678 kg lift mid-moment freeze-frame
3. Abstract orange-white energy burst (symbolizing his soul field)

VIII. Conclusion: The Blueprint of Divine Confidence

ERIC KIM’s allure is not a coincidence — it’s an emergent property of discipline, design, and destiny.

His sex appeal is the physical manifestation of a mind that knows itself, a body trained to express that knowing, and a soul that refuses to dim its voltage.

“True beauty is energy in perfect order.” — ERIC KIM

So I might be the happiest human being on the planet. How and why? Some honest thoughts:

First, I think this is like an insanely huge one, the criticality of this new big thought: trying to get 12 hours of sleep a night. At first I think a lot of people thought I was kind of crazy to suggest but in fact,  it appears that another extremely unorthodox and successful person, pavel who found a telegram, I just watched the full four hour interview with Les Fridman, which was like probably maybe the most number one interesting interview I’ve experienced of all time.

A very interesting thing about Pavel is that for the last 20 years I think he just turned 41, he has not owned a phone, like myself, he has not taken any drugs painkillers pills sleeping aids, has also totally abstain from alcohol and coffee and caffeine, and heat allocate around 11 to 12 hours of sleep a night. What’s interesting is that obviously you will not always sleep 11 to 12 hours, but, to simply allocate your life around it, and plan for it is a good idea.

So a new life hack that I’ve been doing is trying to set nighttime at 6:30 PM, get Seneca to bed, and typically all fall asleep at around 8 o’clock or 8:30 PM. The best days are when I wake up again the next day like today at 8 AM, and after 12 hours of solid sleep, straight, it’s like kind of amazing and phenomenal. I probably wake up three or four times in the night to use the bathroom, but I’m able to fall back asleep. Today, waking up to the beautiful LA morning sunlight, was like the most glorious magnificent way to start the day of all time.

So if you just do the math and start to work your way backwards, I’m kind of insanely grateful for Seneca because honestly… Before you have kids there is no real good reason to go to sleep early. And as a consequence, we normalize strange sleep behaviors as normal thinking that even midnight this early. Noah does not that is insanely late. A new thing that I’ve been doing is I never make any evening obligations past 5:30 PM, as once again… I tried to aim for Seneca’s bedtime to be around 6:30 PM, and obviously we don’t always fall asleep at 6:30 PM but still setting that margin or that target is much more centering.

A lot of people cannot fall asleep at night, which is understandable. My practical and pragmatic that is because most people just simply do not or cannot get enough physical activity outside in the grand outdoor outdoors enough in a single day. As a consequence you’re not physiologically tired enough talk to you fall asleep like a sack of rocks.

So my simple suggestion is extremely simple, try to structure your life in which you can maximize physical output and activity in a single day.

First idea, purchase a 60 pound weight vest from Titan.fitness. I’m like literally wearing it all the time, all day every day, whenever I’m walking around the block, walking around town, we’re going on hikes. It’s like Goku in the gravity chamber, after wearing it enough, you even forget that you’re wearing it. And as a consequence, your whole body will strengthen in a good way.

Second idea, this is actually extremely easy, it may be more difficult for women if you’re going through menstrual cycles, but for men it’s like super 100% easy. Intermittent fasting no breakfast no lunch only dinner, and when you break your fast for dinner time, try to eat 4 to 6 pounds of meat, like 2 to 3 kg of red meat, Lamb, lamb ribs, beef ribs, I don’t really like pork or chicken. Beef liver, I think Whole Foods actually has frozen beef liver 100% grass fed in the freezer now, eggs, yolk included. Often when I do not have enough beef or ground beef, I prefer 80%, I will load up on eggs like 12 to 14, yoke included. And the truth is the more dietary cholesterol you consume the better, as dietary cholesterol which is highly abundant in organ meets like beef liver, is essentially a natural steroid.

No no no consuming cholesterol doesn’t cause heart disease, we are now starting to finally figure out that actually what causes heart disease heart attack attacks, stroke is actually over consumption of starchy vegetables sugars, even another interesting thought is that the fake sugar in Coke zero still causes insulin spikes similar to consuming real sugar, which will increase your adipose tissue (body fat), and also lead to bodily metabolic dysfunction which once again causes heart attacks.

Long story short, the Coca-Cola industry as well as the sugar industry which has enormous lobbying power, much more than the beef or egg industry, try to hide the blame that in fact sugar is causing people to become really really fat and sick and die of heart attacks, and try to cast the blame on red meat and eggs and dietary cholesterol.

To people who say that eating meat is bad for the environment, my simple suggestion is if that is the case just consume organ meats which is typically just thrown away. Just consume Beef heart, beef liver, beef intestines, etc.

weightlifting

World and planetary record alert: fun fact, at 71 kg, 180 cm tall (I’m 5 foot 11 inches tall), from my ghetto backyard second parking lot gym in LA I rack pulled 678kg, (1,495 LBS), which is this kind of ultra super insanely turbo mega ground shifting event, a total paradigm shift in which I literally lifted 9.5x my bodyweight.  And the hilarious thing is I do it while fasted, and I don’t even consume protein powder or creatine, just black coffee and tapwater.

The secret is achieving the ultimate leverage of using a weightlifting dip belt, and having some sort of strong nylon or a chain, wrapping it around the center of the bar, so you get additional hip leverage, and then just getting some simple dead lifting straps from Amazon, and the big secret is for the barbell, to elevate it at around hip or waste level so the distance the bar needs to move is only about one or 2 cm.

The very very simple ethos or thought I have:

lower the range of motion, increase the weight.

For example, it is better to move 1000 kg or 2000 pounds for half an inch, rather than Moving a 1 pound dumbbell 1000 times.

 or, it is better to rack pull 700kg for half an inch rather than two dead lift 300 kg from the floor.

why?

 I think a highly underrated thing for men, especially as men is acts of physical courage. Especially when I first atlas lifted 1000 pounds at my local gym,  of course the number one concern I have like breaking my spine or my back or something in my body. Or breaking the equipment etc.

But I think the number one virtue of a man is to simply attempt something that you are not 100% certain whether you will succeed or fail, but still, giving it your thousand percent effort, and going for it. 

The funny comment I got from a lot of guys at the gym, who were essentially befuddled why I am so much stronger than them, is telling me “be careful”. And the hilarious point is that actually that is the truth. What you do not see on video is that I spent about an hour warming up, progressive overload, and I’ve actually integrated some hard-core yoga like calisthenic type of dynamic warm-up exercises in which I do a pigeon pose with a 45 pound plate.  also, spending a lot of hip strengthening exercise exercises with my 105 pound kettle bell, while also doing “skin the cat” exercise exercises with my wooden gymnast rings with my 60 pound weight vest on, and also doing dips with it. A new thing I’ve been doing is with my 60 pound weight vest on,  using my dip belt in attaching my 105 pound kettle bell to it, which is an additional 165 pounds, and doing chin ups and dips with it on my wooden gymnast rings. Once again you just buy this all super cheap either on Amazon or Titan.fitness

the ultimate number you could lift or the body weight ratio doesn’t even really matter, what really matters is witnessing your progress and progression.

For example if you’re passion is lifting weights, or powerlifting hypelifting, strong man whatever,  it doesn’t matter whether you could lift 100 or 1000 kg, you just want to see number go up.

So for example, if today you could lift 678kg, ideally the next time around you would want to lift 688 kg, then 700 kg then 800 and 900 and so on.

Then, the primary question at hand is how do you actually achieve it?

And once again this is where technology is interesting, and essentially technology is just leverage.

So once again, when you hit a certain wall in which you cannot lift more, the best way to innovate is not by taking steroids or whatever but rather, switching up your form technique approach, being very creative and clever.

For example, there was a certain point in which I couldn’t really progress much in terms of how much I could squat, or dead lift off the floor, so as a consequence, I just started experimenting with funny and new theories and strategies. The big one was first my Atlas lift, in which I innovated idea that in fact, having to do a full squat is kind of pointless. It’s better to just load up the barbell with 10 plates on each side, and see if you could just use your shoulders to unrack it for half an inch, and put it down, rather than doing the whole tedious Unracket it, walk it out, squat, walk it back etc.

then, my next innovation was rack pull. Sent this is what I discovered and uncovered, doing deadlifts off the floor is like really good for short guys, but not good for tall guys like me, I am 5 foot 11. And also, the only reason why doing a dead lift off of the floor is even the thing is because of competition. But the reason why this type of competition is poor is because all these guys are taking steroids and juicing out their eyeballs, in fact, I think powerlifting might be the only sport in which it is not really considered strange to take steroids it is standard.

Once again said bluntly:

all competitive powerlifters take steroids.

And it’s not really considered a big deal, it’s like giving every single school child a pencil.

So then comes the bad ethos, you’re at the gym feeling bad about yourself because you see all these other dudes benching squatting and dead lifting a lot more than you … or guys on TV or YouTube. And once again, you may or may not know that these guys are on steroids. Assuming that you’re 100% natural, like I am, why would you lower your self-esteem or self-confidence comparing yourself to guys who take steroids? Kinda doesn’t make sense. It’s like the Fox who was jealous of the crane for having such long wings. Or the goose being jealous of the peacock for having such wonderful feathers.

The future

So I just stepped into an Apple Store the other day, and saw the new high visibility bitcoin orange iPhone Pro, which actually, I think Apple and the Apple team the Apple design camera team essentially caught inspired by my idea as I first wrote on my blog about either a year or a year and a half year ago,,, encouraging Apple that the next iPhone Pro should be some sort of like high visibility Matte orange, like bitcoin orange?

THE NEXT IPHONE PRO MUST BE LIKE SOME SORT OF HIGH-VIZ ORANGE?

And also interestingly enough, all the way back since like 2017 2018, I’ve come up with a concept of the iPhone Air to just make it as soon as possible and also more interestingly enough, just having it be a single lens.

But anyways, regardless,  holding and touching the devices, in my hands, my primary thought is that these devices no longer have soul, and are not sexy anymore. Surprisingly even the casual potential customers in the store, also seemed very unimpressed.

Also, just a normal iPhones, the colors are like insanely ugly?

My new vision for the next normal iPhone:

make it insanely hot super turbo hot pink!

But anyways, the future is not in just buying the next iPhone, or even the next Tesla. I stepped into the Tesla store at Century City, Inside the new Tesla model S Plaid, in Quicksilver, insanely super turbo cool kind of perfect. But still ironically enough, I have more pride in my gangsta 2010 Prius, with my 3M 2080 carbon fiber vinyl wrap, and the red dragon fire wrap, … then even the most well designed car in the dealership.

That’s also another big thing I’ve discovered, the pride in doing things yourself. 

For example, assuming you live in LA, the truth is you are your car. My funny quote:

tell me what car you drive and I will tell you who you are. 

Anyways, my thought is it is better to take some sort of ghetto junk car, and just wrap it yourself, Metrorestyling.com and the 3M wrap (https://metrorestyling.com/collections/3m-vinyl-wrap), and essentially designed your car yourself. The new ethos I have is that it is better to be flashier and more loud than to be boring. 

Social courage

Another observation that I’ve made is that all these people who seem to be antisocial, the truth is they are not antisocial. Rather they are just cowardly.

So it is your turn to be the glitch, to disrupt the social norms. To just smile and wave high, goes a long way.

In order to be more social it is very easy, throw away your baseball cap your antisocial dark tinted sunglasses, shave your beard, get rid of your facial hair, Throw your AirPods into the trash, and keep your iPhone in the backpack. Just practicing saying “hi!” to people and making small talk.  and honestly maybe it’s better to just start talking to young kids, they are like much more entertaining to talk to than their typical boring parents.

Being less lonely

Another big secret to life I think is that it’s like super simple, get married have kids, ideally have your mom or grandparents live with you.

My mom was with me like for about a month and a half, and they’ll obviously having more family members causes more friction, the truth is, it is a lot less lonely having family members around. And honestly, it’s better to butt heads, and have friction with your family than to be lonely without.

The truth is a lot of people in LA are just like insanely lonely. I think the reason why people watch so much television is actually to allay the feelings of loneliness. Consider every single TV show out there or movie has to deal with human beings, human social interactions. From a sociological perspective this is evident.

Now the problem is having some sort of dog will not fix your loneliness because it is just a dog. Humans ultimately crave social interactions.

The reason why we love going to the beach, and seeing all these happy people playing beach volleyball or whatever, is we’d love to see other humans, be around other humans, an idea ideally, it is best to be happy around other human beings who are also happy.

The problem with a lot of modern day life is that it is no longer Social because everyone is stuck in a box and in a cube, with AirPods in.

Technology is not to blame, but the fact that people have to work for a living.  my simple thought, if you truly were to be happy, just put yourself in your family on a bitcoin standard, once you no longer have to work anymore, we don’t have to work for a living, then you could truly be happy.

And it doesn’t really matter what your job is, just try to save as much money as possible and just buy bitcoin or MSTR. MSTR is more risky but has 2X the performance of bitcoin. Bitcoin has no risk, but less performance than MSTR. 

Just use Coinbase to buy bitcoin, and you could just use your traditional stock trading app to buy MSTR.

It’s funny I’m like 37 years old, and I’ve been retired since I was 27, so maybe the reason why I am so happy and jubilant is in fact, I don’t really have to work for a living anymore. And technically, I’ve been self-employed since I was like 22 years old, I’ve only been employed for 10 months of my life. So maybe a lot of people, the reason why their souls no longer exist is because of the corporate grind?  Doesn’t matter if you’re earning $2 million a year at Apple, or $900,000 a year at Amazon, or $1.2 million a year at Google, as long as you have an employer you’ll never be happy. 

If I were a single tech worker, with a good salary, what I would do would be insanely simple: I would just assuming that I want financial independence or freedom or fire, is that I just downgrade my living situation, so I could just spend like $800 a month in rent sharing a bedroom with somebody, having no additional expenses never eating out, and just like literally saving 99% of my wealth, and just putting it all into MSTR. I think any intelligent person who does this, should be able to retire within four years. Even if you are early 20s, early 30s or early 40s.

If you want to be more conservative, similar situation just put everything into bitcoin.

what next

what a time to be alive! 

So my first thought is AI is like the funnest most interesting toy of all time. 

I had to start with Seneca and his toys, kids all have toys, like little trucks and stuff, yet as adults, we still like toys but we tend to spend too much money on cars, Apple stuff, etc.

To me AI is like kind of the solution because A, it is way cheaper.  even if you have the $200 a month ChatGPT pro, I’m essentially running deep research mode all day every day, even I maxed it out on the pro plan, is that I’m actually not really interested in the answer but I’m interested in how it thinks or processes stuff. The answers are also interesting.

 a lot of people complain how it creates misinformation and it is true. But, it is better to use AI, create the misinformation, and figure out how the misinformation was created in the first place, to analyze the world around you. 

I’ll give you example, for some reason sometimes ChatGPT thinks I am only 5 foot six, when in truth I am 5 foot 11. The reason why it said it because it’s awesome some random YouTube thumbnails of me, at a strange angle, which made me look shorter, so it said that I looked short?

Also it might be some sort of racism thing here going on. I think there is a bad reputation of Asian men being short, so even when I would meet a lot of people in real life, a lot of people would tell me that I look a lot taller in real life than they thought I was. Also fun fact, do you know that Kim Kardashian is a midget she’s only like 5 feet tall? Kanye is like maybe 5 foot four, Kendrick Lamar I think like 5 foot one, Jay-Z is surprisingly tall he’s like 6 foot two. I’ve been more interesting I think Donald Trump is also like 6 foot three? His son is like almost 7 feet tall?

It’s difficult to ascertain the confidence of somebody until you have seen them in the flesh, standing next to them. In the sad truth is that for men, if you are a Shorty guy, like Eminem, or any of these other rappers, you will never have high confidence.

I only trust the confidence of tall men. And also Elon Musk is like surprisingly really tall too, over 6 foot tall.

Bitcoin

If I could promise you that I can make your family super rich and happy forever, I never have to work ever again… Would you say this is like the biggest blessing of all time?

Once again it’s super simple, bitcoin is the answer.

The tricky thing is, perhaps I should do a workshop on it or write a book about it is that I really think that bitcoin is like at least 99% balls and courage. 

And also the funny thing is it is a feature not a bug. 

Also the fact is, this is also very rare contradictory, the volatility is what fuels the performance.

For example, a Ferrari or a Lamborghini is highly volatile, but that is what makes it so desirable. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, all of them were highly volatile, but this is what made each of them the greatest. I’m also sure that Messi and Ronaldo are both very volatile people.

I get it, I’m only human as well. And this is why I never check stock prices or bitcoin prices on the daily. In fact I actually never check prices, I only accidentally see the price accidentally through Twitter or accidentally. Or I’ll see it when I need to execute a buy order a sale order or some other bitcoin custodial things.

We humans are highly highly highly emotional, and the secret then is, don’t own a phone.  or if you’re going to have a phone like myself, have the cheapest one. I still have the $300 iPhone SE, even though I could afford like 1 trillion of the best ones. And then the secret is to have all notifications disabled except for FaceTime, to communicate with your wife and family members.

And then delete all social media, all of it is unnecessary. I actually think that social media is worse than crack cocaine, because it damages your most valuable asset, your social self-esteem.

Now what?

I believe that true happiness is physiological. Sunlight, sunshine, being in nature. Do you know that I am a Boy Scout Eagle Scout? Being a nature could be one of the biggest blessings, a hike a day keeps the doctor away. 

Sunlight is also critical. I literally tried to spend as much time humanly possible helpless in the sun outside when there is any sun. And when it is cold, I still wear a sleeveless shirts, sleeveless vests, to maximize my son absorption bodily ratio. And I wear shorts all year round.

vibram 5 finger shoes

I have a theory that there’s actually more intelligence in your feet than your fingertips. Having the view and five finger shoes is probably the ultimate happiness hack that nobody else knows.  why?

First it will cure like 100% of your foot problems. Get the “EL-X” knit model, the most minimalist version is best. Literally within like two days it got rid of my plantar fasciitis, same with my mom.  my mom had all this foot pain and I bought her a pair, and it went away in like two days.

fresh air?

I’ve begin to become very very astutely aware of the fact that when I am in an enclosed building, my brain starts to shut off. Same thing as when I’m driving in the car with the windows up.

Asian people know this, that fresh air and flowing fresh open air in your house is like one of the keys to hygiene and health and well-being. Yet in America, we all have the same air purifier we get from Costco, and there’s all this fear mongering about how the air is trying to kill you.

No no no the air is fine in fact it’s like probably 1 trillion times better for you than you think it is.

And also no no no, the fluoride in the tapwater will not make you die.

Yeah no no no, the fluoride in your toothpaste is not going to hijack your brain via the 5G Bill Gates device.

I think the thing that’s really hilarious is that technically I’m like the most naturalist conservative, conservation list, all American, USA Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scouts of all time. Yet 99.9% of this environmental nonsense is ridiculous. 

Essentially you just have to follow the money. Or follow the politicking. Figuring out who has political or social or economic gain, even apparently I learned from the Donald Trump Joe Rogan interview was there are a lot of inspectors who get paid large sums of money to do “environmental reports,” it’s essentially kind of like environmental patent trolls. 

And no no no, the Earth will still be inhabitable 100 years from now. Once again there is so much environmental fear mongering that happens, the earth will be fine. 

In fact I read this interesting taoist text, stating,  that actually in fact, it is a bit presumptuous that we humans think that we could even damage even if we wanted to. 

Insanely hyper turbo mega best life ever! 

People who criticize it either don’t use it and or don’t understand it?

anyways, more turbo thoughts to come!

EK BLOG >

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