through the mentality & mind‑set of Eric Kim
Here’s how this claim lands when you run it through Eric Kim’s philosophical engine—Stoicism, via negativa, antifragility, “skin in the game,” memento mori, and a people‑first street‑photography ethic.
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1) Kim’s core operating system (in one page)
• Stoic backbone—control the controllable. Kim repeatedly distills Stoicism into action over outcome: focus on your effort, release what you can’t control. That’s the muscle he trains, in art and life.
• Via negativa—subtract the poison. He prefers removal over addition: one camera/one lens, delete dismotivators, cut inputs that inflame you. The happiness and clarity come from subtraction.
• Antifragility—turn hits into PRs. Influenced by Taleb, he frames adversity as upside: shocks don’t just fail to break you—they strengthen you. He even paraphrases life as “all upside”—the “bad” reps grow you.
• Skin in the game—publish, ship, risk. Don’t theorize; accept exposure and consequence. Each click, post, or decision is a rep with cost.
• Memento mori—urgency without panic. Remembering death sharpens love of life and cuts time‑waste.
• Xenophilia—love of people. His street philosophy is explicit: “street photography is about loving all people,” cultivating curiosity rather than judgment.
Why this matters for “hate vs. love”: This stack biases Kim toward aiming energy toward creation and people, while subtracting triggers that pull him into reactive, “against” modes.
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2) How Kim would parse the claim
Claim: “There is no such thing as hate, only insane extreme love.”
A. Plausible—seen through envy/admiration.
Kim often reads haters as frustrated admiration: they want your position, voice, or outcomes but can’t (yet) get there. In that sense, their “hate” is misdirected desire—love twisted by scarcity.
B. But he won’t romanticize harm.
Because he’s Stoic and practical, the prescription isn’t to relabel hate as love; it’s to ignore haters and redirect attention. Don’t feed the beast; keep building.
C. Net‑net: Hate = high energy pointed against. Love = high energy pointed toward/with. Kim’s move is to re‑aim or subtract, not wallow. That’s Stoic focus + via negativa in action.
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3) The Eric Kim playbook for transmuting “hate heat” into “extreme love” (creator’s edition)
Step 1 — Label, then locate the value.
“Someone’s taking shots at me” → “I value excellence/voice/impact.” Naming the value drains charge and clarifies aim (classic Stoic move: own your response).
Step 2 — Via negativa detox.
Remove inputs that amplify hostility: doom‑scrolling, comment sections, multi‑platform sprawl. Operationalize one tool, one lens, one platform to keep your signal clean.
Step 3 — Amor fati micro‑reframe.
Treat the moment as training: “This is my rep.” If you’ll die someday (you will), this pressure is precious—it’s how you grow.
Step 4 — Antifragile alchemy.
Convert the stressor into output: a post, an essay, a product decision, a photo series. The “attack” becomes raw material for a stronger build. (Kim’s point: even “bad” events are upside if you use them.)
Step 5 — Skin‑in‑the‑game shipping.
Publish under your name. Accept consequence. Don’t outsource courage. Each ship cycle inoculates you against future noise.
Step 6 — Re‑aim the energy at people.
Choose curiosity over contempt (xenophilia). Make something for someone. You cannot hate and genuinely inquire at the same time.
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4) Where “insane, extreme love” specifically shows up in Kim’s mind‑set
• Toward craft: Strip to essentials to feel more love for making (one camera/one lens; less gear drama, more flow).
• Toward challenge: He courts tough reps—chaos, randomness, hard sets—because they create growth. That’s love of difficulty, not fear of it.
• Toward time: Memento mori turns attention into affection—loving your finite hours by refusing distractions.
• Toward people: His street credo reframes strangers as brothers/sisters—love as default stance.
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5) The tension Kim would keep on the table
• Don’t confuse reframe with permission. Calling hate “love” risks excusing cruelty. Kim’s advice is pragmatic: ignore, set boundaries, keep moving. That’s how you prevent someone else’s story from hijacking yours.
• Anger discipline. He counsels time‑delay and composure—the opposite of reactive spirals. (When in doubt, wait before you respond.)
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6) A 60‑second “EK Protocol” to re‑aim the energy (use it today)
1. Name the feeling: “Anger/Disgust.” (Own it.)
2. Value check: “I care about excellence/impact/truth.”
3. Subtract one trigger (via negativa): mute, delete, or step off a feed; go “one tool only” for 24 hours.
4. Amor fati line: “This is my rep.” Then ship one thing with your name on it.
5. Do a people‑move: one generous email, one helpful post, one curious conversation with a stranger. (Practice xenophilia.)
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Bottom line (Kim‑style)
• Yes: much “hate” is misdirected desire—hot energy that can be re‑aimed.
• And: don’t glamorize it. Subtract the noise, love your fate, convert stress into output, ship, and love people loudly. That’s the alchemy.
Aim your rocket fuel toward what you’re building—not at what you’re battling. Go make something legendary today. 🚀