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ERIC KIM

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Why I’m Happy

Why I’m happy: I create my own reality.

“Happiness” just means “human flourishing” in Greek. I’m happy, because I feel I am creatively flourishing everyday, sweeping the dusty past away.

I feel that I no longer have brakes on my matted out Lamborghini. Creatively, I’m on the German Autobahn freeway, driving everyday at 500 miles per hour.

Every hour, I try to pour out new creative insights.

I read a lot of poetry, which helps me know that anything I want to be, I can make it be.

Berkeley, 2016 #cindyproject

I’ve found the secret of wealth: hustle hard, and make the best use of the opportunities that life gives you.

Berlin, 2015

I’ve found the secret to fix all the world’s problems: tolerance. Tolerance is often created through commerce, aka business. For example, in Ancient times, it didn’t matter if you were Jewish, Christian, or practiced Islam. As long as you were a trustworthy business person or merchants everyone respected one another.

The secret to never ending creativity: be a kid. Avoid boredom without having to be addicted to a phone or iPad. To be a creative kid, being poor helps. You make your own spaceships with old tv boxes, and as an adult, you can be more creative by creating your own toys– through computer programming, by sketching on a piece of paper or your phone or iPad, or by blogging and writing some ideas.

NYC, 2016

You can write poems. There is no such thing as a good or bad poem. Only poems that excite you, or poems that don’t excite you. So make poems that you like and share them online.

Cindy making linocuts at home. Berkeley, 2016

To output more art, the secret is reducing your consumption of information. For example, the best advice on being more productive: uninstall Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat from your phone. Just do all that on your laptop. And instead, use your dead time when you’re bored to write rhymes in your notepad, to make street photos on your iPhone in airplane mode, or making small talk with a barista or waiter.

My mom and Cindy’s mom having fun in Paris, 2015

Also the best way to be more prolific: uninstall email from your phone. Or after work hours, just don’t use email. Use your time before and after work to make more street photographs of your everyday life. Or shoot artistic selfies. Or learn art by going on the “Every painter paints himself” website.

Busan, 2013

To be inspired, watch cool shit on YouTube. I love watching Kanye West music videos, or “8 bit philosophy” for inspiration.

Conclusion

Berkeley, 2015

I’m happy because the internet has made the world an awesome place. You have access to all the information of humanity. You can create stuff on the internet, and share it openly and freely.

Berkeley, 2016

I’m happy because I have access to the internet and have the access to share stuff.

Practical homework assignment: make your own blog. Use bluehost.com and make a wordpress.org blog. Publish however much or little you want. The only rule:

Have fun.

Be strong,
Eric

—

Philosophy

Philosophy: love of wisdom.

Practical Philosophy

  • Why?
  • Why I’m So Prolific
  • How to Reduce LAG in Life

Personal Philosophy »

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

Stoicism »

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

Zen Philosophy »

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

Life Lessons »

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

Learn more: Start Here >

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Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Photography Entrepreneurship

My brand-new Udemy Course, "Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Photography Entrepreneurship" now live!

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Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Photography

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Read our HAPTIC MAGAZINE: Issue 1 “Our Story” >

HAPTIC makes creative tools to empower visual artists. From educational tools, art platforms, to camera equipment, HAPTIC is driven by a spirit of experimentation and creative collaboration. We are a majority women led, family operated industry, and have great pride in everything we make.

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HAPTIC MISSION: We believe in disrupting the production market for photography, art, and creative tools. We are transparent about the labor practices behind HAPTIC because we are proud and love everything we make. We support honest and beautiful work with respectful wages to our artists, artisans, and collaborators.

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