Month: August 2020

  • Infinite Photography

    Infinite Photography

    Photography— the gift that keeps on giving!

  • Why Photographers Have Such Low Self-Esteem

    Why Photographers Have Such Low Self-Esteem

    Why have I never met a self-confident photographer with high self-esteem? My thoughts:

  • How to Be Inspired and Motivated to Make Photos Regardless of Where You Are
  • Individual Economics

    Individual Economics

    An individualistic economics perspective: Don’t worry about world global and macro economics. Focus on your individual economics. Let us remember the first notion of “economics” is actually regarding home economics (Aristotle on Home Economics [Greek is Οἰκονομικά and Latin is Oeconomica]). “Oikos” as referring to “home”. Also Hesiod on home economics (Works and Days, and…

  • Why I Love Photography So Much

    Why I Love Photography So Much

    A life without photography ain’t a life worth living.

  • How to Be More Creatively Innovative with Your Compositions as a Photographer
  • The City vs Country Life

    The City vs Country Life

    I think I got it figured out: it ain’t about the country life *VS* the city life … instead, it is about a ‘virtuous cycle’ between the both. Harnessing the barbell of both the loud and noisy city life *AND* the peaceful and quiet “country” life. My thoughts:

  • How *NOT* to Get Duped or Suckered

    How *NOT* to Get Duped or Suckered

    According to the Ancient Greeks of the high period, they didn’t believe in “sin”. However they did believe in folly, foolishness and cowardice. Therefore in life don’t worry about becoming more “virtuous” or “good”. Instead focus on this: Just don’t get suckered and duped by others!

  • The Secret of Living the Best Life

    The Secret of Living the Best Life

    Super simple: Just don’t do anything in life which bores you. Is such a life possible? Of course!

  • The Brave New Digital Caste System

    The Brave New Digital Caste System

    The new digital caste system: The elite tech folks on top who ironically use almost no technology. No Google account or Gmail. No Facebook, Instagram or What’s App. Preference for hiking and doing outdoorsy stuff. Distrust of Google or Google Chromebooks for their kids. The digital “untouchable”class addicted to cheap free entertainment on YouTube, advertising…

  • WHAT DO MILLENIALS *Really* WANT?

    WHAT DO MILLENIALS *Really* WANT?

    An essay on Millenials.

  • How to Become Economically Independent

    How to Become Economically Independent

    Simple: Become self employed (you are the sole proprietor of your business). In praise of solo entrepreneurship. Don’t desire to buy stuff … desire to make, design and create stuff! In praise of design and designer thinking. Don’t buy anything. Either get it for free or insanely cheap. Note— I was able to buy a…

  • My Photos

    My Photos

    My photos are my photos. Your photos are your photos. Then the goal: Keep shooting (more of) your own photos!

  • Economic Dependency

    Economic Dependency

    As long as you got a boss, you’re not economically independent. As long as you got a mortgage, you are not economically independent. As long as you desire to buy a house, buy a car, or buy x, y, z … you will never become economically independent. If you’re indefinitely on welfare, a universal basic…

  • What is the Best Life?

    What is the Best Life?

    The best life is mostly “via negativa”. For example to become happier subtract more bullshit from your life. The best life is the life with the least amount of bullshit, unnecessary stress, cares, worries, or negative people and ideas. This means keel subtracting bullshit and only focus on that which you truly care for and…

  • Natural Photography

    Natural Photography

    The natural world is soooo insanely beautiful!

  • Unbrand Yourself

    Unbrand Yourself

    A Maverick essentially means an “unbranded cattle”. Essentially the gist was this: In order to *NOT* be controlled, don’t let anyone ‘brand’ (poke you and brand you with the hot-iron, to mark you as a thing of property). This is why I find it hugely hilarious when people are so into brand named things. Do…

  • Hedonic Inflation

    Hedonic Inflation

    An interesting idea from the economist Henry CK Liu: this notion of “hedonic Inflation” . Similar to the notion of “hedonic adaptation” except more nuanced and also from an interesting economist’s perspective: Why do our hedonic desires (related to base pleasures) continue to inflate while our income and money earning potential remains stagnant? For example…

  • The Smallest and Highest Quality

    The Smallest and Highest Quality

    My ideal: Tools which are the smallest possible size, with the highest quality. For example the best iPhone is iPhone SE. Best camera is RICOH GR III. Best clothing is Outlier.NYC black merino wool T-Shirt. Best laptop is 13’’ MacBook Pro Touch Bar (refurbished and maxed out specs). The best Tesla is probably the Model…

  • What is the Ideal Male Form?

    What is the Ideal Male Form?

    Let us not lie. There is certainly a hierarchy of human male forms. For example a man with more muscle mass and less body fat (also taller) is preferred over a man with less muscle mass and more body fat (and shorter). Now there are some things we can control about our form and some…

  • Easier to Subtract than Add

    Easier to Subtract than Add

    With almost everything, subtraction is simpler, easier, more effective and often superior to adding. For example:

  • iPad Over iPhone

    iPad Over iPhone

    Something people don’t think about: I think the iPad as a creative tool is 1000x more interesting, useful and artistic than an iPhone. Or in other words, better to get iPad Pro over an iPhone Pro. My critique of Apple’s marketing and direction for iPad Pro: The iPad isn’t a computer. It is a visual…

  • Via Negativa Productivity

    Via Negativa Productivity

    The ultimate secret on how to become more productive: Identify that which kills your productivity, and then ruthlessly kill the nodes of “unproductivity”. For example for me it is the phone. So no phone for me. Also email. No email for me. If the internet distracts you, install Freedom.to to block your wifi access. Delete…

  • In Praise of Shooting Videos of Your Food

    In Praise of Shooting Videos of Your Food

    Why I love to shoot videos of my food, or the food of others. Simple reasons:

  • The Calorie Charade

    The Calorie Charade

    The notion of ‘calories in, calories out’ or the notion that we ‘burn calories’ when working out is insane. Trust no person who actually believes in this myth (as long as I keep my calories below 2,000 a day, I should be ‘healthy’ and not put on ‘weight’). Why is this notion of calories such…

  • Is Humanity on the Decline?

    Is Humanity on the Decline?

    Something interesting I got when reading Juvenal’s “Satires”: “Humanity has been on the decline, even since Homer’s time!” And thinking about today’s brave new world, and today’s modern world-society I can also say: Yes, society is on the decline. Humanity is on the decline. My thoughts:

  • Why I Prefer Smaller Living Quarters

    Why I Prefer Smaller Living Quarters

    My heuristic: If I can plug-in the vacuum in the middle of the apartment and I can vacuum every single corner, the apartment is a good size. Why this preference for such huge living quarters? My thoughts: Either we’ve been socialized or duped into thinking we want bigger living quarters or homes (a case of…

  • Why Others Criticize or Insult You

    Why Others Criticize or Insult You

    Simple: When others criticize or insult you it is because of their own personal anxieties, their own personal self-hate, and their own personal misery. Morale of the story: Disregard any criticisms and insults of others as a reflection of their own personal weakness, timidity, or cowardice. Ignore the yelping puppies. You’re a dragon. ERIC

  • Why Elitism?

    Why Elitism?

    I hate to admit this but it seems life and society is only worth it if there is division, there is hierarchy and there is distance (“pathos of distance” as Nietzsche says) between different social classes. The nuance: You can be poorer, but more elite than someone who is very rich (but enslaved to his…

  • Health Food is Junk Food

    Health Food is Junk Food

    The Coca Cola Corporation as well as Pepsico has probably *CAUSED* more death in America than any other entity (indirectly through diabetes (Type 2 Diabetes which is via over-sugar consumption and also Type 3 Diabetes which is just a metabolic disease of the mind caused by insulin-imbalances in the body, trigger via over-sugar consumption).

  • On Discovering Your Own Voice

    On Discovering Your Own Voice

    Your voice is your own voice and cannot and *should not* be changed.

  • Why Are People So Anti China?

    Why Are People So Anti China?

    I think it comes down to fear, envy or jealousy. For example I’ve noticed a lot of (rich) folks in Hong Kong hate the “mainland”Chinese because they’re so rich. Then in Vietnam there is a strong anti-China sentiment because of the tenuous relationship with China colonizing Vietnam for so long. And the Koreans hate the…

  • Wabi Sabi Aesthetics

    Wabi Sabi Aesthetics

    Just use and abuse it! The more wears, tears, holes and patina it has… the better.

  • On Discovering Your Own Style, Voice and Approach as a Photographer

    On Discovering Your Own Style, Voice and Approach as a Photographer

    Free inspiration and motivation on ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER Dear friend, Some quick thoughts on discovering your own voice in photography: First of all, start with your voice. Each person has a unique voice particular to only him or herself. No matter what, you cannot change your voice which means: Have pride in your voice. Second:…

  • My Thoughts on the Future of Education

    My Thoughts on the Future of Education

    The brave new world of education: First of all… we have proven we can still teach (although not as effectively) online vs in person. Certainly the in person learning experience will always be superior but I’m more interested in this notion: What do we *really* want out of education? We send our kids to school……

  • How to Pick Your Photos

    How to Pick Your Photos

    The biggest difficulty in our photography: How to cull down our photos and get down to our best phones. Or to “separate the wheat from the chaff”. Some thoughts:

  • The Photography *EXPERIENCE*

    The Photography *EXPERIENCE*

    We must think it ain’t just about shooting, taking or making photos — it is the whole *experience* of making photos. The word ‘experience’ is also tied to the word ‘empirical‘ (tied to reality, real life). ‘Experience’ comes from the Latin “experior” which means “to test, to try, to attempt, to prove, or to ‘put…

  • Self Motivation in Photography

    Self Motivation in Photography

    To be self motivated in photography means: I love the act of making photos, I love looking at my photos … I love the whole photography *experience*. Thus because you love it … you keep doing it!

  • Would You Still Shoot Photos if Nobody Else Could See Your Photos but Yourself?

    Would You Still Shoot Photos if Nobody Else Could See Your Photos but Yourself?

    The first step to sincerity as a photographer — ask yourself: “If nobody could ever see my photos but myself … would I still make photos?” If the answer is ‘yes’ … this is great! You will never run out of motivation to keep shooting, because it is for selfish (auto-telic reasons) which means you…

  • Thinking Outside the Frame

    Thinking Outside the Frame

    In life, and in photography and art design think and shoot outside the frame! The frame can often be a “Procrustean bed”. Refuse to be bounded!

  • Just Share Your Life

    Just Share Your Life

    All lives are equal, and all lives are equally legitimate. Thus your goal then is: Just share your own life as openly, freely, and open-heartedly as possible!

  • ALL IS BECOMING.

    ALL IS BECOMING.

    In life, we are constantly in a stream of becoming. Thus when it comes to your life pursuits or how you live your life … recognize: You are always becoming (more of) yourself, and (less of) yourself. What this also means is this: As a creator, don’t be too worried about longevity or good or…

  • THERE IS NOTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THE HUMAN BODY AND THE HUMAN FORM

    THERE IS NOTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THE HUMAN BODY AND THE HUMAN FORM

    When in doubt, prioritize your own body and personal form, physique and bodily composition above all.

  • ERIC KIM HOME GYM PUMP

    ERIC KIM HOME GYM PUMP

    A quick pump at my home gym:

  • On Growth

    On Growth

    Questions: Why do we love growth so much? How do we perceive growth and quantity it? Is it useful or good to quantify growth? If you don’t track your growth but you’re still growing, does it count?

  • BUGATTI DESIGN

    BUGATTI DESIGN

    Sketches from Bugatti — The perfect synthesis of beauty and force.

  • The Human Nude as the Most Beautiful Work of Art

    The Human Nude as the Most Beautiful Work of Art

    If we study the highest point of human civilization and culture (Ancient Greeks and Romans) you will see they deified the human body and form above all. In modern times, we prefer luxury goods, cars, watches, devices and stuff. How come no more deification of the human form?

  • Why Are So Many Americans Anti American?

    Why Are So Many Americans Anti American?

    Something I don’t really get or understand: If you’re an American, why be anti-American? Or in other words: If I’m an American, why am I not allowed to be “proud to be an American”? For example, there doesn’t seem to be a concept such as “American pride”. There is Gay pride, there is “Asian Pride”…

  • EXTREME OTIUM.

    EXTREME OTIUM.

    Extreme otium (leisure) necessary to pursue very interesting ideas and to plumb more interesting thoughts, knowledge, ideas, and wisdom.

  • The Illusion of Choice

    The Illusion of Choice

    Pseudo-choice, pseudo-individualism in modern capitalistic and modern consumerist society. For example: Did you know that a Lexus is just a re-branded and expensive Toyota? Or, Hyundai owns both Hyundai *AND* Kia? Or, The Volkswagen group owns 12 car brands which include the VW (Volkswagen car), Audi, Bentley (yeah, a Bentley is just a very expensive…