Month: November 2021

Your appetite for risk is what makes you great.

Not even whether you win or lose, or if you’re right and wrong. No. The level of risk you’re willing to stomach, and attempt.

What is the true courage, especially when it comes to fashion matters? I said it is having the courage to be seen as lame. All great fashion innovators are the ones who intentionally do what is not considered cool, but with great confidence.

Or in other words, true courage is having the courage to stand out, even at the expense of being laughed at and ridiculed.

What is anti-courage? Following trends, because you want to be seen as cool.

For example, dad sneakers were always seen as lame. But Kanye West made them cool. Why? He thought to himself, why is dad sneakers such a bad thing? Why is being dad such an uncool thing? Maybe being a dad can be a cool thing.

The equipment I am currently using:

1. RICOH GR III in small JPEG, High contrast black-and-white mode, with highlight exposure metering. ERIC KIM WRIST STRAP MARK II.
2. ERIC KIM WALLET with transcend SD card, with 64 GB.
3. For my travel street photography backpack, think tank backpack.
4. For clothing, black merino wool outlier.NYC T-shirt, black merino wool leggings, black merino wool shorts. L run shark water shoes slippers. Ex officio black boxer briefs. In short, all black merino wool everything.
5. 13’’ MacBook Pro Touch Bar, space gray, maxed out refurbished from 2017. My next laptop will be a MacBook Air.
6. iPhone 11 Pro, refurbished, space gray, with no case. I prefer the iPhone mini, and my next phone will be an iPhone mini, of course with no case. Living life on the edge!
7. No watch, no socks.
8. No car. I don’t currently own a car, just currently borrowing Cindy‘s mom‘s car.
9. 80% my cryptocurrency is Chainlink, 10% digibyte, 1 bitcoin, and I’m starting to accumulate Ethereum.

Our design philosophy for things, tools, and equipment. Optimize for as small as possible.

For example, when you’re traveling, use or purchase the smallest bag as possible. With file sizes, as small as possible. Even in photography, the smallest JPEG size as possible. The best camera isn’t the one with the most megapixels, but actually, the one with the least megapixels possible.

The same reason why the Tesla model Y is superior than the Tesla model X, and the same reason the Tesla model three is superior than the Tesla model S.

A simple way to practice photography composition: eliminate anything that is white or bright from the frame, when you are framing with your LCD screen. For example, strive to make your photos as dark as possible. Avoid anything that distracts from your frame.

Composition is a matter of elimination, not addition. The best way to compose a photo is to get rid of distractions. Same thing with productivity philosophy, the best way to be productive isn’t to force yourself to be more productive, but to just eliminate distractions.

Same thing with Health, the best way to become less fat isn’t to work out more, but just to illuminate things that make you fat. For example, eliminating sugar carbs, starch, alcohol, and anything sweet. Even 0 cal sweeteners. even “natural“ sweeteners. No honey, no agave, no Stevia, none of that nonsense.

Sweet is bad. Bitter is better.

Same goes with design philosophy, to design a thing better, rather than adding superfluous elements, figure out what to subtract. For example, the best Kanye West Yeezy shoe is probably the new foam runner, because it illuminates the necessary use of socks, and shoelaces. Or think about the Tesla model 3 is superior than any BMW or Mercedes car, because it has stripped away all these unnecessary superfluous design elements. I kind of get the notion or the sense that the reason why BMW and Mercedes keeps suddenly changing the way that the rear bumper looks, it’s not because it is better, but to promote more sales.

Our new design philosophy and aspiration: hyperlight. Even though it’s not always wise, as an aesthetic notion, hyper light is best.

The best design is that which is insanely light. The lighter, the better. Never upgrade or change your things unless you find an option which is lighter.

For example, iPhone mini is supreme, better than iPhone Pro. Same goes with laptops, MacBook Air is better than any MacBook Pro.

With shoes, the lightest shoe possible.

Even with headphones, optimize for the lightest headphone possible. Maybe this is how the normal AirPods is actually superior than the AirPods Pro, because the normal AirPods are lighter.

Also with cars, the lightest car is the best car. The most fun to drive, even though it may not be the “supreme” or the fastest. For example, the Tesla model S plaid is the most supreme car but probably not the most fun to drive. Probably more fun to drive a Mazda Miata, manual transmission of course.

Also when it comes to traveling, don’t optimize for the best set up, but the lightest.

HYPERLIGHT as our new ideal.

The supreme happiness and joy: having extreme pride in your own creations, your own designs, your own innovations.

My pride in HAPTIC INDUSTRIES. ERIC KIM PRODUCTS.

For example, I have zero interest in any luxury designs, which are not mine. I deserve to build it all myself, design it all myself, and create it all myself.

For example with shoes, my extreme joy in discovering the L run shark shoes, water slippers. 1 billion times better than any Nike I’ve ever bought. And I discovered this through my own industrious experimentation, and design philosophy, that which is supreme lightness is supreme.

What’s the biggest problem in the modern world and society? The fact that corporations rule our lives.

For example, do we just want our children to aspire to one day become a CEO or a corporate executive of a big company? Or do we desire them to become courageous entrepreneurs?

The reason I love America the most in the world? It is the most friendly towards entrepreneurs, and the most encouraging of entrepreneurship.

What kinds of humans do we desire to design?

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When it comes to aesthetics, literature, films, and everything in between: darker is better.

For example, this is why we love Batman, how dark he is, in terms of his psyche, and also his aesthetics.

We must go darker. As dark as possible.

Another reason why standardization or categorization is bad: it assumes that all human beings can be put on the same scale.

The general idea of futurism (vs retrospectivism):

The best is yet to come.

Whereas retrospectivism thinks “Everything in the past was better, and the best… and can never be superseded”.

We must be futurists.

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My ideals when it comes to product design:

1. Extreme minimalism
2. Interesting aerodynamics, especially when it comes to automotive and car design
3. Interesting and unique color palette, and colorways.
4. Unexpected designs, designs that I didn’t think I’d like, but upon seeing them I actually really like.
5. studying and thinking how design can be aspirational. For example buying a Subaru outback wilderness, because aspirational way I want to do more outdoorsy stuff.
6. Some brands I’m currently into: Balenciaga, Tesla, Nike, Jordan, Kia, Hyundai, Subaru

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Dear friends,

With the new COVID variant out and about, it seems this is the reality:

There will always be some sort of COVID out there.

Then the question:

In spite of COVID and ongoing pandemics … how can we still keep traveling (safely) and embarking on more travel street photography adventures?

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Barbara Kruger. This is essentially the route that all individuals make, when they are filled with outrage and anger.

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What is the role of the difference between national versus individual pride?

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What is the number one productivity hack? Optimize your life for sleep.

For example, the best home or apartment to have is the most quiet one, far away from street noise, anything which wakes you up.

Also invest in some good earplugs, and eye mask for sleeping. And also optimize your bed, blankets, and bedroom temperature for sleep.

Also, no devices of any kind in your bedroom.

Also, don’t consume coffee or caffeine after breakfast. If you’re just tired, take a nap. Instead of trying to force yourself to do more work, it takes more skill to force yourself to nap. For example, when I’m very exhausted, I just lay in my bed, close all my blinds and shades, and put on an eye mask or towel over my eyes, and put in earplugs and I just lie there as long as possible. I only get out or get up, when my body forces me to get up.

A fun creative activity we could do is this: remix our photos.

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What do you do once you become a crypto billionaire, and once you’ve retired, and achieved financial freedom and independence?

Simple: focus on your creative leisure activity, which is photography.

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What should be your ultimate value? Not our ability to make a lot of money from work, but rather, our capacity, courage, and ingenuity for innovation and creativity.

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When it comes to notions of “work“, we must differentiate the difference between Ergon and Arbeit.

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Some real ideas on branding:

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Rather than trying to build $1 billion company, why not try to create a $1 billion you?

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The best way to innovate is figure out what to get rid of, than what to add.

In praise of Tesla for getting rid of doorhandles, getting rid of most of the dashboard, and getting rid of the shifter stalks.

Also the great innovation of Tesla and electric cars is getting rid of all this additional gasoline crap. For example, if you look under the hood of any gasoline car, there’s so much going on in there. I love the Tesla chassis, skateboard.

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The best way to learn from others is to not emulate what you don’t like in them.

Why it is good to work for things:

What is the worst thing you do to a child? Give them things without having them work for it. Why is that? You can never value something until you’ve worked for it.

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We all want to improve our lives. But how does one actually do that?

1. Music: Nietzsche once said life without music would be a mistake. Thus, it seems that music is a very good investment. I recommend Apple Music over Spotify, because of the deep integration it has with iPhone and all your Apple devices.
2. Walking: what is the ultimate luxury? Being able to walk. What is the ultimate slavery? Not being able to walk. This is why I hated working office so much, because you’re chained to your desk, and not able to go outdoors, and breathe fresh air. If you optimize your life for walking, you will be happier and live a better life. In fact, rather than tracking your progress in life based on your bank account balance, perhaps it is better to track your steps. In other words, the more steps you accrue in the day, the better.
3. Go on more hikes, or do more outdoorsy stuff. Humans have a natural biophilia, that is love of the natural. That’s the more you expose yourself to nature, the better.
4. Exposure to natural light: I know personally speaking, I’m the most depressed when I don’t have access to natural light. This is why I think the winter times are very tough, because a combination of last natural light, and also less walking. This is why Denver is so interesting to me, because Denver albeit it is cold, it is very bright. I don’t think it’s the cold which people hate, but the cold room which prevents you from going out and walking around is what people hate. if anything, if you live in a cold environment, to improve your life just buy a really good expensive warm jacket and some very good shoes, to maximize your walking ability.
5. Even with your homes, the best home is the one with the most natural light. Also, the house which is maximally quiet. Loud Street noise is one of the biggest detriment to our health, our focus, and our well-being.
6. Via Negativa: the best way to improve your life is figure out what to subtract. For example, subtracting toxic people, toxic literature, and toxic ideas. And I also think that in order to improve your life, get rid of things which intoxicate you. For example, subtracting alcohol and weed seems like a good idea.
7. Produce more than you consume: I like the idea that 20% of your life is consumption, and 80% of your life is production. To produce, create, and to enact an impact on society and humanity is what brings us joy. I call this producerism.

A realization:

What do we want out of our cars?

Pure dominance.

Unless there is a car which ever get faster than the 1.99 second (0-60 mph) Tesla Model S Plaid, all other cars (including Lamborghini, Porsche, Bugatti, McLaren, Rolls Royce, etc) are irrelevant.

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After playing with all the Apple Devices, all the Android devices, etc — a simple takeaway:

Give me a laptop, and I can move the world!

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Just had a realization:

Philosophy is not a ‘lifestyle’ approach, and not a guide on ‘how to best live life’, but rather– setting values.

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This morning I was reading some Oeconomicus (Economics, by Xenophon) in which ‘Socrates’ is having a conversation with a (rich) buddy of his, and Socrates tries to do this ‘clever flex’:

Socrates: I am much richer than you, because my needs are little, and my surplus is great.

But as Nietzsche figured out in Twilight of the Idols, Socrates was trying to use clever-rhetoric talk to seem like he were supreme.

But — Socrates was the OG troll. He tried to use clever word-play to make himself seem supreme over all others.

So what was Socrates really trying to promote? Poverty, virtue, happiness, etc. But was it really philosophy which Socrates was trying to propound? I think not. I think Socrates was just trying to promote a certain ‘lifestyle‘, similar to Jesus (turn the other cheek, asceticism, hate not your neighbors, etc).

Which makes me wonder–

What *IS* philosophy then?

Simple answer– philosophy is about value-setting.

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How does one edit down (cull down) their photos, their photo sets, portfolio, etc?

Meta-editing as a thought. This means:

Publish a bunch of photos as a blog post, in gallery mode, or as an iMovie slideshow … and re-watch and re-experience and re-view your photos, and re-save the photos to your downloads, and re-upload the ones you like!

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Life is growth. If you’re not busy growing, you’re busy dying (Bob Dylan)

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You are not alike. And what’s the goal of standardization?

To make everyone quantifiable and measurable, on the same scale.

But what if you don’t want to be part of this scale, or what if you cannot be measured in accordance with others?

You’re not standard. Avoid any rules, games or arenas and competitions where standardization is the norm.

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Random thought: are there certain clothes which make you more productive, confident, and focused?

I think so. For example, when I wear tighter fitting clothes, I actually feel more productive. Same goes with wearing all black clothing, it helps me focus on my thoughts and on my work.

If you think the opposite it is true. If you were lazy home clothes, you will feel lazy.

Also the best optimization you can make is having the lightest shoes possible. Why? The lighter your shoes, the more you can walk with less fatigue! Note — the gods as having winged and light feet!

Or in other words, better to be stoic than epicurean. Or why Android might be better than iOS.

Or why open files are better than closed ones. Or why decentralized is better than centralized.

The open internet and now perhaps the blockchain — the future of free?

Or why it might be a good idea *NOT* to own a Tesla (you’re stuck on the grid and the closed Tesla ecosystem). Going “off the grid” in small ways as beneficial for us adventurers and explorers.

Why this bias against sharing a wide edit? My thoughts:

1. If you share more than a single image on social media, you don’t optimize your “like” potential. Thus social media is inimical to sharing wide edits.

2. Most photographers don’t have their own blog. Being stuck in the social media digital sharecropping notion, photographers don’t know there’s any other option.

3. The benefit of making photography slideshows is that you could increase the data density of photos

4. The benefit of the Internet and digital technology is that we in theory have an infinite shelf. Why not harness that to our benefit?

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Your goal isn’t to spend all of your time in embodied reality, or all of your time in virtual reality, it is to do both. To spend some of your time in virtual reality and some of your time in embodied reality. To do both, to get the maximum out of both, via the barbell method.

Thus the simple thought: when you’re in embodied reality, be 100% disconnected from the Internet, and when you’re in virtual reality, be 100% plugged in. In other words, when you’re with friends and family put away your phone, and when you’re in virtual reality have noise canceling headphones on.

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A thought this morning:

How can we increase our data input and output rate?

For example, better to use voice dictate via Siri on your iPhone, than texting with your thumbs. Why? The data output of your voice is 1000 times faster than texting with your thumbs.

Information density

Why are newspapers and academic papers structured in multi columns? Simple, you could add higher density of information in a smaller footprint.

In today’s world, it seems to only make ‘prudent’ investments towards your ‘future’ — in order to ‘retire’ and to ‘save’.

But — what if this were all just a trap? Which just keeps us complacent, living our little cubes (like FREE GUY).

What is a better investment? Towards our own life, our own current world, our current reality– our art (photography).

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We are always looking for a purpose, a new desire, and reason in life. Why not just dictate that as photography?

What is the biggest waste of time and human brain resources?

Worrying too much whether you offended others, social relationships, etc.

Perhaps better for us to ignore self-doubt, especially with social matters. To regard your own actions as 100% good, and just to keep on marching forward!

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The goal isn’t to find peace. What if *NOT* having inner peace is a stronger motivator than having inner peace? Because once you have inner peace, what is the motivation to do anything?

When we get to focus on seeking inner peace, is it that we have just lost our physiological strength?

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You are the outlier. You are the most extreme. You are the most insanely different.

More pride in standing out then standing in. To be part of a collective, a group, a club, is bad. Why? Because it suggests that there are others like you. Better to walk alone than with others.

Galiani— “Eagles do not fly in company. Leave that to the partridges and pigeons.”

From an aesthetic perspective, I like the idea of extreme minimalism. So minimalist that it is not practical. Because pragmatism is boring.

If pragmatism were the ultimate ideal, then we were just all be driving boring Honda Accord‘s, and never leaving our homes, because that is not practical. And we would all have boring ass jobs, because to become an entrepreneur or become self-employed is not practical.

Humanity does not grow and evolve based on pragmatism. Humanity only evolves based on the extremes and outliers.

Once you discover the new solution, or you have innovated a certain concept, no looking back. No regret of the past, and not wishing that things were like they were in the past.

And to some extent, once you’ve discovered a certain new aesthetic, not desiring to go back to your old self. To some extent, best to be tenacious to your new you.

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Although this sounds contradictory to what I believe in, perhaps if you want to buy something, the best thing is to just buy it. Why is that? Because thinking about buying something waste valuable mental resources. Better to just buy it, and return it later if you don’t like it.

ARSBETA.COM — the new future for photographers.

Your own currency. What do you value, and why?

For me, time (money), energy, focus (‘bother coin’ as a concept), attention (focus coin), health (health coin), friends.

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Do not base your own values based on money, popular acclaim, fame, or the number of people who buy into something.

Instead — you the philosopher and legislator — you can create your own new table of values Carte Blanche.

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There are a trillion crypto coins out there. But–

Instead of betting on a foreign coin, why not bet on your own personal coin?

arsbeta.com and ARS COIN.

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Certainly from a pragmatic perspective in an evolutionary perspective, having insurance for more than one is better. For example, we have two kidneys, two eyes, two ears, and two hands.

Also when it comes to digital and cyber security, it seems wise to always have a back up.

But what if having just one was a more interesting option? For example, we only have one life. And that is why we appreciate it so much?

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Everyone likes to believe in conspiracies. Why? If you believe in a conspiracy, you are somehow dissatisfied with the life already got, and you want to see blame somewhere else.

But what if there were no conspiracy? Then what? How was your best approach and live your life?

A world without meaning?

Real reality has no reason, no logic behind it. You truly do have the full power to facilitate and direct your life in the general direction you desire. Now whether you become rich or famous is outside of your control, but every day actions are within your own grasp.

Not the will to truth, as there is no ultimate truth. Rather, the will to art.

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A random thought: perhaps it is a more interesting and fun speculation to buy Dogecoin, instead of buying a Tesla.

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Some Lamborghini thoughts —

They took the soft, boring, easy, and risk-averse route.

What is the main takeaway for us then?

Opt for daring.

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Your value as a street photographer is dependent on your appetite for risk.

And what is ‘happiness’ for us as photographers? Living the maximally risk-loving life!

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Why be pessimistic? Is there any upside to pessimism? I don’t think so.

Perhaps ‘optimistic nihilism‘ is a better route. The idea–

There is no ultimate ‘reason’ or rhyme to anything, but in spite of that … you still have free will, and can do super cool epic things.

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Perhaps why I am a futurist:

Retro, thinking backwards is bad.

Perhaps why I am a futurist:

Retro, thinking backwards is bad.

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Lamborghini was always interesting to me because it seemed to be the ultimate audacious design, and the ultimate booster of the ego.

But now — no more.

Why? The recent scandal with the ‘new’ (re-booted) Lamborghini Countach. Lamborghini (parent company is Volkswagen), had a chance to do something insanely different, yet they went for boring. They played it insanely safe, only to appeal to their (older, rich) clientele, who grew up loving the original Lamborghini Countach. Even the original designer Marcello Gandini said:

“I have built my identity as a designer, especially when working on supercars for Lamborghini, on a unique concept: each new model I would work on would be an innovation, a breaker, something completely different from the previous one. Courage, the ability to create a break without sticking to the success of the previous car, the confidence in not wanting to give in to habit were the very essence of my work.”

Anti repetition of past success:

“…as far I am concerned, to repeat a model of the past, represents in my opinion the negation of the founding principles of my DNA”.

Marcello Gandini

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Just watched the new “Free Guy” film I loved it. It’s like the Truman show meets the matrix meets ready player one, with Fortnite in Grandtheft Auto baked in.

I think what people don’t appreciate about the film is just how philosophical it is. Some thoughts:

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Dear friends,

A thought:

We are artists. And perhaps in order for us to grow and become stronger artists, we must add our means for creative expression and creative outpression?

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The more multi-variegated you can make your photography and art, the better.

Take photos of everything. Take photos of photos you’ve already shot and printed (meta-photography). Take screenshots of photos you’ve made.

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A photography entrepreneurial thought:

Perhaps in order to augment our artistic self-expression, the photographer should also create music?

Simple — GarageBand on MacBook Laptop (use loops, the easiest way), and make iMovie slideshows with your photos, videos, and music?

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What is the joy of the philosopher? To think insanely lofty thoughts. Beyond notions of self, self-preservation. Being able to see far — hundreds of years, even thousands of years in front of him/her!

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I love chaos. Chaos stimulates me.

In praise of Costco chaos. Also shooting street photography in more chaotic cities. The ideal city for street photography as being the maximally chaotic, not like a Singapore.

The downside to low prices is: you just buy more of them, and they all ultimately die in your closet. At least when you buy expensive stuff, you’re more likely to use it. And also if you buy more expensive stuff, you’re more likely to hold onto it and use it for longer periods of time.

So in some ways, buying expensive stuff is also better environmentally.

So the simple more of the story is this: own fewer things, but make sure they are the most expensive stuff. In praise of Outlier.nyc clothing. All black merino wool everything. Better to just own one of the best thing, and wear the shit out of it, than own lots of cheap things.