PHILOSOPHY IS NOT LIFESTYLE

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.

PHILOSOPHY by KIM

PHILOSOPHY by KIM

Philosophical Essays

  1. WHY STANDARDIZATION IS BAD.
  2. YOUR OWN TABLE OF VALUES.
  3. RETRO IS BAD.
  4. INSANELY LOFTY THOUGHTS.
  5. Strive to *Lose* Weight, Not *Gain* Weight
  6. DIABLO II ANALOGIES FOR REAL LIFE.
  7. If You Know Your *WHY* You Can Discover Any *HOW*
  8. Life is Too Short to Be Miserable
  9. What Consumption Takes Skill?
  10. OFF THE GRID.
  11. REALITY IS CRUEL.
  12. Pain is Information
  13. WHY REMOVE VULGARITY AND DISORDER FROM OUR EYES?
  14. AUTOTELIC.
  15. UNPLUG.
  16. How to Become a Philosopher
  17. SUBOPTIMAL IS OPTIMAL
  18. THE LUST FOR MORE.
  19. TO DO IS TO BECOME.
  20. IN PRAISE OF AGGRESSIVE.
  21. THE PHILOSOPHY OF OPTIMISM
  22. OUR PHILOSOPHICAL WILL TO EXISTENCE
  23. Is Hope a Vice?
  24. MOVE MEAN
  25. Carte Blanche Ideals
  26. One Interesting Thought
  27. What Lasts? What Doesn’t Last?
  28. A WOUND STIMULATES THE RECUPERATIVE POWERS
  29. Children & Purpose
  30. Thoughts on Becoming a Parent
  31. Where Does Our Desire to Upgrade Come From?
  32. WE ALWAYS NEED SOMETHING FURTHER TO ASPIRE TO.
  33. Self-Task Yourself an Awesome Mission in Life
  34. Differentiation vs Equalization
  35. My Passion to *Become* Something More
  36. No Aesthetic or Ethos is Forever
  37. What is Your Higher Purpose in Life?
  38. IT WILL NEVER SATISFY YOU.
  39. How to Decide
  40. Things You *Want* to Do vs Things You *MUST* Do
  41. Towards a More Beautiful Mode of Existence and Future
  42. EXTREME GRATITUDE.
  43. AMAP (As Much as Possible) or None.
  44. Why or How Does it Matter?
  45. The Philosophy of Time and Events
  46. How *Not* to Resent
  47. FORWARD LOOKING
  48. DOMAIN FLEXIBILITY.
  49. The Miracle of Human Growth
  50. EXTREME ADAPTATION.
  51. Why Plan?
  52. You Don’t Need to Justify Yourself
  53. The Philosophy of Ego
  54. True vs False Passions
  55. How to Achieve Tranquility
  56. On Making Your Own Philosophy
  57. The Purpose of Life is to Create New Life
  58. Think On!
  59. The Wisdom of Doing Nothing
  60. Congruency
  61. My Thoughts on Meditation
  62. The Philosophy of Purpose
  63. Emulate Yourself
  64. Good Fear, Bad Fear
  65. For the Betterment of Humanity or Just Yourself?
  66. What you *really* believe in and care for is manifested through your actions (or non-actions)
  67. Why Culture is Your Enemy
  68. YOUR EXPERIENCES ARE KING.
  69. LIFE IS INHERENTLY GOOD.
  70. Artistic, Physical, and Philosophical Muscles
  71. All New Experiences are Good Experiences
  72. What is the Purpose of X?
  73. UTILITY.
  74. Philosophy is a Luxury
  75. The Attempt is More Interesting than the Result
  76. Joyfulness vs “Happiness”
  77. Effectiveness Over Happiness
  78. Self Actualization
  79. MAXIMAL ENGAGEMENT
  80. Life & Pain
  81. On Living Every Day with No Regret
  82. Learn as if you’re going to live forever, live as if you’re going to die tomorrow
  83. Live Every Day Like it Were the Last Day of Your Life
  84. Self-Determination
  85. FALSE GRATITUDE vs REAL GRATITUDE
  86. HOW TO LIVE MORE
  87. THE UPSIDE OF TRAGEDY
  88. Satisfaction is a Sucker’s Game
  89. Supreme Repose
  90. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? According to ERIC KIM
  91. STUBBORN, FLEXIBLE
  92. EVERYTHING HAPPENS AS IT *SHOULD* HAVE HAD HAPPENED
  93. Good Addiction, Bad Addiction?
  94. What is the Best Life?
  95. The Philosophy of Thinking
  96. The Philosophy of Conspiracies
  97. Conspiracies
  98. Growth
  99. Skepticism.
  100. What Do You Really Want Out of Life?
  101. Seem or Be?
  102. Learn Through Pain
  103. Respect Yourself
  104. In Praise of Elitism
  105. Why Independent Thinking?
  106. I Will Never Die
  107. Bitter is Better
  108. The Genesis of Nihilism and Existential Dread
  109. The Ethics of Personal Enrichment
  110. Good vs Not Good
  111. Punished by Privilege
  112. Abstinence Over Moderation
  113. Just Leave Others Alone
  114. You Can Only Critique that Which You Truly Understand and Love
  115. ERIC KIM Critique of Metaphysics
  116. Only Trust Philosophers Who Deadlift
  117. Heuristic: If Someone Talks Shit About Others Behind Their Back, Most Likely They’re Also Talking Shit About You Behind Your Back
  118. Virtue is a Privilege
  119. What Are Your Life Goals?
  120. Honesty
  121. Why I’m Anti Moderation
  122. No Spite, No Malice.
  123. Ascending Life or Descending Life?
  124. Double Edged Sword
  125. Ignorance.
  126. Why I Don’t Trust “Nice Guys”
  127. Why You Must Share Your Opinion
  128. Selfish Isn’t Evil
  129. Wisdom is the Goal
  130. YOU ARE KING.
  131. MASTER YOURSELF
  132. What is “Good” for You is Often what is Bad for You
  133. Care.
  134. BITTERSWEET
  135. ONE REP MAX
  136. Morality and Ethics is the Snare
  137. BY HELPING YOURSELF, YOU BEST HELP OTHERS
  138. Insanity is Good.
  139. Think Deep.
  140. PHILOSOPHY IS THE FUTURE.
  141. Open Mind vs Closed Mind
  142. ENTHUSIASM IS GENIUS
  143. Towards a More Critical and Rigorous Line of Thinking
  144. How to Encourage and a Foster Independent and Free Thinking
  145. What is the Purpose of Life?
  146. WHY PHILOSOPHY IS SUPREME.
  147. Elitism.
  148. I Cannot Form an Opinion About Somebody Until I’ve Met Them in the Flesh
  149. ALL GENETICS ARE GOOD GENETICS.
  150. Happiness vs Freedom
  151. The Birth of a Hater
  152. My Way Isn’t the Right Way
  153. Walking as an Existential Thing
  154. Why I’m So Tolerant
  155. Mortal Gods
  156. THE HUMAN SPECIES
  157. Why I’m So Skeptical
  158. Just Follow the Money
  159. Why Selfish?
  160. WHY WE CANNOT BLAME OTHERS
  161. Why Are We So Anti Elitism?
  162. What Actually Interests You?
  163. How to Become Yourself
  164. SELF HATE
  165. Optimistic Fatalism
  166. Death is the Ultimate Creative Constraint
  167. FLUX.
  168. How to Think for Yourself
  169. FLESH
  170. How to Live the Best Life
  171. Why Live a Life Without Regrets?
  172. Why Plato Ruined Art and Aesthetics for Us
  173. Self Respect
  174. Hypocrite vs Contradict
  175. Ideals vs Reality
  176. Spaceship Philosophy
  177. What is Your Ideal Life?
  178. MY EXTREME GRATITUDE TOWARDS LIFE AND BEING ALIVE!
  179. Critique of Utilitarianism
  180. Don’t Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated
  181. The Eternal Recurrence of Tragedy and Joy in Life
  182. Elite Asceticism
  183. Why I Don’t Like Numbers
  184. Action and Reaction, Cause and Effect
  185. The Antidote to Nihilism: The Philosophy of Nothingness
  186. ERIC KIM Notes on Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
  187. EXPLOIT CHAOS.
  188. WHY I DON’T BELIEVE IN GENETICS
  189. Self-Wisdom
  190. The Future Belongs to the Fearless
  191. INDIVIDUALISM
  192. Why Live Forever?
  193. THIS TOO WILL PASS.
  194. Why Education?
  195. How to Become Yourself
  196. Things Shouldn’t Go Back to the Way They Used to Be
  197. Why Am I So Cruel?
  198. The Great Joy of Existence
  199. Virtue for the Sake of Virtue
  200. NO DISDAIN.
  201. INTELLIGENT IGNORANCE
  202. A LIFE WITHOUT PAIN, DIFFICULTY OR TRAGEDY ISN’T A LIFE WORTH LIVING
  203. BITTER IS BETTER.
  204. EXPLOIT THE BEST FROM TRAGEDY AND LIFE 
  205. DISREGARD FOR SELF-PRESERVATION
  206. PAIN.
  207. WHAT IF EVERYTHING IS NOT GONNA BE ALRIGHT?
  208. Tomorrow is Never
  209. Life is the Ultimate Creative Constraint
  210. EMBODIED REALITY
  211. BLACK SWAN
  212. THINGS WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THE WAY THEY USED TO BE
  213. What are you *really* afraid of?
  214. HAPPINESS ISN’T THE GOAL
  215. Philosophy is King
  216. Why is Selfish Evil?
  217. YOU’RE CONSTANTLY IN A STATE OF BECOMING
  218. ENTITLEMENT A SIN?
  219. NARCISSISM
  220. BE BRUTALLY HONEST WITH YOURSELF
  221. WHY FREE WILL?
  222. OBEY YOUR OPINION
  223. EGO IS GOOD.
  224. WHY IT IS GOOD TO BE INTO YOURSELF
  225. Seek the Good Pain
  226. Anti-Perfection in Photography, Art, and Life
  227. Can You Become an End into Yourself?
  228. WHY I LIVE
  229. Why I Hate Decline
  230. Why I Eat
  231. Why am I So Positive and Optimistic?
  232. EFFORT IS ENJOYMENT
  233. Never Stop Gaining
  234. TRUST YOURSELF
  235. A Life of Maximal Personal Independence
  236. What Do You Desire to Become?
  237. What Do I Want from Technology?
  238. Stratified Society
  239. Do You Love or Hate Reality?
  240. On the Brian, Body and Mind
  241. I’m Maximally Happy, Now What?
  242. Care over Fame
  243. ACTIVE NIHILISM
  244. Never Stop Subtracting
  245. How to Live a Happier and More Epic Life
  246. A Risker Life is a Better Life
  247. Only Work on Things You Can Imagine Doing for Eternity
  248. How to Maximize Your Happiness
  249. Influence
  250. The Gladiator Makes His Plans once He Enters the Ring
  251. Meditations on Meaning in Life
  252. There is Nothing More Interesting than Human Beings
  253. Is Hope a Vice?
  254. EGO
  255. Why Be Unique?
  256. Happiness is Metabolism Health and Strength
  257. You’re the Hero
  258. Is Productivity a Virtue or Vice?
  259. Why Do We Prize the Rare?
  260. The Joy of Uncertainty
  261. How Should I Best Use My Time and Life?
  262. A Life Without Pain or Suffering Isn’t a Life Worth Living
  263. Free or Unfree?
  264. What Do You Really Care For in Life?
  265. Anti-Satisfaction in Life
  266. Why Think?
  267. The Eternal Return
  268. Only Do What is Best for You!
  269. Truthiness
  270. Why Be Happy?
  271. Permissionless Living
  272. In Praise of Unconventional Wisdom
  273. Become the Change Which You Wish to See in the World
  274. Happiness
  275. Beyond Freedom
  276. Idolize People, Not Stuff
  277. What Makes You Stronger? What Makes You Weaker?
  278. Why Hate?
  279. The Secret of Happiness
  280. You’re Constantly in a State of Becoming
  281. Life is about Choices, Not Obligations
  282. Anti-Nihilism
  283. First, Do What is Best for You.
  284. Live Dynamic
  285. How to Prosper
  286. Is the Point of Life to Be Satisfied?
  287. SUPREME EFFORT OF WILL.
  288. How to Become more Idealistic
  289. Thrivival 101
  290. Create Yourself
  291. Non-Small
  292. Inspiration
  293. How to Live a Heroic Life: Dare the Heights!
  294. Human Augmentation
  295. Prune
  296. Happiness: Do What You Want to Do (And Don’t Do What You Don’t Want to Do)
  297. Avoid Vain (Empty) Pursuits in Life
  298. Modern Slavery
  299. Kill the Leeches
  300. Wisdom Augmentation
  301. Why We Need Friction in Life
  302. Straight Line Philosophy
  303. What’s Your End-Game in Life?
  304. Create Your Own Happiness Today
  305. Desire Both Pain and Pleasure in Life
  306. Try the Impossible
  307. SELF-RESPECT
  308. Anti-Social Extrovert
  309. Never Blame Anybody But Yourself
  310. Human Flourishing
  311. Simpler, Not Better.
  312. How to be Free
  313. Embrace the Extremes
  314. Cultivate Your Own Culture
  315. COURAGE.
  316. Thrivival
  317. Inner Power
  318. How to Live a Purposeful Life
  319. My Definition of Happiness
  320. Why Change is Good
  321. Why Work?
  322. How to Live the Happiest Possible Life
  323. The Two-Pronged Approach to Maximize Joy in Your Life
  324. You Always Have Another Option!
  325. INFINITISM
  326. Never Stop!
  327. What is Your Self-Directed Purpose in Life?
  328. Live Today Like it Were Your Last
  329. Do You Photograph to Live, or Live to Photograph?
  330. ARTIST-PHILOSOPHER
  331. Live Life to the Fullest!
  332. In Praise of Selfishness
  333. Why You Must Be a YAY-SAYER to Succeed in Entrepreneurship and Life
  334. Why I Love Walking
  335. Live Life Like a Video Game!
  336. Simple Luxuries in Life
  337. Treat Your Life Like a Fun Experiment!
  338. Only Prove it to Yourself
  339. You Don’t Always Need to Feel Joyful to Live a Fulfilling and Meaningful Life
  340. Life is Too Short to Be Bored!
  341. Money Cannot Destroy Boredom
  342. How to Find Inspiration in Life
  343. Why You Must Ignore Haters to Succeed and Win in Life
  344. An Active Life is a Happy Life
  345. My Simple Joys in Life
  346. Never Stop Striving
  347. How to Motivate Yourself in Life
  348. How to Be Optimistic in Life
  349. How to Dictate Your Purpose in Life
  350. In Praise of a Dynamic Life
  351. PURPOSE.
  352. How to Enjoy Life
  353. Photography Therapy
  354. How to Conquer Regret
  355. Take Your Play Very Seriously.
  356. How to Prosper
  357. Memento Vivere
  358. Destroy in Order to CREATE
  359. Trust Your Body More Than Your Mind
  360. Make Photos to Make Meaning in Your Life
  361. Seek Knowledge, Not Information
  362. The Purpose of Human Life
  363. How to Overcome Impedence
  364. Why I Love Death
  365. How to Be Centered in the Eternal Now
  366. How to Be Happy
  367. Why Do You Care What Others Think of You?
  368. Why I’m Happy
  369. Why?
  370. Why I’m So Prolific
  371. How to Reduce LAG in Life

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