And Americans just desire to become rich and famous.
Then, once if you become rich and famous, like Hollywood celebrities, then what do you want? Then it seems the new goal is to be hidden.
But for entrepreneurs, it seems the goal is greater power and impact and growth!
Tenacious. Pop off the laces. Go topless, go bare. Don’t care for the unsubstantial, care for the deep. Go further, venture deeper. Follow your own desire, and never stop climbing higher!
ERIC
For example, if you just have a black car, sitting in the sun all day, very bad.
In this case, white, even yellow is more robust.
It is a very bad sign, when you have college educated folks in America just working as servers.
For example, in Asia in Southeast Asia, to work as a server requires the least amount of intelligence. In terms of labor, it is one of the lowest of the low.
For example in Phnom Penh, a restaurant server may earn $100 USD a month.
I will never give up about what I personally care about. That which I do not care for, I don’t give it any mind.
Better to be a billionaire beggar, than somebody who is aspirationally rich, and looks rich, and ends up getting robbed.
For example, if you could dead lift over three times your body weight, this is gravity acting in your favor, making you stronger.
The other day, I just hit a new personal record in my deadlift. And I think this is what perhaps matters the most, not your ultimate strength, but your power to weight ratio.
I haven’t weighed myself in two years, but to my understanding, I think I weigh about 160 or 165 pounds. In in terms of height, I’m around 5 foot 10 to 5 foot 11 inches.
Finally after doing the maths, it looks like I was able to successfully deadlift 245 kg, which is around 540 pounds. And in terms of my personal weight, I think I am around 73 to 75 kilograms. This then means I was able to successfully deadlift around 3.3x my body weight. I did this while fasted, no food or supplements before my lift, just some black coffee in the morning. Also, without a belt or straps, only chalk.
Certainly, if you’re gonna try to deadlift over 1000 pounds, or over 500 kg like Eddie Hall, yeah, use all the equipment as possible. But for the rest of us, I think using straps is a crutch, as it prevents you from building your grip strength.
For example, about two and a half weeks ago, I tried to deadlift the same amount, around 540 pounds, and got a little bit off the ground, but my left hand grip gave out. This was good personal information for me, because it signaled to myself: I am not strong enough, yet.
Then about a week ago, I tried to deadlift a little bit less weight. I subtracted 5 kg from each side, and successfully got it off.
Then after another week of eating lots of beef, all you can eat shabu shabu, etc., getting some rest and recovery and muscle augmentation, Yesterday I was able to success with the lift to 540 pounds.
Amp.dev — why is this so important? This is because in order to make the Internet more “optimizedâ€, for mobile, Google has undertaken a great project called Google amp, which stands for accelerated mobile pages.
Basically, it creates a shadow copy of everything published, if you have the Google amp plug-in enabled. And, Google will prioritize your website in terms of search engine results, bringing you closer to the top, assuming that your website is Google amp enabled.
No, why does google amp get so much critique? Essentially because if you don’t play well by googles rules, google why not to prioritize you. Some people called this “unfairâ€,†in just, however, that is not the case. If Google did not exist in the first place, nobody would find your website in the first place.
for example when it comes to myself, in the past when I still had analytics enabled, it looks like at least 80% of people who discovered me was through a simple Google search for street photography. First, I believed it to be Facebook, but it was not the case. Certainly not Twitter, which accounted for less than half a percent of my website traffic.
There are many upsides to Google amp. For example, it does actually make your website considerably faster, especially when people are accessing your websites from mobile, or slower Internet connections, slower Wi-Fi connections, or slower 3G or 2G edge Internet.
Now, how does Google make your website “worse†with Google amp? Things don’t work that well with Google amp. A lot of the plug-ins for your WordPress or website break or don’t work, and also, you lose a little bit of control on how to display your images, videos, etc.
The best leverage I’ve discovered is do not enable google amp for your desktop website, only enable to “reader viewâ€. This means that if somebody finds your website through their smart phone, via a Google search, then let Google amp do its thing.
Also, I’ve discovered that with Google amp, your featured images actually show up better in the mobile search results. This is a big deal, because we are more attracted to images than we are text.
Currently, what we are witnessing and seeing is a jockeying of the Internet; everyone wants to become the ultimate master and lord of the Internet.
For example, Facebook‘s initiative for internet.org, which essentially gives everyone access to free Internet, free smart phones, etc., albeit it is through the Facebook app and portal. My personal thought is better to have access to a stunted Internet, through Facebook, for free, than nothing. Especially for those living in extreme poverty.
Now, for the rest of us, those privileged and rich elites, even the “middle class†of America, even the poor class of America, we should know better. For example, if you could afford a Netflix subscription, you can afford to build your own self hosted wordpress.org website with bluehost.com
How and why featured images are so important; Google, google search, Twitter, etc. do a good job of indexing them into search results. Finally, google is starting to adopt images in search, especially with mobile, google AMP project, google accelerated mobile pages.
My critique about American culture, we are too addicted to the media and news, which distracts and pacifies us.
Media is the new propaganda.
Index ability; how well can you be indexed? This is the key to dominate in the future.
This is what leica camera should do; build an Uber compact and premium contact digital camera, just like the mini lux. Except make it a small if not smaller than the Ricoh GR 3X camera
We talk all about self development, mental development, etc. How can we never talk about body development?
You can write out the future, literally, through writing, or shoot it, from photography.
Perhaps why I love and prefer beta software, even though it is often worse than the stable current version?
“You gotta keep it moving.†– JAY Z
The best presents are food or beverage-based ones:
The best rewards, and presents are food based ones. For example, I could eat shabu shabu, or all you could eat Korean barbecue. Also this is why it is so good to give chocolate; the person can consume it immediately. Or gifting coffee.
When someone prevents you from announcing something. *kens in Proto Indo European.
Censeo (Latin)— to give an opinion.
Censorship thus as a situation in which you’re not allowed to voice your opinion, or announce something.
Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion, or what you think. Opinion just means â€I thinkâ€.
And yes, also not letting yourself get bullied by â€woke†progressives. Or political correctness (PC culture).
Even â€hate speechâ€â€” hate just means strong emotions/opinions.
This is how it is so genius that Kanye is selling his YEEZY clothing from gap in trash bags; nobody will rob you, if you have trash bags.
Otherwise, how do you know how much it is worth?
For example, I’ve been spending a lot of time at the local arcade in the AEON MALL in Phnom Penh with Seneca, and I have no idea how much one coin was worth. I just discovered that one US dollar is six coins.
I suppose this is where knowing how much one bitcoin is worth is useful, in respect to the US dollar. And all other cryptocurrencies are pegged to Bitcoin.
Are useful reason for wearing a face mask;
Is it worth reducing the risk even by 5%?
Even though I am fully vaccinated, and got all my boosters, two months ago I caught Covid, and it sucked. therefore, even if wearing a facemask reduces my risk by 5%, it is probably worth it.
Nobody wants to look like Hulk. And also, nobody wants to look like an orc.
For example, just hit a new PR in my deadlift. I did it without recording myself, to maximize my focus. I don’t need proof, because I knew I did it myself.
We perform m worse or worse when we know we are being observed.
Maybe this is a critique towards online tracking, when we are knowing that we are being tracked, or watched, we perform worse.
Plus, if you strive to maximize your performance, don’t record yourself at the gym, and even don’t record your maximum lifts.
You don’t need proof, your word is your proof.
For example, perhaps the skill of the porn star is performing well, even though they are surrounded by 1 billion cameras.
Also, if you wanted to have better sex, do you think you would perform better if you know you’re being watched? I think not.
Hair is bad when it gets in your way. Perhaps this is why all US military personnel are required to shave their heads; no risk of hair negatively affecting life or death situations or performance.
Become more curious on yourself, less curious in others.
Good to piggyback when you’re a child, that to piggyback when you’re an adult.
Social media is digital piggybacking. Maybe it is good to start off with social media, but at a certain point, you must stop it.
Or, when you’re starting off, you don’t really need to piggyback either. For example, you don’t need to piggyback your child in order to teach them how to walk.
For example, I think the reason why so many weightlifters use lifting belts is that it makes them feel like they are the part. Also, why a lot of business men wear a suit; they feel like they need to look the part.
However, the funny irony is that actually, by far the most successful business people do not look like business people; note, Elon Musk just wears T-shirts. Also, the real rich people just wear plain clothes.
Even like Nassim Taleb says:
Who would you trust more? A Doctor who doesn’t look like a doctor, or a Doctor Who looks like a doctor?
For example, if there is a Doctor Who has been around for a long time, and looks like a butcher, she is probably a real doctor, as his time and experience shows. However, if you have somebody who’s just playing dress up, you don’t really know about their real skill.
This is why I do not trust doctors, only surgeons. You can fake being a doctor, but you cannot fake being a surgeon. In fact, if I were to enter the medical profession today, I would prefer to be a surgeon than anything else in the medical profession.
For example, this is why you should never trust a personal trainer who isn’t buffer than you are.
Or, why you should probably put more credence in the advice of somebody who can deadlift 700 pounds, rather some nerd on Reddit who is lecturing you about “proper formâ€.
Thoughts on K-pop, Korean culture, Korean drama, Korean food, etc.
Sometimes, I feel like I was born at the wrong time. For example, when I was a kid growing up, it wasn’t really a thing or interesting or cool to be Korean. It was all about Japan; Japanese things were cool. Even all of my Asian American friends, we would all watch Japanese animes, play Japanese video games, and like Japanese manga, Japanese culture etc.
But it seems now, Korea is now on top. In terms of popular culture, music like BLACKPINK and BTS, food, Korean drama, etc.
Something on my mind; how did it get on top? And also, why is it so good?
Currently, besides Kanye West, Jay Z, black pink is my favorite musical group ensemble. Why? I just think their music is really good. I like the music, I like the way it sounds, I like the way it feels, and I find all of the characters likable.
It was actually very interesting watching the documentary on BLACKPINK, how essentially, they were sent to a K-pop training camp at a young age, sequestered from the rest of society, and are essentially bred to become Korean Pop stars. One person I find particularly interesting is Lisa, who is now the star attraction, who is actually not even Korean, but from Thailand. But I think most people would agree that Lisa is probably the most talented one, followed by Jenny, then rosé, then Jisu.
YG entertainment group, the mega media conglomerates which bred BLACKPINK and many other popular stars, has been around for a long time. At least 20 years plus. I knew about them ever since I was a teenager, and I was born in 1988. A lot of rappers, who are once under the YG entertainment group umbrella, I believe are now the producers and songwriters for BLACKPINK.
For example, something I find very interesting, how does Lisa and his black pink members know all of these American cultural references, like the Flintstones? Lisa has a rap lyric, something that does with the ice on her wrist and rocks on her wrist like the Flintstones. There is no way in hell that Lisa would have come out with that line herself, definitely some sort of Korean American, or American songwriter.
Something I think that people don’t understand is this, it seems that K-pop, K drama, and all of these things pop up overnight. This is not true, it has been in the making for a very long time. My thought is simply that now that South Korea has strong ties with America, and now that a lot of entrepreneurial Korean Americans are now coming into fruition, finally the gap is being bridged. Also, assuming that American media and culture is the dominant one on the planet, having some sort of hybrid crossover with American culture in Asia makes sense.
But why Korea, South Korea? I think because first of all, it is not China or Chinese, because America doesn’t have strong ties with China. However, after America’s intervention in the Korean War, America has very strong ties with South Korea. My personal thought is that South Korea is essentially a neo colony of the states. This is evident through the IMF, international monetary fund bail out, as well as the military presence in South Korea.
Also, something that has never been considered fancy, high-end, luxury, or popular is Korean food. For example, in America, all the high-end places seem to be Japanese, like sushi. But the funny irony is that in Japan, sushi is essentially like takeout; Salmon, salmon sashimi, is actually considered the lowest of the low. In Japan, the supreme cut is actually fatty tuna, Otoro.
As a kid growing up, I didn’t really eat kimchi, because my dad for some reason or another didn’t like it. But now as an adult, I love kimchi! I like the taste, and I think it also eats in my digestion, and allows me to eat more meat. However my critique of kimchi is that a lot of modern day kimchi, especially Kim she had restaurants, have too much sugar added. And yes, you can make kimchi without sugar.
Even currently being here in Phnom Penh Cambodia, everyone seems to know a little bit of Korean, or Korean gestures, like crossing your index and thumb to create a mini heart, and saying “saranghaeyoâ€. It means I love you.
It is important to consider Asia, as it looks like 80% of the worlds population is Asia. Also, Asia has deep history. China has been around forever, far longer than any western state.
I suppose now that because Korean culture is so prevalent and popular, and well-regarded, I do have additional cultural capital clout, being here in Asia. Being Korean, and people knowing that I’m Korean, I’m treated like the new royalty. Compare this to the states, where essentially, I don’t get any bonuses.
My brother-in-law John Narciso, who is one of the head designers of the blackrhino rims, part of the wheel pros company, is a graduate of art center in Pasadena. It seems like a lot of the main car designers come out of art center, and he told me that the Korean, Korean American car designers were actually the most ambitious and the best. And now, when I look at it, all of the new and most innovative designs and car designs are coming out of Hyundai/Kia, Kia is owned by Hyundai. Also genesis, which is essentially the luxury version of Hyundai, very much how Lexus is a luxury version of Toyota.
My practical thought is that Hyundai Genesis is essentially the new king of automotive design, I actually prefer the genesis G90 over Rolls-Royce, Mercedes Maybach, etc.
“Who is your favorite BLACKPINK member? I love Lisa, she is so hot†(me talking to a kid who just immigrated from mainland China)
Something else I find interesting; even mainland Chinese would prefer blackpink and BTS, over their own homegrown stars. Why is this? A lot of the appeal of BLACKPINK, and Korean popstar groups is that they actually mix in Korean and English. For example oppa Gangnam Style by PSY, I think it took off because it is both in Korean and English. If it was 100% Korean only song, it probably wouldn’t have gone viral.
I think about a lot of things more simplified now, for example, the only two dominant world powers I consider include America and China. Everything else seems to be just an offshoot of the two.
The good thing is that I don’t really fear a World War III, or anything like that. Why? Whether America or China likes it or not, the both are deeply interwoven. For example, if it wasn’t for Foxconn in China, Apple would not be able to make her stellar profits and products.
Actually, it is funny that the notion “made in China“ is considered being such a bad thing, as it seems that almost everything, is made in China. What is simply different is the levels of quality control. Once again, why is it that everyone discounts the fact that all Apple products are made in China? And now a little bit in Vietnam, but essentially 99% in China.
I think when push comes to shove, what it comes down to, is it a money thing, or wealth or power or prestige thing. It becomes very basic; where do you want to live? What country, what city, what neighborhood, etc?
For example, the really really rich and successful people from mainland China seem to prefer buying property and homes in Vancouver, because it is so much cleaner than mainland China. Vancouver is probably one of the best clean air and beautiful natural environment cities I’ve been to in the world, Even superior to California. Even if you’re a quadrillionaire in Shanghai or Beijing, if you’re choking in smog, is it really worth it?
And I think this is where a lot of Americans don’t understand issues about pollution and production. Much of the developing world runs on dirty energy and coal. And let us consider, for all these products to be manufactured, a lot of pollution is being made. But all the pollution is being made overseas in Asia, China and Vietnam. Some in Indonesia.
Therefore, let us see you’re from the states for California, you can enjoy your convenient Amazon products, with prime day delivery, and still breathe so much clean air. Yet, even when I was living in Hanoi, which is very close to China, on Sundays the smog and pollution was unbearable. Until you’ve smelt or felt smog, through your own nostrils and throat, by literally being here and some of the developing parts of Asia, you don’t know what real pollution is. Or how bad it is. Or why it matters.
My personal thought is I do not fear earth death. I just fear a future dystoic landscape, something like Blade Runner (the original, or the new one), where everyone is still living on planet Earth, but in misery. And it seems that this is the trend; clean air, greenery, and nature is now being a privilege of the rich, and the poor are forced to live in polluted places.
At least this is one thing I love about digital photography, it produces less waste than film photography. I love film photography, but consider all of the ways being manufactured through the little canisters, the film itself, and all of the movement necessary to process the film. It is probably not that substantial in the grand scheme of things, but in terms of convenience, I think the convenience of digital is a quadrillion times better. For example, if you want to become the best photographer possible, I really do believe that having a Ricoh GR 3 or Ricoh GR 3X digital camera is key.
I like the notion of sustainability in terms of creativity. Sustainable creativity is what I like. Without aid of drugs, alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, etc. The least bad thing being caffeine, which is still a very potent drug.
So the simple thought; how can you maintain and sustain your creativity, and your creative output, and the act of creation, every day, all day?
Some thoughts:
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If so, feel free to forward this to a friend, needing a little shot of creative motivation!
Equipment to minimalism: no iPhone pro. Only iPhone mini, or iPhone SE.
No headphones, no AirPods. No music or podcasts when you’re working out.
RICOH GRIIIX, ERIC KIM WALLET.
I desire to become bigger, beefier, stronger, more imposing. Take up more space. Consume more meat?! Grow more!
For example, why do you need a storefront? Disregard past markers of success.
Perhaps the best way to leverage your physiological energy, first thing in the morning with a lot of coffee is to you utilize that caffeine to just go out, venture, walk as much as you as you can, and shoot as much as you can?
Ideal weather — super hot and humid Southeast Asia, but drink a shitload of water and black coffee?
The ancient heroes of the ancient Greeks didn’t have any ideals?
Coffee as a vigor drink, a vigor boost?
I am a quadrillion times happier, when I’m just walking in the streets. Compared to being in the car. What does this mean?
How much of these things that people desire, simply out of aspiration?
Zen technology; my ideal
Assuming the Publilius Syrus quote, money is the one thing that said so the world emotion, then is the best for us to just think about money as movement and motivation?
For example, gasoline energy, oil, etc. or modes of movement or motivation.
Also, mobile Internet is movement of data, ideas bits and bytes.
Cars move people, literally. Also metaphorically.
Also, money moves. Money moves you, money move society.
A funny thought; to make more money, you must move more? Or the more you move, the more money you’ll make?
Also, to only blow your load when you desire to bear children?
I desire to be less chained, less sequestered in a small circle. Anti-parks.
Why do so many people seem to have a tormented soul?
My theory: some people believe it to be virtuous to have a tormented soul. To be happy is a vice.
For many people in life, they define meaning in their lives via suffering. For example, consider the passion of the Christ, or even Buddhism, which says that life is suffering, and the purpose of life is to reduce suffering as much as possible. Or to discover meaning in suffering.
They consider it insubstantial to find meaning in happiness.
Being here in Phnom Penh, I have noticed that a lot of these high-rises are actually just built out of cement. Cement is surprisingly strong.
For developing economies, and cities, seems that cement is very good business.
For example, a local company here called Chipmong, which has their own shopping center, bank, and grocery market, they even have a cement company!
Metaphorically and literally.
What I believe:
Why is there this bias that more is better? My thought is that actually, better is less.
For example, fewer repetitions and weight lifting is superior to more repetitions. Also, with design, more features and more functions is inferior.
Also, with life and lifestyle, having fewer options, is superior to having more options.
Spartan luxury is this: less is a luxury. For example, if you step in to a Ross or an H&M, there is a quadrillion options, which suffocates you. I far prefer going into a small Balenciaga store, where there is only a very few options.
This is the tricky thing; a lot of people strive towards having nothing. This is the big problem with too much emphasis on Zen or Buddhism; essentially you become a beggar. I would prefer to be instead, to look like or seem to be a billionaire beggar.
On the path to making better photos, show less. Feature fewer details and show less. I think this is also why black-and-white is superior to color; by shooting in black-and-white, you strip out options.
Also, the reason why I like very high contrast black-and-white is that it also strips away the midtones. I don’t like mid tones, as I don’t like middle or medium things.
For example, one thing Nasim Taleb says is avoid “medium risk†investments at all costs. Better to put 90% of your money in boring, cold hard cash in your savings account, and invest 10% and extremely risky speculative things, like cryptocurrency, where the value can go to zero. The reason why this is intelligent is this:
Rather than having a boring 3% return, year-over-year, it is better for your 10% investment to 1000X, or potentially go to zero.
For example, let us see you have $100,000 in savings. Or your net worth for your money totals $100,000 USD. Better to keep $90,000 of your money in a boring savings account, and keep it in liquid cash, and put the other 10% into a highly volatile and risky cryptocurrency investment. Because at worse, you lose 100% of your $10,000, but at best, your $10,000 investment could 1000x, netting you $10,000,000.
Or, if you are a solo bachelor and you have nothing to lose, just put 100% of your fiat currency into cryptocurrency. This is how I met a guy who is a whale, who invested his $50,000 life savings into Chainlink, when it was only at about three cents a Chainlink, and it made him so rich that apparently, he has to pay $10 million in taxes this year.
This is where I currently am, between the net worth of me and Cindy, I put 10% of our savings simply into Bitcoin. I plan to HODL (hold onto dear life), until Seneca becomes 18, and he could just do with it whatever he wants.
At worst, Bitcoin goes to zero, and we have only decimated our savings, which is only 10%.
This is apparently what the ancient Roman Empire Army used to do; if they lost a battle, in cowardice was suspected, they would at random kill 10% of a squad. Why 10%? If you lose 10% of your army, it is not enough to seriously injure you, but it is a strong enough motivator to keep your army from acting like a bunch of sissies.
Also, if you have a manager, or you are doing some sort of profit-sharing scheme, which I believe to be a good idea, best to give your manager or employee 10% of the profits, as it will give them some sort of skin in the game, and be a positive motivator for them to work hard and maximize profits.
A lot of people try to get rich by high frequency trading, but, not only is this bad for your health, but it is bad for your wealth. I say it is better to invest at the decade level; just think to yourself:
Do I believe this investment to go up 10 years from now? Or down?
Nobody could predict the future, but, when do you think at the decade level, certain trends are quite obvious.
For example, a decade from now, do you think more people will have more access to smart phones, or less?
Also, do you think a decade from now, bitcoin and cryptocurrency will be adopted more, or less?
In order to become more productive, and then enact more impact on the world, I say, rather than the naive idea of “doing more“, better to do less, but to intelligently leverage your strengths.
Why is it that we try to emulate the virtues of a machine? As so thinks Nietzsche and so does I.
What is the difference between man and machine? Man is superior to machine, as man is the ultimate measure of all things. Yet the reason why we strive to emulate the virtues of a machine is this:
We are currently living in the cult of quantification, and in order to become more virtuous, and happy, you must produce more, make more money, do more, sleep less, etc.
At the end of the day, what would you prefer; the worlds most expensive Lamborghini, or the worlds most beautiful women? I think the latter.
Or another thought, if you had the option of being a billionaire but 400 pounds and overfat and sick, or, do you have the worlds most beautiful muscular physique, what would you choose? I would choose the latter.
For example, in order to get ripped and shredded, or to lose fat, it is very simple; cut out all sugars, starches, fruits and vegetables, etc. Cut out anything which is sweet or starchy.
Or, if you strive to be happier, or more focused, just cut out all of your distractions. You know what your distractions are; be like Ulysses and tie yourself to the mast. For example, I know that I am personally distracted by social media and Instagram, that is why I deleted my Instagram in 2017.
Also, when I was in the process of quitting certain websites, I installed a website browser plug-in that literally forced me to block these websites, even if I had these nervous twitches to access them.
Also, the funny irony is that if you desire to quit porn, my thought is this: watch it, but you’re not allowed to fap. Is it still porn if you don’t fap? I don’t think so.
If you desire to live your best possible life, just think:
What can I cut out, and what can I do less of?
ERIC
Conquer your fears, and thrive as a photographer:
If this sparked any creative ideas within you, or any Zen thoughts, feel free to forward to a friend!
