Something that have been curious about my whole life, the philosophy of living a better life. But what does this even mean, and how can we achieve it?
ERIC KIM MEDIA
Some basic thoughts
My first thought is have a very strict coffee or caffeine cut off time, for me that is 12 o’clock noon, midday. Anything beyond that seems to really disrupt my sleep in a very very bad way, which ruins your next day. Therefore, a simple thought is cut out all stimulants, whether natural or chemical, after 12 o’clock noon. This includes caffeinated tea, cacao, chocolate, etc.
The ideal climate and weather for you?
I love living in Vietnam, and I think I really like weather in Southeast Asia. I like it hot, bright, sunny, and humid.
What was insanely depressing for me, one of the worst experiences of my life, was after a glorious two years of thriving in Vietnam, being in Europe during the winter time. Being in Marseille during the winter time was horrible, also being in Prague in the winter time was horrible. Also Berlin during the winter time is horrible. One of Nietzsche‘s thoughts and suspicions was the reason why a lot of German philosophers like Schopenhauer were so morose was because they might’ve just been complaining about the bad weather.
What makes good weather? Certainly it is highly specific to you, and subjective to you.
For example, I wonder if there is a genetic component to it. For example, let us consider that individuals from African dissent, their genetic heritage was to be in the insanely hot sun all day; does the darker pigment in their skin. If you take somebody from Ghana, and transport them to gloomy London, certainly the lack of sun and UV exposure will depress them in a bad way. Also consider how horrible it was for the south Vietnamese who fled Saigon, to end up in Minneapolis during the winter time. For a Vietnamese person who is accustomed to 90°F, hot and humid, to go to subzero winter time and snow, is unimaginable.
Even Friedrich Nietzsche, it seemed that a lot of his life was afflicted with poor health. But ultimately, I think he preferred living in Turin Italy, for the climate and weather.
Four seasons?
My mom and dad are both from South Korea, and Korea is famous and proud of their four seasons. Hot and humid summers, pleasant fall, cold and snowy winter, and joyful spring. Also, Koreans seem to tan easily, but also have a fairly light pigment skin. I think it is to adapt to the changing four seasons.
This is why in someways, I prefer living in the East Coast, for example Providence Rhode Island over living in California. California is great, but being in SoCal where it is just hot and sunny all day, lulls you to sleep. The way I describe it is that on the East Coast, on an unusually bright and sunny day during the winter time, your happiness is a 12 out of 10. But on the really bad winter days, your happiness is a zero out of 10.However if you live in sunny Southern California, you are always mildly displeased, a 6.5 out of 10 in terms of happiness.
Therefore a theory about climate:
Better to have a high dynamic range in terms of weather, in order to maximize your happiness.
Once again, better to live a life in existence where good weather on an unusually good day gives you a 12 out of 10 in terms of happiness, and some days you have a zero out of 10 and happiness, rather than always being a 6.5/10 in terms of happiness.
This is why roller coasters are so fun; the extreme highs and extreme lows. I wonder if the same is with human beings; we thrive more from extreme highs and extreme lows.
Therefore, if you strive to live the best existence possible, I recommend not living in Southern California. At least this is where the Bay Area is superior to Southern California, that the Bay Area is typically cold wet and gloomy most of the time, with some good days. As a kid growing up in the Bay Area (I still have a 510 area code), I liked the weather; wearing hoodies all the time, always wearing jeans, always wearing socks and sneakers, and on the cold days, just putting a jacket on top of my hoodie.
So what do you want to do with your life?
I suppose this is the integral question you must ask yourself; what do you want to do with your life?
I cannot speak for you, but I can speak for myself.
First of all, I desire to enact a great impact on the world and society. For me, my life, my experiences, my thoughts, my artworks and creations are a means for impacting the human race, my greatest desire is to motivate a few passionate individuals, who can continue the chain. Also, training my son Seneca to do the same.
Second, in order to do this, I am insanely fastidious about my health, in my own personal human physiology. My theory is on the road to greatness, and towards maximal production, physical and physiological element is essential. That is, if I want to do more epic things, create more epic things, and have more epic thoughts, I must have a stronger and more epic body. For example, currently speaking, I feel like I am at on new high in terms of my turbo thoughts, and my overall wellbeing. I think a lot this actually comes from the fact that I have set new personal records for my deadlift and squat, far higher than I have in the past.
Theory: if you’re a creator, and you want to create more, and create more epic things, squat more, and deadlift more higher weights.
If you can deadlift over 500 pounds, and squat over 400 pounds … how can you not have more epic thoughts?
Or in other words, the greater you increase your one rep maxes for any of your lifts, the greater thoughts you will have.
Where to live?
I really enjoy living here currently in Phnom Penh. Why? I think an interesting city, or living in a dynamic, growing, and evolving city, is good for us.
For example, I really enjoy interacting with all these different people here; from the Chinese businessman or Chinese government employees at the hotel, to local Cambodian folks, meeting Cambodiana who lived abroad in Korea, meeting Koreans, and also meeting Japanese. Living in a place or a city that is multicultural is more interesting. I think this is where New York City is so interesting; meeting all of these African and Jamaican recent immigrants, something you don’t really witness on the West Coast. Also, I actually don’t think the West Coast or California is very diverse at all. Everything is so segmented. For example, growing up in the By Area, I never really interacted much with any African-American folks, when I was a kid, they were all sequestered in East Oakland, or other places. Even in Southern California, all the communities are too segmented. And separated.
Which cities around the world are dynamic and interesting? I cannot speak for you, but I prefer southeast Asia; Hanoi and Saigon in Vietnam are both interesting, also, Phnom Penh Cambodia.
Economic leverage
I don’t know anybody from California, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, or Southern California who is happy. Why? Regardless of how successful they are, or how rich they are, living in the states, you cannot really leverage your money or economics to your benefit.
For example, most Americans, even the super rich, don’t really have that much spending or purchasing power. Even the elites of society struggle to hire at least one full-time maid or nanny. Note in Phnom Penh Cambodia, you could hire a live-in housekeeper and maid for only $200 US a month. Also, in Singapore, most people I know and most of my friends have at least one or two full-time living maids(They use the politically correct term “helperâ€).
Why were the ancient Greeks so productive? Slaves. Or indentured servants, whatever you prefer to call them. Even the notion of “economics“ comes from the ancient Greek notion of “household managementâ€. If you were in ancient Greek, note even the poorest Greeks of society, had at least one sleeve. Even the cynic philosopher Diogenes had at least one slave who ran away from him. Even the funny story, when Seneca is writing a letter to his friend Lucilius, and is talking about how he is living in simulated poverty during a trip, saying that he brought “only one or two slaves“.
I think the unsavory truth is that all great civilizations, have been built on the back of slaves. The reason I like watching Dystopic films, is that there are more honest assessment of our current civilization. For example, the issue at hand in Blade Runner is that the Tyrell corporation created all of these human android slaves clones, to do the hateful labor off-planet.
Even today, there are still human slaves all around the planet. I personally hate this, but it is the truth.
Also, in “western countries“, you have pseudo-slaves; essentially people for so poor and destitute, that they are indentured servants. For example, all of the really really cheap labor done in California are typically illegal Mexican immigrants.
There is no middle class in Asia
Also, the reason why life in Southeast Asia so good is that the gap between the rich and poor so insanely huge; it literally costs less than 100 bucks a month, to hire somebody who is a full-time worker, or cleaner at a restaurant. And this is why a lot of major cities in Southeast Asia are so hygienic and clean, there are always cheap labor constantly cleaning things.
Also, a cultural one; Asians don’t really see really really poor people with “respect“ as we do back in the states. There is not really a dignity of labor concept here.
Also, why is constructing so efficient in Asia in Southeast Asia? Poor cheap labor— I literally see guys here in Cambodia, working on this massive Chinese development skyscrapers, welding metal just wearing flip-flops. And also cutting cement with massive industrial grade saws, also only wearing flip-flops. I am very very certain that safety measures here are far less than they are in the west.
So how do you honestly want to live your life?
I prefer to live the most maintenance free life possible, with the greatest amount of physiological health and joy. For example, not owning a car. I love living in Phnom Penh, I could take a Grab taxi anywhere in the city for only about two dollars to three dollars USD. A lot of short trips only cost one dollar USD. Even if I was a trillionaire living here, the thought or idea of where to park my Lamborghini would cause me undue stress.
Cutting things out, via negative style seems to be the best method
For example, for greater health, figure out what to cut out. Cut out smoking weed, cut out alcohol, cut out other things which weaken you.
To get more “ripped“, or to lose body adipose tissue fat, it is simple: just cut out all starches, vegetables, sweeteners, and sugars from your diet. No fruit. Fruit is essentially modern day candy. And no, you don’t need fruit to be “healthyâ€. Also, distrust all these new modern day sweeteners, for example “Monk fruit,“ Stevia, or other 0 cal sweeteners. My suspicion is that they still cause strange damage on your hormonal signaling system, because if your body senses or taste something sweet, it is most likely to inject insulin into your bloodstream. A hyper active insulin signaling activity in your body is bad.
Phones are bad
If I think about it, after much experimentation and thinking, I believe wholeheartedly that phones, smart phones, iPhones etc., aren’t that negative to yourself, society and the world.
This is a new elite is in things; the new elites, in the leads of the future will be able to live a beautiful existence without phones.
Get out of the social media ghetto
A realization:
Social media is a new digital ghetto.
If you desire a more beautiful life, get out of the social media ghetto. It is better for your physiological health, also your mental health!
Share your wealth
The reason why sharing your wealth, buying people presents, etc. giving tips, etc. is good as this:
When you share your wealth, you yourself feel more powerful.
For example, when you give somebody a present, or you give somebody a tip, or share your wealth, there is a certain joy of feeling abundant. That you’re rich enough, that you could give this away as a present, without any harm to yourself.
This is where philanthropy feels so strange in America; we seemingly do it out of virtuous, selfless reasons, but in reality, there’s a certain power surge we feel when we share our wealth. And I feel like this is the more honest mode of thinking.
Share your wealth, because you’re rich enough.
ERIC
Travel more, become more
- End of September, early October: experience Seoul South Korea, the future >
- November 5: Make better photos with minimalism in downtown Los Angeles
- November 12: experience Vancouver, why do all the rich mainland Chinese like to go there?
Discover all ERIC KIM EXPERIENCES >
The best for the best
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Other random thoughts:
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- The best way to leverage luxury
- VLOG: How to live your best life
Did this spark any interesting ideas within you?
If so, feel free to forward to a friend!