Even our best friend Friedrich Nietzsche, in the will to power, and also twilight of the idols said that the future rulers of the earth, the new overmen shall become more carnivorous.
Being a carnivore means that you see a clear hierarchy between man and animal. And also, striving to extract the maximum amount of power and nutrition from food, which is either organ meats or flesh. For myself, beef liver, beef heart, beef small intestine, or beef ribs, beef neckbones. Also, beef bone marrow.
It seems that true fashion is when people conquer the fear of being ridiculed, and just do some thing in a certain way which they find interesting or suitable to them. For example at the gym, I’ve discovered that in fact, rolling up my shirt to become a crop top is positively advantageous when lifting really really heavy weights. Also, just wearing my compression have tight leggings shorts, and rolling it all the way up, up to the point it looks like a speedo, is also positively advantageous when lifting insanely heavy. The hilarity is that a lot of guys are afraid of doing this, because they are afraid of looking “gay“. But truth be told, when your masculinity is so high, being afraid of being called gay is not even a notion. Also it is good to realize that nobody cares if you are gay or not. In fact, the most masculine men actually act very “gayâ€â€” slapping the asses of other guys, doing ball taps, making inappropriate jokes, etc. It seems that the people who are the most homophobic actually end up closet gay, or maybe bi-curious.
I have some theories. Maybe the first one is a hormonal one, take your testosterone up. Intermittent fasting, stop drinking alcohol, stop smoking weed which kills your testosterone. Also, 100% carnivore diet, consume more dietary cholesterol, which is a natural steroid and natural testosterone booster.
Also, maybe from a stoic perspective, expect rejection or a bad outcome to happen, so at least you conquer the fear of rejection.
Also, maybe it is a good idea to have an insanely high elevated ego, and conquering the fear of looking like a show off. Maybe it is a virtue to be a show off.
Typically speaking, that which we are afraid of, and fearful of, is actually what we are interested and enthusiastic about.
For another words, doing anything or attempting anything or aspiring towards anything that doesn’t require some sort of fear conquering is not worth pursuing.
For example, street photography is 99% fear conquering. Weightlifting, powerlifting 2.0, hypelifting is all about fear conquering as well.
I just Atlas lifted eight plates in a 25 on each side, the signature ERIC KIM left. Truth be told, before doing it I was a little bit scared. A little bit of fear. Maybe this is good.
A theory; pursuing a life with maximal fear approaching is a good idea? Or fear conquering?
I have this funny idea; that is, in modern day times, we are not allowed to call â€ignant†(ignorant), not allowed to scream, we are not allowed to become savages. Maybe a lot of modern-day malaise comes from this.
Thus, my simple solution is a hypelifting; lifting an insane amount of weight, Eric Kim Lift, over eight plates, allow yourself shout and scream like a beast!
I am a Boy Scout Eagle Scout, as all American as you can get. Yet, I don’t feel this need to publicly showcase the American flag. When people try to hard to show the American flag, it signal some sort of insecurity.
One of the greatest benefits of philosophy, studying philosophy, and thinking philosophically is the ability for you to have the courage to unlearn shame.
The devil doesn’t exist, hell doesn’t exist, sin doesn’t exist.
For example, me calling myself a “demigod†to my girl friends back in college days, or quoting myself as “physical perfectionâ€, even in high school days.
Genetically, my family is from Korea, South Korea, which means I look like a Korean person. However, considering that was born in San Francisco, and raised in the Bay Area 510 in California, culturally, I am probably more like 90 to 95% American.
Why do people get so confused by me?
Typically the bias in America is that Asian people, especially Asian men are meek, quiet, and reserved. However in my mind, I see myself more like an Arnold Schwarzenegger.
For example, in the gym, I am the GOAT. There is no other person stronger than me. It doesn’t matter the racial category either; I have never witnessed anyone in real life stronger than me, whether Caucasian, African-American, Asian, etc.
Disrupting peoples perception of things
It is my personal joy to mess with peoples perceptions, and to “fuck shit upâ€. Even when I’m in New York City, and there are there random guys on the street trying to hustle me, and selling me their CDs, they are so surprised to see me start freestyle rapping.
Considering that America bailed out South Korea, during the Korean War and IMF, we can actually consider Korea, South Korea as a new colony of America. therefore in someways, the Korean American is the quintessential Asian American.
However, what sets a Korean-American apart from a typical American?
The big thing is that there is so much Korean Confucian values embedded within Korean American culture. Filial piety, respect for elders, etc. also, notions of shame
For example, if we are American, we should disdain German, Italian, French Japanese, and foreign things.
For example, it seems that Americans prefer Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, etc. or a Lamborghini, which is not even Italian anymore, it is just like driving an expensive Volkswagen.
My personal ideal is that we Americans should have more pride in American things, whether it be driving a Tesla, which we don’t tend to think is actually an American company. Or driving some really mean and tough Ford mustang muscle cars.
For example, the most time you will spend in your car, you’re staring at the steering wheel, and most brands, very annoying. The huge logo on your steering wheel. The genesis logo is an eyesore, very lame, a cheap attempt at a Bentley or rolls Royce motif. They should get rid of the wings, motif, and just have it spaced out Genesis.
G E N E S I S
Look like that on the steering wheel and outside. Kill the wings motif.
My personal thought, I hate V6 engines. They are lame. Better instead to just have a very small engine, a four-cylinder, or maybe even a three cylinder, otherwise 4 cylinder, V8 engine, or just go hybrid and electric instead.
I have invented a new lift, I call it the Eric lift. Basically, the notion is you set the heaviest amount of weight you’re simply able to unrack from the squat rack, and just hold on your shoulder for a few seconds.
With this simple technique, I have been able to lift over 805 pounds, easy. This is eight plates on each side, and two ten plates.
What is powerlifting 2.0? Simply put, it is a new school of thought in which instead of doing the standard bench press, squat, and deadlift, instead, the goal is to lower the range of motion, in order to leverage greater strength and power, in order to lift and push heavier weights.
For example, instead of doing deadlift, whether it be conventional or sumo, the goal is, instead, doing rack pulls off of the power rack, putting the barbell at a relatively high position, and instead of shrugging with your shoulders, using your legs, your thighs, and any leverages you can get, in order to lift the weight, even a quarter of a centimeter.
Also, instead of doing a bench press off the bench, simply doing the benchpress off the floor, putting the rack in the barbell at a relatively high position, and arching your back like crazy, and when pushing up the weight, you drive with your legs, back shoulders, and everything, and the goal is to just lift it up even half a centimeter.
Another example, instead of doing the standard squat, do the ERIC KIM lift, that is, just striving to lift a very heavy weight off of the squat rack, and hold it on your shoulder for a few seconds, and putting it back. This type of hold will strengthen your whole body, and it has transformed my calves, thighs, back, and shoulder and abs into demigod level.
So what is the benefit of powerlifting 2.0?
First and foremost, it will totally transform your body. You will gain a new level of body and muscularity that you would never have thought even possible.
Secondly, increased confidence, power, and mindset. Once you adopt powerlifting 2.0, the ERIC KIM method, you will build a body and mind that could literally conquer anything.
There are different approaches and strategies. In the context of information technology, you could just create new information and knowledge, for example, blog posts, videos, blogs, books, articles, podcast, audio or video, etc.
What is value anyways?
Valere — hwelh— to be strong, to be of worth, to rule, to be powerful. Also the same notion of being “wellâ€, “wellnessâ€â€” it means that you are strong, mighty, you rule, you are powerful.
Newsletter
Sendy.co — one of the quickest ways to create new value is through making a list. A list of emails, individual human beings and contacts, and being able to send them information and ideas at scale.
It seems that any sort of new technology or infrastructure or things we could create via Amazon web services, Amazon AWS is good. For example, creating an email newsletter with sendy.co is great, because you could leverage Amazon simple email services to propagate your thoughts.
Also, using Amazon Web services to make a website or a blog or even a website. I think moving forward, maybe just using Amazon Web services to make a website or a blog via WordPress.org is a good idea.
Why media is the future
It seems for the most part, we will never stop making movies. Even in 2023, it looks like movie theaters have been able to survive the pandemic. People love movies, cinema and film.
We humans are still embodied. That is, for a date night, you will still probably want to go watch a movie with your partner, in real life, in some sort of external location, which is not your house.
What is it about movies and media, cinema music that we love? I think it helped spark or imagination, creativity, art, and concepts.
For example, I just watched a quick trailer for the new Ant-man movie on imdb.com, and the visuals were pretty phenomenal. Being able to imagine a different universe, different science-fiction images is awe inspiring to me.
Think it all.
Also a new way to create new value is by innovating and proposing new approaches. For example, my powerlifting 2.0 notion. You don’t necessarily need to change the equipment, just take the pre-existing equipment, and figure out new approaches and techniques to utilize it.
For example, all of the new lifts I propose (rack pull, atlas lift, floor bench press) are all easily accessible at any normal commercial gym.
Also, my concept of the one rep max; this is just a different mindset and methodology to weightlifting.
Or my notion of the 100% carnivore diet, mixed with intermittent fasting, no breakfast, no lunch, and for dinner, striving to eat at least 4 pounds of beef ribs.
Or, creating new recipes. For example, my new “keto taco“ recipe.
Essentially, anything new you propose, even if it is a mishmash of old stuff, is still new value.
Information, news, technology, etc.
For myself, ever since I was a high school junior, around 16 years old, I had so much fun blogging. The good old inspiration from Maddox.xmission.com
In fact, my enthusiasm for blogging actually predates my enthusiasm for photography. I got into blogging when I was 15 or 16 years old, and I got into photography was when I was 18 or 19 years old. Also I got into cars when I was 15 or 16 years old as well. And I have always been into clothes in fashion ever since I was a middle schooler— 12 or 13 years old.
Essentially to share anything you’re passionate or enthusiastic about is good. To share your energy and vibes has much value.
Fighting against problems of modern day society?
For me, I am all about self experimentation, and creating new proposals for new solutions. For me, simply to complain or critique something without offering a solution is vain.
Seeking new solutions?
EK STRATEGY — shoot an email to Eric (at) erickim.com with your problem(s).
Stuff I’m up to and on my mind
Better to be over warm than over cold. My new current outfit that I really like is wearing my long sleeve compression shirt, a workout T-shirt, and a sleeveless down vest on top. If I’m too hot, I could just take off a layer.
Also, feet thoughts. Barefoot is the best, if not barefoot, Vibram five fingers.
What is the best car, and the best modern day flex? Not a Lamborghini, certainly not a Tesla. My ideal would be a matte pink Hyundai genesis G90. That is real cloth talk, real expensive fabrics.
Crypto thoughts
What is one bitcoin worth? One bitcoin. Everyone likes to peg the bitcoin to the US dollar, but the reason why this is not a good idea is because currently speaking, the US dollar is becoming devalued.
For example, I see now that McDonald’s is hiring for around $16.50 an hour! What is the point of going to college anymore?
Also, it isn’t that houses are getting more expensive, it is simply that the dollar is not worth as much. Therefore in order to buy a house or property, the seller wants more US dollars, because the value of each individual dollar is now less.
As with bitcoin, it is still the god crypto. That is that ultimately all cryptocurrencies are pegged to the bitcoin. And therefore the end of the day, maybe the best way to think about crypto and cryptocurrency and crypto technology is in regards to bitcoin. Rather than wondering, how many dollars is one chain-link worth? A better question is, how many bitcoin is one chain-link worth? Or how much chain-link can I get with one Bitcoin?
Maybe into the future, tesla will start accepting bitcoin as payment for their cars, And also, maybe 30 or 40 years into the future, real estate agents will also accept bitcoin to purchase a house.
It seems that a small dose of social autism, or like how Korean people say it, “Noon-chi uhpssuh†(you don’t have eye sense), it can be one of the greatest advantages onto innovation. Why? For example, I was just able to floor benchpress 5 plates, and a ten on each side, 515 pounds.
For example, there’s this funny bias at the gym, or weightlifting culture that you have to do “proper form“. That means, doing a bench press on the bench, doing the typical deadlift and squat, etc.
I think one of my greatest strengths is I could care less. I am more interested in innovating the form and technique, and approach, in order to maximize my leverage and just push or pull or lift more weight.
Or with benchpress, it is pretty rare to see anyone benchpress three plates on each side, let alone four plates. There’s only one guy at the gym I have witnessed bench press for plates and a 25 on each side, and he is massive. Yet I was able to floor bench press Five plates and a 10, 515 pounds, easily destroying anything I’ve witnessed in real life.
The way I was able to do this is just by maximizing my leverage, technique and form. For example with floor bench press, maximizing your arch, and driving with your legs is key. And also doing it barefoot.
Atlas lift is pretty easy, essentially you just put the barbell at typical squat level, and instead of stepping back and squatting down, you just left the weight up, don’t move, and then just put it down. I think the typical strong guy should be able to do over seven plates or 8 plates, perhaps even 9, 10, 11, 12 plates on each side. I think a really strong power lifter should be able to atlas lift over 1000 pounds.
Why doesn’t anyone else adopt my unorthodox yet effective techniques and form? Because people don’t want to look “stupid“. They don’t want to draw attention to themselves by doing things differently. Also this nonsensical notion of “cheating“.
This is where being intelligent and wise is good, you realize that metaphorically and philosophically, there’s no such thing as “cheatingâ€.
2. Doing things out of personal curiosity
Before Facebook became the multi billion dollar company we know what today, Mark Zuckerberg had no idea what he was building, or how to monetize it. He first built it, and then far later they figured out the monetization.
Also, interesting to note, I remember one Facebook, before we even had a newsfeed. Before there was advertisements. And also when the advertisements were first, just on the right side bar, very unobtrusive. Then later, Facebook adding advertisements to the newsfeed.
Also, with myself, when I was just out of college, a fresh 21,22 year old, I just started blogging on street photography because it was my passion. I legitimately did not think it was possible that I could make a living from my passion, and that’s why I just had a normal tech day job during the day, earning $40,000 a year, and just building up my blog on the side, when I had no work to do at work, or at home blogging before I went into work, etc. Also shooting YouTube videos of me shooting Street photography on the 3rd St., Promenade during my lunch breaks.
It was always my interest to transform my passion into my living, I still remember fantasizing about being able to one day, be able to do photography and street photography full-time. But at that time, the notion of being a “full-time street photographer” was not even a notion. I think I might’ve been the first person to have become a full-time street photographer, earning $200,000.
It wasn’t until my company went public and IPOd, and then the stock tanked, and then I was made redundant from my job, even my boss lost his shirt. It was at that critical moment, that decisive moment that I finally had the opportunity and the moment to pursue my passion full-time for a living. That is when I went super duper hard on street photography, pouring my life and soul into it. And I’m still happy and proud. I am still insanely passionate about it today.
Even nowadays, I am randomly pursuing another passion I have in life for working out, fitness, diet and nutrition, intermittent, fasting, lifestyle, etc. In some regards, I see myself like the next Tim Ferriss. I think Joe Rogan should probably interview me.
I would say, the intelligent strategy in life is to not worry, much about monetization, money, or something as “pedestrian” as profit or income (Peter Thiel). Just pursue your passion and figure out all the details later.
Now what?
Upload your best photos to arsbeta.com
Try to think, carte blanche, or blank slate. If you restarted everything today, how would you approach things differently or anew?
INNOVATE ON! EK
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If this sparked even 1 ounce of interest or motivation within you, feel free to forward to a friend!
I am convinced; currently speaking, I believe myself to be the greatest street photographer alive. Nobody is my match. Why? There is nobody out there who has propagated as much information on street photography, anybody who has been able to successfully monetized street photography so effectively as myself, and also, still remained passionate about it today.
When you have a weird feeling about somebody, your feeling is accurate. Your feelings as one of the greatest sources of intelligence. Therefore, if you have a bad feeling about somebody, obey your emotions, and distance yourself from the person or people who you get weird feelings about.
For example, how do you know if somebody is toxic or not? If you feel like they are toxic, they are. The wise strategy that is to avoid interactions with toxic people. Also, if you suspect somebody is a scammer, obey your emotions and your gut, and once again, also cut ties with them.
Why is it that in modern day life, we are taught that feelings and emotions are bad, and the best way to make decisions in life should be based on rules of logic and decision making processes? I think it is because there is this trend toward scientism; that in today’s world, because everyone lacks a backbone, and lacks a spine, nobody has the courage or the guts or the chutzpah to posit their own ends and desires. Also, you cannot codify emotions.
For example, when I am writing, reviewing photos, or sending photos, on a MacBook Air, without the Touch Bar, and hardcoded function, keys, I do things a little bit differently, for example, for the first time, using the voice, dictation ability to write on the MacBook Air M2 chip, and also pushing the little globe key in the bottom left corner to type in Korean, when sending group messages to my mom in Korea.
Tyranny, or a tyrant is somebody who forces you against your own will to do things their way.
However, in today’s world, there is no such thing as real tyranny, at least in America. Nobody could force you to do anything against your own will, besides pay taxes, with the risk of death, or being put into jail.
This is the foolishness of a lot of modern day liberals. When Donald Trump was still in office, they would call him a tyrant, and call America a tyranny. But that is actually not true at all. I think people throw around the word, tyrant, like dictator, or like an evil Nazi, as a form to denigrate somebody.
In our normal, every day lived realities, technically, nobody could force you to do anything against your own will. They may throw a fit about it, but, it is up to you; how badly do you care to fight about it? I would say take a barbell approach, for 99.99% of things, just let others have it their way. However, when it comes to the .01%, which is insanely critical to never budge.
A philosophy towards life; the most important and critical judge of things is the beginning. If, in the beginning, things started off good, they are good, and this should never be forgotten.
