Open Source link

1. Bitcoin

Self driving or nothing? This is literally 99% of the headache of driving?

The true path to freedom; unshame yourself!

What is the metaphorical ball and chain in our new modern day life? Shame. It applies not only to people of Asian East Asian descent, or Confucian values… Also in America, with the Quaker protestant morals and ethics being around shame.

Certainly within a Christian Catholic mentality as well; also maybe to Jewish people as well? And also, the Japanese, maybe almost anyone living in an industrialized, modern day world and civilization.

Shame is learned and taught and reinforced

One thing I love about Seneca… Is that he is so free pure, and great. Fortunately because he has wise parents, ever since he is born… We have never instilled any shame culture on him.

There’s a really bad thing in Korean culture, which is called “cheng-pee”, which literally means shameful. I think Korean people superficially say it to be cute, but if you really think about it… It is actually quite insidious.

For example, you will see it over and over again when a kid is running around naked without pants on, almost about everything.

American shame?

In America, we do have notions of shame, but it is not said so directly. For example if you have a young kid who is running around naked at the house, you’re probably won’t say “shame shame shame shame shame!” Put on some clothes or else you will bring shame onto our family and all of your family members and past generations.  

The genesis of shame

Funny enough… shame is not an ethic that Jesus preached. Shame is rather a form of social control.

For example, growing up Catholic Korean Catholic… All this guilt and shame around porn pornography, masturbation etc. And all these weird superstitions that you would grow hairy palms if you jerked off? 

Also, very funny… Even the modern day times, with all these fake macho guys at the gym etc.… Whenever you joke about Porn and jerking off… All guys will always side chuckle a little bit shamefully, because obviously all the guys do it.

But technically, assuming you grew up up without religion and modern day shamed notions… None of it should really be shameful. Maybe gross, or unhygienic, but not shameful.

This is where Japanese culture is really fascinating to me; like there is no Christian Judeo morality holding back the Japanese; and therefore, pornography is not really seen as a big deal in Japan. Whereas in America, we all believe it to be porn to be a little bit morally reprehensible. Even to progressive people. 

Why is being naked seen as being shameful? 

I have some theories.

First, in the Bible… The second Adam and Eve take a bite out of the apple from the garden of Eden… Apparently the first thing that Adam and Eve realize is that they were naked, they feel shame and they immediately want to cover up. God knows and discovers that they took a bite of the forbidden fruit.

Some subtle nuances;

First, where does this notion of the forbidden fruit even come from? Kind of a bizarre notion. Essentially the idea is that it is better to be naked and dumb and happy, rather than to possess your own self wisdom rationality and intelligence and judge the world?

The second… Why is it considered shameful to be naked, either in private or public?

Shame is good at selling (overpriced) clothing 

Shame sells! Some theories:

The first theory is a capitalistic one. You cannot make money by telling people to be naked. You got to sell them clothes.

Second, it seems that by breeding insecurity is a smart strategy if you want people to purchase or desire to purchase certain clothes in articles of clothing, in order to feel “cool“? For example, at the age of 36, I feel the wisest I have ever been in my life. No more lame and loser Nikes, sneakers, etc. Only losers were Nikes, Jordans, whatever.

The true intelligent footwear to wear is either the vibram five finger shoes, or if you have a kid, just getting them those super minimalist water shoes on Amazon which only cost about 10 bucks. 

Cars are the new shoes for adults?

Another theory; when you are kid, and maybe before you have a drivers permit or license, you can’t drive. Therefore, shoes and sneakers are like a metaphorical car or vehicle. When you are a middle school or highschooler a teenager… We are yet rich enough to buy cars but we could buy shoes.

Now that we are adults, and we are richer, and we could do stupid things like finance a car with a down payment, and have a monthly payment, cars and automobiles are like the new sneakers. Think about it… Both have to deal with transportation transit and getting around and moving around, being seen, fashion being fashionable etc.

Cars are fashion objects

If you just need a car to get around, the truly intelligent thing is to get a used Toyota Prius, the 2010 edition. Otherwise, all cars are just fashion?

And also, cars… They come in and out of fashion every 3 to 6 months, and there’s always a new car being released. In fact, whether we like it or not, LA, Southern California, California, the states, the planet… A car or automobile Vehicle, a truck SUV whatever… Might be one of the grandest industries in America and beyond?

But lots of problems here:

First, I have a theory that one’s happiness is inversely proportional to how much time you have to either spend seated in a car, driving around etc. And I’m starting to think that the payoff is not worth it ; for example,  let us see you have the option to drive an additional 30 minutes to go somewhere that is maybe 40% nicer than just going somewhere local that you could access via walking. Typically that optimization is not worth it.

Why? Opportunity cost. A 30 minute drive there, 30 minute drive back… That is a full hour otherwise you have spent just walking around!

The metro E line is the future 

Taking the metro is a far better bet. For example, on killing 10 birds with one stone; the joys of taking the metro, especially the metro E line in Los Angeles is multifold:

First, you have the joy and privilege of being able to stand the whole ride, and even shift around your weight and walk around the train if you want!

Second, you get an insanely cool view of the city! Playing SimCity with Seneca, there’s this notion of a maglev train; a magnetic elevated train!

It doesn’t have to be magnetic, just elevated. The reason why the metro line in LA is so phenomenal is that you are above traffic, you are above the ground level, and you get this really interesting panopticon view of the city! 

Third, kids love it! I don’t know any kid who doesn’t like to take the metro, it is so fun for them! Even for my niece Amelia who is now in the first or second grade, seven or eight years old, After taking her and her younger brother Benjamin to the California science Center via the metro E line, she asked me and Cindy… Can we take the metro back home (to Orange County)?

The future might be more basic than we think it is?

Also, watching this cute film at the California science Center about cities of the future… The general idea is that in the future, everyone would just be taking some sort of magnetic electric elevated train somewhere, And on the mid and bottom and middle levels, would be some of the fools who have to self drive their own cars. In the middle layer would have self driving cars.

Or more simply put, in the future, only poor people have to drive themselves?

Visions?

Singapore is often cited as being a city of the future, but it is not. Truth be told Singaporeans don’t really like living in Singapore; they would prefer to live in the states if they could.

Maybe the closest thing I have to witnessing a city of the future is Culver City, the only city which you could actually walk around all day, and never get bored, and you could also do all your grocery shopping here at Trader Joe’s or Erewhon or Whole Foods. Even nowadays, a supermassive innovation that we got is being able to do the Amazon fresh grocery deliveries so might pull in I think 80% of the average American family, time and resources is wasted occurring food and groceries.

The future of food is here

And also, let us consider… It is the year 2024, it is very common to get the same day prime delivery of almost any single item on Amazon. Shouldn’t we apply the same ethos to food, which is really the only critical thing we need in order to live? We don’t have free food… Yet, but at this point we have free clean water, just drinking from the tap or filtered water at home! And at this point, you could purchase coffee in bulk, on Amazon and it is so cheap practically free! The “fresh roasted coffee” 5 pound bag on Amazon, the yirgacheffe Ethiopian blend quite good!

How to unshame yourself? 

God sent me to break the shame. I’m the true and living, all the rest of you guys are vain. 

First, get rid of those loser AirPods, throw them in the trash. Better to be ghetto and hood, if you want to listen to something, music podcasts or whatever, just crank up the volume on your iPad Pro or iPhone, and listen to it loud in public or even in private. If somebody tells you to quiet down, just lower the volume and continue.

And actually this is the funny polarity that I have observed and discovered; almost everybody else is always listening to AirPods pros, which means that they can’t even hear you.

Nowadays, I have a new heuristic or the way that I separate people; people have something in their ears, or don’t.

Headphones or noise canceling headphones or AirPods pros are like condoms for your ears. Imagine if you had a noise canceling thing on your penis, a noise canceling condom. Probably would not be good for sexual pleasure.

And the truth is, I think our sense of hearing is actually 1000 times more acute than our power of vision. For example, the reason why hoking is so irating to me is because I have very sensitive earlobes! And also the reason why the smell of second hand smoke whether cigarettes, marijuana, or even vape… Perhaps there is also more wisdom in our nose than our eyes. 

Therefore just observe it… When you’re out in public or at the gym or whatever, separate people into the two categories; people with headphones on, people without. Seek the naked ear lobe hole folks.

All people with headphones and AirPods on are simply drones

The iPhone is the new drug?

Second, throw your iPhone Pros into the trash. I notice it nowadays… Very subtly; when I am walking around with my 60 pound weight vest on, and I look at somebody, and then they want to glance at me, and they do for half a second, and then half a second they do this nervous twitch in which what they do is check their phone… or they are in New York Manhattan, or in a crowded elevator, I will see people open up their phones, check the time, refresh their email inbox, etc.… Simply as it means to avoid eye contact or inter action with others?

Don’t open up or check your phone when you feel nervous

Simple suggestions include whenever you make eye contact with somebody, or even if you see somebody half a block away looking at you, just throw up the peace sign, or give them a head nod. You would be surprised, people can spot you from half a mile away. 

You would want all the votes you can

Maybe a random thought is think like you are the mayor, you are a firefighter, a public servant, or if you’re running for mayor. If this were the case, you would want to be maximally friendly to every single human being you encounter, because you want their votes! This means being nice friendly and courteous and cheerful and acknowledge the existence of people who are even antisocial, bizarre?

I have a simple rule; first, always be nice friendly and courteous to anybody you encounter, even if they give you bad vibes. And also, always better to risk being friendly and saying hello to somebody, even if they may give you the cold shoulder or pretend that you didn’t greet them? 

In fact, this is my personal read on things; when you see somebody, that you have maybe seen before, and you have a low-key suspicion that they are somehow envious jealous or afraid or intimidated by you, because you make them feel smaller… You actually might be right. And therefore, when you say what’s up to them, and say hello, but they kind of pretend like they didn’t see you do it… It is typically a signal that yes they did see you, but they’re too much of a pussy and coward to acknowledge you.

If this were in fact the true case, carry on! 

And then, let us say that you didn’t know this with 100% supreme accuracy, then, you continue to greet them in a friendly manner, or do you then also retaliate and give them the cold shoulder? 

I say do the more courageous path; to pretend like you didn’t see them, giving the cold shoulder is an act of cowardice; therefore doing the opposite thing is more courageous! 

In fact in modern day times, to greet and say hello to strangers, might be one of the greatest acts of courage? 

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Make friends with security guards.

Why? First, honestly a lot of security guards, because they are outside all day just walking around… are just friendlier and happier than the average office drone. Second, most of them have not taken the traditional educational route in life, which means that they tend to be much more interesting to talk to, rather than the average university graduate and career person.

In fact, the only interesting conversations I’ve had is from people from the hood, maybe people in the military, some kids, and those who we would consider “nontraditional”. In fact, 99.99% of people you encounter, in the states are quite boring. The second someone bores you, just excuse yourself and say you have to use the bathroom and walk away.

For example, you’ll find more interesting sociological truth wisdom and interest from somebody who is real ghetto, really from the hood, rather than a fake ass average person.

***

Drain?

OK let us assume that you are a battery and you cannot be recharged in the middle of the day. The only way you can recharge your battery is when you go to sleep at night.

That means any single interaction social interaction, engagement whatever could either have a positive or negative effect on you.

I’m sorry to realize this… but the truth is that some people will essentially just capture you, and just keep talking nonsense to you, and refuse to let you leave. And the whole interaction is insanely draining. You could feel it physiologically, in terms of your attention span, your energy levels, and also you just feel boredom. 

This is my personal heuristic — if I know somebody, whether a friend family member acquaintance or whatever, and I asked them how they are doing and chat about them… Their family whatever, and they never asked how my son Seneca is doing, this is a very bad sign. 

In fact I have a new heuristic; whenever anyone shows even an ounce of interest in Seneca, seems concerned about his well-being, shows affection to him with their hand in a friendly manner, or praises him, they will 100% forever be on my good side.  

Also the opposite; for friends and family members who have never asked about Seneca or his well-being, even after several encounters, I shall shun them.

Misery loves misery

To be happy as rare. I am probably the only happy person that I know, and Seneca is also rare; the only happy kid I know. 

I would say that 99.99% of people are miserable. And the way that they could feel better about themselves is by dragging other people down, spewing hate, etc.? Very counterproductive.

In the UK they call it the tall poppy syndrome; you see a guy driving around the new Lamborghini, and then you’ll find some sort of way to discredit him, saying that he has a small dick, or he cheated for that money etc.

At least a good thing in America is that often our jealousy and envy could be positive and productive; we see Jeff Bezos Elon Musk and the like becoming super successful, and we aspire to become like them.

Or, maybe if you see somebody driving a certain car, in the US we think —

Wow, if I also work super hard, one day I could also have that same car! 

Therefore, at least in America we do have this notion of a constructive envy.

Building muscle is the ultimate democratic thing 

Also in bodybuilding, I think we often use other men and their physiques as a role model; we all want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime, is always plastered around all across the planet.

But a simple thought: I think body glorification is 1 trillion times more virtuous than car fellatio, or even money glorification. 

For example, I would never switch spaces with any other human being on the planet, irregardless of how wealthy or rich or powerful they are.

Jeff Bezos is short, only 5 foot seven. Kanye West is also short, maybe 5 foot five. I think Kendrick Lamar is only 5 foot two? Jay Z is cool, but he’s too old now. 

Also, any billionaire in their 50s or 60s would probably trade their wealth in order to become 20 years old again.

Even if you were worth 100 billion or $1 trillion, and you’re 90 years old, wouldn’t you trade 100% of your wealth in order to become 21 years old again?

And truth be told, the most important thing is for our youth, our strength, our bodily vigor, our muscle, our height, our happiness and joy! 

How do you know if somebody is old or not? Look at their arms.

I saw some pictures of Hugh Jackman on the red carpet, and if you look at his forearms… Even though he has a bulging vein in it, his arms look old. You could tell by their skin quality.

Even the same thing with women, apparently the best thing to do is judge the character of their skin, or their hand! Because I don’t think there is something as hand aesthetic surgery yet, which means you cannot fake your age via your hands.

If you want to see whether someone is a man or woman or their age ,,, feel and hold and inspect their hands!

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Unwealth

You can truly determine how rich somebody is by what they don’t own.

For example, really really insanely rich people don’t own or wear watches; they are not a slave of time. 

Also, insanely successful and rich people like Carlos Slim don’t own an iPhone or a smartphone; because they are not slaves to their inbox. 

Even a thought, if I ever had to buy Seneca a phone, I would just buy him a dump phone, even something that doesn’t have text messaging! To train him that if he really needs to make a phone call, you could just make a phone call? And it doesn’t matter if he gets teased in school; all these other kids are basic. 

In fact if you really really think about it, the super super rich and successful people don’t even own a car! If you lived in Manhattan, I don’t even think you own a car– nor is it even a desirable thing. If you live in Manhattan, nobody wants to drive themselves. Or even be stuck in a car; even the super super rich people would prefer to take the subway, even though it is crowded, at least you’re not stuck in traffic!

Don’t draw attention to yourself

Something which is really genius that the Wachowski brothers, now sisters, did is they never granted interviews, they never really showed their face in public, etc.… Which was insanely genius because they have all of the upsides of success without the downsides like being mobbed in public. 

The really really really rich smart successful powerful people are hidden; they don’t draw attention themselves because they know the downsides of fame.

In fact, I feel bad for people like Dr. Dre or Jay Z or whatever; they can’t even go out without being mobbed etc. And one of the greatest joys and pleasures of being human and alive is to simply go outside for a walk, in a public square, to be totally anonymous. In fact, the ideal is to be super super rich and powerful, and have a lot of labor power latent within you… Having a lot of economic power, but also being 100% anonymous. Why? Let us consider the misery of a Brad Pitt; estranged from his children, his beautiful ex-wife Angelina Jolie, and it doesn’t matter if he has all of the good looks in the world, or all of the cool cars whatever… He can’t just walk around the block, or enjoy himself at the beach! Unless you put on a facemask a ski mask or something that covers his face up?

Suggestions

If celebrities really wanted to be low-key and enjoy their anonymity, they would just drive a white Toyota Prius — the ultimate stealth car. If you pop out of a Prius, no one will think that you’re that famous actor oractress or celebrity. Even Kim Kardashian, I wonder if there is certain days she would just prefer to be outside and just wanna go on a walk?

I think this is also the genius of Kanye having his 100% facemask on, I’m not sure how it feels breathability wise, but, assuming that he not wearing a certain outfit, or driving a certain car, in theory he should be able to walk around in public without having people stare at him, they would only stare at the facemask not knowing it was him. 

Via negativa wealth

Some new radical thoughts on wealth:

I think true wealth is inversely proportional; the things you don’t have the things you don’t own in order to maintain.

The less you own the less you have to maintain, the wealthier you are.

For example, I would not wish for a Lamborghini McLaren or any hyper sports car on even my worst enemy. Why? The critical issue here is that maintenance costs are an effing nightmare. And insane headache! Because whether you like it or not, even the rich people you are jealous of also feel physiological and mental pain and anguish, they also sleep poorly and feel terrible. Why? They sacrifice their life, their personal freedom and their health life time soul for money!

The limits of money?

How much wealth is enough wealth? Simple: enough to pay your rent, buy ground beef at Amazon fresh, and then just bundle the rest of the money into bitcoin.

Think long

Why hybrid is the way:

With cars, it is not even a money thing. Like the laws of physics; sooner or later you’re going to have to get an oil change, and it will not only be very expensive, but time consuming, insanely annoying etc. I think this is where it makes more sense to get some sort of maybe Hybrid sports car or Lexus LC500– in theory you could just take it to any ordinary oil change place, because it is a Toyota, you could easily get it repaired or change the oil. Also, the now discontinued Acura NSX is a hybrid; which means you get stellar miles per gallon, and also it should require less maintenance than any other non-Japanese hyper sports car. And I guess because it is discontinued now, it should hold its value? And because Acura is a Honda… Hondas are reliable, and also not difficult to find parts to fix. 

No oil changes is ideal 

Maybe this is also the logic of having an all electric sports or hyper car; in theory, an electric sports car should require less maintenance and gasoline or hybrid one;  I think the only thing you probably have to change or fix or maintain is refill the window wiper fluid? 

Everyone wants the butterfly doors or the scissor doors or the Lambo doors — but I think the true intelligent optimization here is that you have some sort of electric car that could do this? Maybe this is also where the BMW i8 is a good idea; because it has the butterfly or scissor doors? And it is either all electric, or Hybrid I think?

And also if you really wanted the billionaire doors on a budget, just get a Tesla model X! You get the gull wing doors, the same thing  on that one really really rare and expensive Mercedes car, or the DeLorean, for only about $65,000?

Tesla Model X Plaid

I also think this is where the Tesla model X plaid is so genius; the 0 to 60 speed is 2.5 seconds; faster than a Porsche 911, and also you could have a family of six all seated? And at worst, if shit hits the fan, I suppose you could also live inside of it?

Why do you want it?

Question: do you want it for what it is, or what it symbolizes? 

I think the big issue here is the question; do you actually like that Lamborghini, the idea of the Lamborghini, actually owning it, the idea of it, or the totem of it?

It is all imaginary in our mind. For example if I knew that I owned a Lamborghini with the scissor doors just parked in my garage, but I never drove it… Certainly I would not really have the benefit of it. But just knowing at the back of my head that I got it, is what makes me smile?

Portable wealth

I think this is also where bitcoin is useful; I think the new modern day digital dick measuring contest will be; how many bitcoin do you own? And it is like your metaphorical dick size; the more bitcoin you got, the longer your cyber dick.

Kanye had a funny quote saying that being a male porn star was an objective way to measure them– essentially, their penis size. In theory the guy with the 20 inch dick should be the best porn star. But I would also not wish this even not my worst enemy, because it would seem very uncomfortable to just walk around, without having to tuck it or wrap it around your leg or something.

But I think the issue here is that with the whole dick size thing, we all know that African-American men statistically have the largest or the longest penis size. But statistically they are not the richest nor the most powerful men in America.

Therefore the question is; when we try to do a metaphorical thick measuring contest, what are we trying to do? I think what we are trying to do is to jockey for a position, in terms of economic power?

Once again, it is not money that we seek, but economic power.

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What is it that we all truly seek?

I think this is where I go beyond Seneca and the stoics, also beyond even my best friend Nietzsche.

Have you ever met a philosopher or a stoic who looks like me?

The problem with Seneca the younger is that I think he was a fatty boy. I think the true bust statue of him and his head he was bald, and had a triple chin. Makes sense; even Seneca “On Anger” writes, we should not get offended by truthful facts; why would you be offended if somebody made fun of you for being bald, when in fact you actually are bald? The better response is to just poke fun at yourself; better to poke fun at your baldness, rather than feel shameful about it?

Also, Seneca critiques people who spent too much time exercising, and that rather, our focus should be on training our mind and our soul. But is this a sour grapes fallacy;

You hate people you wish you were?

Making fun of yourself is the best defense

For example, if somebody makes fun of you for being Asian and having a small dick or whatever, just call it a baby turtle. That it pokes out every once in a while. Or that you have a “chode”– a penis which has more girth than length.

When you poke fun at yourself, it is an impregnable defense. 
I even remember in high school, whenever somebody would tease you for being gay or whatever, the best response was “I love dick!” And then after that, nobody had anything left to say.

Humor, dark humor, black stoic Spartan humor is key?

We stoics of the future

Whenever people think about the future, people are foolish; they think about adding more technology to our lives, throwing on more vision pros, more AirPods pros, more time in your self driving car etc. 

But in fact, the true path to the future is via negativa– the true future is more spartan, less physical, more cyber and digital.

More cyber real estate which is bitcoin, more digital money which is also bitcoin, more time outdoors in the direct sun with your shirt off, which is the true way of living the dream. 

Living the dream!

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Radical?

I suppose the question is do we really need to be radical here?

I think there is some sort of like intelligent wise radicalism, which is just stick to your own guns, following your own gut, refusing to just be another drone. I’d rather be Brad Pitt and Tyler Durden than Edward Norton.

And I think the problem here is that we have weird role models now. Everyone wants to be Warren Buffet; but do you want to be a fat old man, who is just sitting in hunched over our newspaper all day, even if you are the world’s second richest man?

Therefore the new godhead is wealth being super rich. Being in the Forbes top 100, ideally number one.

There is no second best.

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Why settle for second? 

The American way —

In America, our whole ethos and impetus is towards being the best, number one. There is no second best.

Nobody wants the silver. Just look at the Olympics, we always measure by the number of gold trophies. Better to get one gold medal for your country, rather than 1000 silvers.

“One good girl is worth a 1000 bitches” Kanye Bound 2, YEEZUS album

I think this is where it is so critical to be so insanely wise about choosing your life partner your wife etc. Don’t settle for second best.

And also, this is where where you live is critical; Culver City is the best, in all of Los Angeles, no second best.

I think, opting for the best is the best path forward. This is why America is number one for entrepreneurship on the planet!

Certainly there is bad things about trying to always be number one. But truth be told, assuming you’re not taking drugs or doing weird stuff, I don’t think it hurts?

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The ethos of the best

I think this is why America is so productive; we all desire to be the best! We want to be the most rich and the most successful, within our friends circle and family circle, and then maybe beyond that, spreading our circles and sphere of influence a bit further out.

For example, I’m happy that I’m the number 1 greatest street photography blogger of all time, nobody will ever take the crown from me, no matter how hard they try. Just ask ChatGPT!

Then I then suppose that the next step forward is to discover a new niche, and also dominate that. Perhaps I have a passion for domination.

This is why when I go to the gym, or when I used to go to the gym, it was always my number one goal to be the strongest guy in the gym, by a huge fold. This is why I lifted 10 plates, a 25 and a five on each side; and broke the weightlifting universe with my 1,000 pound atlas lift. 

I believe this accomplishment and will last forever.

You only have to do it once. 

What is the next thing I want to dominate?

Anything you have a true passion for, autotelic; it is very easily achievable, if you do not have to consider economic payoff, making money etc. Or making other people happy, or even giving utility to other people.

A random thought I have on my mind is towards lifestyle; now that I am 36 years old, about the same age which Tim Ferriss wrote the four hour work week? Maybe I could become the next Tim Ferriss? Tim Ferriss is great; but I think the issue is that he is short, balding, insecure, and I think he is also not yet married and childless, maybe he has a dog? And also, I don’t think he’s really figured things out for himself yet; he’s always onto the next thing, just seeking endless distraction for himself? 

Maybe I’ll be the next Tim Ferris! 

Suggestions for Tim:

1. Get rid of advertisements on your podcast, you’re rich enough.
2. Maybe your next step is just writing a really good philosophy book, which is 100% honest, and doesn’t try to be a best seller or sell well. And maybe just give away a free PDF e-book version of it, open access, open source, and then sell the printed cover to your fanbase?
3. Try to get married and have at least one kid?

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How and why lifestyle is such a critical thing to consider

I kind of hit the lifestyle that shouldn’t because it typically revolves around buying some sort of equipment and gear.

My personal thought is that lifestyle should just be a mental, a mindset, which should actually be “via negativa”– the ideal lifestyle you look more like a zen stoic spartan monk, rather than a fat short old balding loser with a Lamborghini. 

Making more money, but also spending no money?

If you really really really gotta buy something, just get it on Amazon Amazon prime! For example, I got this fantastic new all black Sun hat, on Amazon Amazon for only 10 bucks, one day delivery?

 in fact, maybe the intelligent path forward is to just always purchase all of your clothing on Amazon, or Uniqlo?

Why? I think it just makes sense. You’re cutting out the middleman, all the stuff by Lululemon is just made in the same factory in Vietnam, I think $100 pair of tight leggings from Lululemon, might only cost $10 for them to produce? The rest of those $90 is probably profit for the Lululemon corporation.

Apparently nowadays on Amazon, you could purchase all these duplicate clothing, in which they take the inseam and the measuring of Lululemon men shorts, and just create a duplicate, with inferior materials. But if you just want something simple and cheap, it seems to be logical this way.

Or, design it yourself! I recently had the epiphany I hate sleeves; and therefore, I just took some heavy duty steel scissors I got at home, and I just took my old -32 merino wool black T-shirt and just cut off the sleeves! Boom, brand new outfit that cost me nothing. 

Just buy it on Amazon! Problem solved.

***

Brands are for cowards

I put zero faith in anybody who drives a base level Audi, like an Audi Q3 three or A3, an entry-level BMW or Mercedes, or even an entry-level Porsche 718. They are signaling some serious insecurity here.

Everybody knows that a Toyota Prius is the best car, but for men… They think it is demasculating to drive a Prius?

I was talking to one of the guys who worked at the Toyota dealership, and I asked him what car he thought I drove. The first thing he thought was 911? Which is pretty cool; because I guess I have the 911 personality, without having to Maintain that $100,000 loser car.

In fact, if I had to do some sort of brand new car project today, my idea would be get a brand new Prius prime, and matte black wrap it, murder it out, no loser tints, and paint the doorhandles matching paint colors. The new Prius 911 looks great; look at the horizontal tail light it looks awesome!

Real men drive Priuses

Everything else is for losers!

ERIC

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Fashion choices

Cars and clothes are all fashion choices.

If you live somewhere where it is really really strong sun, by a sun hat, not a loser baseball cap.

For your car, get a Prius.

For your body, 60 pound weight vest — my new stoic Spartan fashion body armor accessory?

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Shame and economic productivity

I think the reason why this is so critical is that there seems to be an interesting connection between being “cool“, and shame?

The first thought; is being “cool” the opposite of being shame shameful? 

In fact, when I think about the social politics of K-12 education, honestly, thinking back of it as a 36-year-old adult, it is all so ridiculous!

Lots of insane things here.

First, maybe there is some sort of standardization which happens here; the de facto trend is for a guy, you must own a pair of Nike sneakers, everything else is shameful and subpar?

What are the things that did not exist when I was a kid was Amazon Amazon prime; which is the great equalizer of all things. Even when I was a kid, purchasing a sneakers was quite expensive; even in high school, a pair of all white K Swiss sneakers, which was the cool shoe at the time, was still about $75; I recall this deal in which at footlocker, if you bought two of them, you could buy two for $100, which meant that each was $49. As a kid, that seemed like a good deal for me!

Even as a high schooler — I had some part-time jobs, and I would also get a stipend for the local Korean American community center that I worked at. But, like a fool I literally blew every single paycheck I got on sneakers, clothes, etc. I didn’t make that much money, maybe $200 a month, $100 here, another $200 here, a large sum of money might be $300… But still, I may be invested that money in high school, it would have probably set me on a better track in my early 20s and even mid 20’s!

To save money is the really radical thing here?

What seems anti-capitalist and anti-consumerist? To save your money! 

Actually if you think about it… The whole ethos is saving money kind of doesn’t really make sense in a consumer capitalist sense.

Also think that the problem about saving money is that maybe instead of thinking about saving money, the better idea is not spending your money, and using that money to invest.  Because as you earn money, perhaps it makes more sense to take that money, and instead of spending it on super fool as things, investing that money, and growing it, and gaining it?

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Am I the first?

Video Podcast

The sweetest word in the English language: Bitcoin

Bitcoin Audio

Real money

Toyota Crown Signa — super fascinating car?

The ideal outfit as the most via negativa and naked —

Simple — insanely frugal Spartan lifestyle and just funnel all of your money into Bitcoin!

Entrepreneurship by KIM

Change and do, and build or do things differently … based on what you believe the ideal world *should* look like:

1. Emotional Readiness is *Physical* Readiness?
2. Annoyance & Entrepreneurship
3. Why Doesn’t Anything Satisfy Me?
4. ZERO FINANCIAL CONCERNS
5. How to Gain Ascendancy
6. Business vs Entrepreneurship?
7. TAKE REAL CHANCES
8. Making Money as a Hobby
9. The Best Exercises for Entrepreneurs
10. INCOME VS EXPENSES MONEY LIFESTYLE PHILOSOPHY
11. Entrepreneurship is the privilege of being able to attempt something new
12. How to Become More Influential
13. The Point of Life is Entrepreneurship?
14. How to Think Like an Entrepreneur
15. Become the Outlier
16. Self Reliance
17. How to Extend Your Reach
18. NEWS: How to Think Like an Entrepreneur
19. PVP (Player vs Player)
20. How I became so influential
21. WE LOVE THE *SENSATION* OF RISK-TAKING
22. WHY HIGH PROFIT MARGINS?
23. INNOVATION THOUGHTS
24. OVERCONFIDENCE IS GOOD.
25. GARAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
26. PERHAPS IT IS GOOD TO BE “DELUSIONAL”
27. USE YOUR WEALTH TO BUY STUFF, OR TO BUILD AND INNOVATE STUFF?
28. HOW TO THRIVE
29. Target Demographic
30. Ambition Over Happiness
31. Anti Collaboration
32. The Will to Economy
33. Why New?
34. CHOOSE ADRENALINE.
35. No Looking Back.
36. 1000x Different
37. BECOME SPENDTHRIFT
38. THE BENEFIT OF JUST ONE.
39. EXTREME INNOVATION.
40. Practicality is Boring
41. BECOME YOUR OWN STANDARD.
42. NEVER STOP ITERATING.
43. CONDENSE.
44. Take Lots of Small Financial Risks
45. Control Over Convenience
46. Why Are Chinese Companies So Innovative?
47. INSANELY DIFFERENT.
48. Why Doesn’t Anything Ever Satisfy Me?
49. THE GREAT PASSION.
50. Perhaps Dissatisfaction is Good
51. ONE REP MAX.
52. WHAT DO YOU *REALLY* WANT IN LIFE?
53. LIFE IS ABOUT STRIVING FOR MORE.
54. NEVER STOP LINKING.
55. THE GREATEST.
56. WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!
57. THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
58. ERIC KIM CRITIQUE OF ROMANTICISM
59. COMPLACENCY.
60. JUST BUY IT.
61. ALL ABOUT YOU.
62. MOVE THE WORLD
63. Boring or Not Boring?
64. What if Your Past Self were Inferior to Your Present Self?
65. THE PHILOSOPHY OF PROGRESS
66. CULTURE IS YOUR ENEMY.
67. Difficulty & Interest
68. The Will to Expansion
69. What is Work?
70. SOUL IN THE GAME.
71. JUST START IT.
72. Not Boring
73. PRIDE IN YOUR OWN NAME / BRAND
74. AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TOLERATE.
75. Speed is Paramount
76. TAKE IT BACK TO THE BEGINNING.
77. A Life With No Risk Taking is *NOT* a Life Worth Living
78. Dissatisfaction is Good
79. GREATER STRENGTH, GREATER CHALLENGES.
80. In Praise of the New
81. Uncorrupted Desires
82. You Cannot Fake Passion
83. SELF-OVERGOING
84. FORM YOURSELF.
85. Personal Entrepreneurship
86. RELENTLESS.
87. PUT YOUR NAME ON IT.
88. A Life of Expansion
89. SELF-ENTREPRENEURSHIP
90. YOU ARE THE EXCEPTION.
91. Use Your Life as an Experiment to Self-Develop Yourself to Heights Never Seen Before
92. Invest in New Developments
93. Investing Towards What End?
94. The 90%/10% Principle in Entrepreneurship
95. Speed Wins
96. The Philosophy of Happiness
97. When to Over-Estimate, When to Under-Estimate?
98. Never Stop Iterating
99. Money as a Tool for Life and Artistic Experimentation
100. Less But More Premium
101. Mainstream vs Low-Key Success
102. Why Dissatisfaction is Good
103. SEEK YOUR OWN PERSONAL MAXIMAL BENEFIT INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING
104. Manifest Your Destiny
105. Is it Best to *Not* Communicate Your Inner Thoughts or Ideas With Others?
106. CREATE THINGS YOU WISH TO SEE MANIFESTED IN THE WORLD
107. How to Do More Work
108. CONTROL.
109. Competition is for Losers
110. Change.
111. Your Competitive Advantage with Insanely Fast Wifi and High Speed Internet
112. Pseudo Individualism
113. Natural Internal Promoting vs External Promptings

Think for Yourself.

1. Survival vs Thrivival
2. Become Rich
3. SECRETS.
4. Why it is Better to Beg for Forgiveness than Ask for Permission
5. Thinking About the Past Prevents You From Thinking About the Future
6. How to Predict the Future
7. Tools of Mass Distraction
8. So What?

FREEDOM

• On Leaving a Legacy
• I wanna be me!
• Productivity for personal freedom
• How to Purchase your Freedom

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Never stop innovating.

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Entrepreneurship Mindset

• What is Your Dream in Life?
• 8 Blogging Productivity Tips
• Why Be Normal?
• How Much Suffering Are You Willing to Endure to Achieve Your Dreams?

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Put a Dent in the Universe.

• Innovate for the Sake of Innovating!
• Reality is Malleable!
• Stoic Entrepreneurship
• Against Self-Preservation
• The Purpose of Life is to Make New Stuff!

An essay on thinking:

First, what is the most desire thing, the most desired trait in today’s world? To think. 

I think I am actually a very very sensitive person; I am extremely sensitive to audio visual information, ideas, words mines etc. I take everything personally, over personally; perhaps, rather than trying to negate this, this might be my superpower? I think this is how I could psycho analyze people so well, and even myself? 

Street smarts

Assuming that I might be the greatest street photographer of all time, yes, even better than Henri Cartier-Bresson, then it seems like I have a mighty task at hand. To propagate and to promote street photography to the limits and beyond. 

First, maximum exposure to the streets, public life, street life etc. Probably my most formative thing as of late is walking around lot every single day, with my 60 pound weight vest on. 

Even as a funny exercise, go on a walk with your weight vest on, your camera, and shoot street photos with your weight vest on! You’re killing at least two birds with one stone;  first, you get an incredible workout, and secondly, you’re making art!

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My social imperative

I think in today’s world, maybe the best approach is to think about your imperative; things that you must do because it is your self-appointed task in life, because you so believe in it so deeply.

I’ve always had the philosophy in the ideas that if you pursued your passion hard enough, even without thinking about social political or economic or monetary payoff; you would succeed.

For example, advice that I believed in which I still believe; the upside of pursuing your passion in life — in fact, the number one issue in today’s world is that nobody has a passion anymore, nor is anyone permitted to have a passion.  For example, the pernicious element of modern day capitalism is that in order to be virtuous, you must have your passion either directly or indirectly lead to some sort of social political monetary payoff. Or more or less… Your passion can only be made legitimate if it can directly or indirectly help you make a bunch of money.

I think one of the piece advice that I got from one of my high school teachers, which actually paid off was that if you pursued your passion, hard enough and diligently enough… Sooner or later it would pay off. He told me in the class that it certainly wouldn’t make you a bunch of money, but you should be at least able to make a living from it. 

Making a living

The stoic Spartan economic strategy;  we glorify and we deify our extreme and insane frugality; whenever I need inspiration or a vision… I always go back to the movie 300, and I always rewatch it… Because I’m a visual person, it centers me.

For literature, if I only had one book for the rest of my life it would probably be the Iliad by Homer. Achilles is my alter ego.

He who adapts the fastest shall win

I think this is something that Michael Saylor said; that an economics life biological life etc.… He who adapts the fastest shall win! 

Add optician is difficult process because there is no manual no playbook, no blueprint. And also the tricky thing is that a blueprint of the past only worked in the past because it was so disruptive at the time, but it probably won’t be applicable to modern day times.

Even Peter Thiel so wisely predicted, that the next billion dollar unicorn would not be a search engine or whatever; he almost predicted the rise of AI and ChatGPT; and he was right. Slowly but surely… chatGPT open AI is starting to eat the market share of Google; Google is starting to sweat bullets, and so is Apple. 

It seems like the magical unicorn right now is Nvidia; which is something I have been familiar with ever since I was a kid. Essentially when you’re applying counterstrike 1.6, whoever had the best card, the newest the fastest most powerful and videographics card, would have the most frames per second, which would actually give them a strategic advantage. Even though very small.

And now, these video games are starting to become insane. Kids nowadays prefer to play video games over anything else,,, note the rise of mobile based games, and still nowadays… Gaming computers, wanting to become a pro gamer or whatever. 

And I think, even though people like to play games on the iPhone, maybe the iPad… There’s still seems to be this prediction for people to rather sit, use a gaming computer, a gaming chair, because they prefer the haptics of tactical keyboard, and also mouse?

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The ultimate privilege 

What is the dream or living the dream? Being in Culver City, I see I met a lot of people; who work at Apple Amazon Warner Bros. discovery Sony pictures etc. And it is a bit sad;  yes yes yes you could drive your Ferrari to work, but the second you pull up to the parking lot in the parking garage, you are forced to be inside a depressing building all day.

I’m shocked even even Apple which I always considered the peak of success aesthetics and greatness — I don’t think I’ve ever met a happy person that I’ve met working at Apple besides my friend Anthony Larson? All these people who work at Apple in Culver City, they are so gloomy and depressed looking. They have designer clothes, but no tan, not enough freedom and time in the sun. I see them all drive their expensive cars into the Apple parking lot on Washington, to park it, and spend the rest of their days in their beautiful glass cube cage.  

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Goals?

Life goals are interesting; because they are centered around your own personal philosophy and ethos.

I typically like to ask people what their life goals are, their passions etc. Because it often signals who they are, what they believe in etc. Certainly there is no hierarchy in what seems like a wise idea or goals .,, why there are a certain like goal is wiser foolish is all subjective. And also hindsight is 20-20.

For example, one might have said that Steve Jobs wasting all this time going to Japan whatever or going to India was wasting time or doing Calligraphy was a waste of time, but ultimately it percolated into all the beautiful apple products we got today.

Therefore my simple suggestion is permit yourself to all the superficial random interests that you got, because you never know how it will come in handy. 

On thinking for yourself

Never read the news, never seek it; all news is bad and toxic.

Only that, but practically everything modern is bad. Any modern thinker the last 100 years, there are really no good ones. Only good ones I include NASSIM Taleb, Peter Thiel, and now Michael Saylor. Everyone else is bad.

The strange advice in today’s world is that we are not permitted to think for ourselves, by ourselves. We need to give fellatio to great thinkers who came before us, in order for it to be legitimate or warranted.

And truth be told… All these things are flawed. Just look into their personal lives; or their physique or how they look like. This matters.

For example, Nietzsche had extreme gastrointestinal problems his whole life, and also, he was always traveling and trying to find a new place to live before he settled somewhere I think in Italy because he was quite sensitive to climate, the weather? Nietzsche even has a theory that the reason why Arthur Schopenhauer was so dark and gloomy was simply because of the poor German weather. I; Berlin in the middle of the winter is depressing as hell. Same goes with Prague or the South of France and Marseille during the winter time. For the most part, winter in Europe sucks. Especially Eastern Europe.

I actually wonder… Because of the poor weather, that is why Russian thinkers, Russian writers tend to be so dark and morose?

Climate matters.

For example, currently peak summer here in Los Angeles,  and it is so glorious! There’s nothing that in Lins me and my joy as much as seeing the sunrise first thing in the morning from my apartment window! It actually gives me a motivation to go out!

Thinking about the last winter cycle; how depressing and gloomy it was. I think I’m like a plant; I need maximum sun exposure in order to grow.

Where being solitary is good 

If you think about all the great artists of the past, the great thinkers… The great philosophers, most of them were quite solitary in their pursuits.

For example, any thinker or artist who aligned themselves with some sort of cultural or theoretical movement, have not lasted.

For example, nobody really remembers any of the “Cubists” besides Picasso. Because Picasso was smart; he was a master marketer and promoter of himself; so for any skinny fat anemic emo art loving loser who says that the art should speak for itself is false. 

Art is marketing.

What is art?

 to me, maybe just being alive is art?  For me, it is all art, artful, artistic, etc.

For example, your lifestyle how you live is art; let us recall that the word art “facere” means to make.

How to become a great street photographer 

Maybe this is time for ERIC KIM to get back into street photography 2.0. We have already rode the first grand wave, and now… After a brief lull… We are back in the game! 

My critique of all street photographers, all the masters, Henri Cartier bresson magnum and the like  is many.

First, maybe we should think about HCB like Socrates or Plato.  All philosophers after Socrates is bad and degenerate. There is a screen shift in philosophy towards ethics and morality. Before Socrates, it was more about nature of the universe, deeper thoughts. And the really bad thing is when we tried to make it all into a science; this is where economics and all economic theory is bad. All these twig men try to turn economics into a science and mathematics but it is not. My idea is economic theory that is not at least 300 years old. Better to read Aristotle on economics modern day… Even the school of economics, they are too modern. Maybe not as bad as the American or or sneakers… But still… modern all too modern! 

Think Greek

The Greeks invented the Olympics. And we all know and recognize that ancient Greece was the Apex in epitome of all human civilization. Even better than the Romans. 

Even watching recent Olympics, my plenty site that in tradition, the Greeks always went first, even though now they are the most weak major out there. They certainly have their cultural clout of the past… Yet, now they are impotent in terms of economics; Which is bad because economics is now the new head of power on the planet.

Once again, we will not see World War III the future wars and battles are all economic battles. Economics, money and capitalism is the new modern bond which holds all of humanity together, which is good because it promotes peace. Even though there are lots of evil of capitalism, I think it is still positive on the planet; because you are self interested economizing individual, you will not want war, you will want peace because peace is better for economics, material wealth and money. 

For example there is no oligarch in mainland China who wants World War III, because he will desire to have his fine whiskey, drive his Rolls-Royce, send his kids to college in America, buy a nice house in Vancouver etc.

Economic theory

This is where economic theory becomes so interesting to me, because assuming that use the internet, have a bank account balance, a credit card, use Visa, use Apple Pay, have an iPhone etc.… You are implicated in economics, the planet. 

The first interesting thought I had which was inspired by Cindy thinking about economics and the human body.

For example, when it comes to physical culture with men; it is all centered around gain. Just like money. You don’t want any losses.

Then, this becomes terrible because a man’s ego is only tied to how much weight or muscle mass or whatever he puts on! Also the problem with powerlifting; if too much of your ego is centered around your personal record number… Sooner or later you might dip into steroids or weird stuff in order to boost your numbers. or maybe something foolish, and injure yourself because you’re chasing those numbers in a fragmented way.

… Would you judge Achilles based on his dick size, how big his biceps were, how much he could dead lift and squat? No. It was his lethality in battle, PVP, 1v1.

And this is my current choice; I don’t know any other man in the flesh is more masculine, more charming, more handsome and as strong as me.

As long as the other man cannot lift 1000 pounds, or 10 plates, he is no match for me.

Even all of these powerlifters and strong men, who are all on steroids and balding, or bald… They are no match for me.

Even the rock, who is obviously juicing his eyeballs out; he has chicken legs? He wishes that his legs were as strong as me. 

Even Zac Efron, I feel bad that he is such a Shorty guy, only about 5 foot seven? Even though very handsome?

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The path forward

So what is the logical path forward?

First, your art will outlast you. Your art through your children, your art through your artwork etc.

Either children or art,,, ideally both.

You do not seek your own personal immortality, this is first a philosophically disgusting notion, and also biologically impotent. I doubt if you were 300 years old, you would be able to ejaculate.

Where we should be very suspicious of Silicon Valley people 

Currently speaking, the nerds have taken over. Why because they are the richest. Once again, if you take nerds with good intentions and too much money, and too much power… Things go awry.

For example, Mark Zuckerberg, who might have more power than the US president; has good intentions, he is a nerd, and will forever be that way.

Bill Gates; the uber nerd, just see what Steve Jobs said about him in Walter Isaacson’s biography —  and think about that Elon Musk tweet, “the quickest way to kill your boner.”

Even Peter Thiel, I love him to death, but I’m not sure if he’s actually interested in having kids? I think the last time I checked he had a male partner… But no kids?

Jeff Bezos wants to go to space and leave earth behind.

Elon Musk is still good; he wants to get the planet off of fossil fuels, and make human life interplanetary. He is probably one of the greatest innovators entrepreneurs of all time, who has created value literally out of nothing.

As much as you can critique Tesla cars, the don’t lie; the Tesla model Y is the most desired car on the planet, and also the best selling one, made in the USA!

So the irony is, if you are truly a red blooded American, you would be very pro Tesla.

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My personal thought is that it is all physical, physiological and body-based; no no no, you cannot be a 400 pound obese man with 80% body fat, and have “self-confidence”.

However there are some other subtle pernicious things; you could be 6 foot tall, with a six pack,  Super jacked and buff, but still have low self-confidence because you’re comparing your self your body your physique with all these other guys at the gym who are all on steroids.

“I Snapchat my dick size!” – Ye

Another weird thing, especially when it comes to men, young boys and adolescence etc.; this obsession with penises, penis size?

You’re not going to have a 20 inch long dick, no matter how hard you try. Neither is that a desirable thing?

Also I think this is a reason why video photos and recording of sexual intercourse is fake; nobody ever has sex with their super beautiful babe, with huge spotlights on, bright LEDs; I think the natural thing for humans is to do it in the dark, under the sheets, at night, before we sleep? Or maybe even in the middle of the night?

I think the reason why this matters is because I think, 99.9% of men, maybe nearly 100%, unless you’re some super radical religious anti porn person;  is probably watching porn, maybe every night, every single night, every single day? In private on their iPhone, in the bathroom, in Google incognito mode, or Safari private mode, Brave browser incognito mode,  or on their laptop with a VPN, torrenting some random Maria Ozawa Japanese porn stuff on pirate bay? 

I mean it’s fine; I don’t think that there is any Mistic evil to pornography. I mean if you think about it, people prostitute themselves all the time, some do it with their bodies, some do it with their souls, some do it with their minds, some do it with their intelligence their fingers their mouths, their butt holes, etc.

“ I’ve woken up from an enlightened man’s dream, checking Instagram comments to crowd source my self esteem” – Ye

The first simplest way to boost self-esteem is via negativa; that means deletion. Delete your Instagram, delete your Facebook Snapchat whatever.

Some hilarious ironies:

1. Have a kid or kids: the irony is I think for beautiful and fertile women, ultimate goal is the desiring to find the ideal mate to get a grand child. Therefore, the hilarious irony is that as a man once you got a kid, a young cute kid, it is a signal that you’re not a chump; if somebody already had the audacity to marry you and birth you are kid, it is a signal that they are good mate.
2. Top off, shirt off — show off your full body tan, Ronaldo style, and I think here is the critical thing… All these guys have this false assumption that somehow women want some steroid out super insanely muscular looking guy, like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Ronnie. It is funny; I think it is better to be Paul dark and handsome with a six pack, with a more lean look, kind of like Brad Pitt in fight club, or even the guys in the movie 300; the guy who jumps and chops off the arm of the Persian slave driver.

What’s the point of being attractive to women if you’re already married and have kids?

Honestly, I think it just feels good, gives your confidence, makes you happier, more joyful, more gay, more upbeat bright and happy!

In fact, my personal observation is in every day life… Men are super awkward around women in the flesh?

Chest up, shoulders back, stand straight up?

One of the greatest things that I am grateful for is that I am tall; 5‘11“, I just lie and I say I’m 6 feet tall. Like all men, I always round up.

Certainly, your height is something you can never change, irregardless of how many billions of dollars you got. For example even Jeff Bezos, even though he has the biggest metaphorical dick size on the planet, in one of the richest men, one of the great downsides is that he is super short; only about 5‘7“ tall? And now, I’m pretty certain he’s on some sort of steroids are weird testosterone boosting stuff because first his arms don’t look natural; too buff, too many veins, especially that he’s around 60 years old? Also, if you look at the early days of him as a super uber nerd, the takeaway point:

Once a nerd, always a nerd.

Once a nerd, forever a nerd.

One of a kind?

MONZA

Make plastic cool again! Those huge ass bigass Nalgene water bottle in plastic — so much lighter than steel!

Ladies love me!

I’m sexy and I know it

I tend to never regret my actions, only my non-actions ;; things I wished I did or stood up for.

Silent,,, make strong eye contact.

Apple — so desperate to peddle her goods?

I dislike politics, but now as my interest in economics, Bitcoin, theories on money power has grown,,, I cannot help but become more political, because there is a link —

The funny thing is now that Seneca is getting older, I’m spending more time with him in the outdoors, walking hiking running around etc.… I’m actually becoming more fit?

Certainly in the early days of sleep deprivation, it is difficult exercise because you’re just fighting for sleep. But once your kid is asleep trained at around six months, it seems that easiest path might just be figure out a way you can work out at home?

For example, I love the gym and I think it is good and virtuous, but the thing is when you are a parent, and you’re literally fighting for every single minute, going to the gym has too much losy time in terms of opportunity cost, in terms of finding parking, waiting for the squat rack etc.

In fact, creating my own off the grid gym in my second parking spot, I’ve discovered so many new great innovations! Also my beloved 60 pound weight vest.

Because I’m walking around with my 60 pound weight vest all day, and also spending all day walking with Seneca, carrying him often, there’s literally nothing I need to do exercise my legs, my thighs quads legs are insanely buff.

Also a good thing is when I arm carry Seneca, I’m also getting a bicep and upper body workout, I looked at my arms recently my shoulders my triceps it all looks great!

Shooting photos for the sake of it!

The true path to freedom; unshame yourself:

What is the metaphorical ball and chain in our new modern day life? Shame. It applies not only to people of Asian East Asian descent, or Confucian values… Also in America, with the Quaker protestant morals and ethics being around shame.

Certainly within a Christian Catholic mentality as well; also maybe to Jewish people as well? And also, the Japanese, maybe almost anyone living in an industrialized, modern day world and civilization.

Shame is learned and taught and reinforced

One thing I love about Seneca… Is that he is so free pure, and great. Fortunately because he has wise parents, ever since he is born… We have never instilled any shame culture on him.

There’s a really bad thing in Korean culture, which is called “cheng-pee”, which literally means shameful. I think Korean people superficially say it to be cute, but if you really think about it… It is actually quite insidious.

For example, you will see it over and over again when a kid is running around naked without pants on, almost about everything.

American shame?

In America, we do have notions of shame, but it is not said so directly. For example if you have a young kid who is running around naked at the house, you’re probably won’t say “shame shame shame shame shame!” Put on some clothes or else you will bring shame onto our family and all of your family members and past generations.  

The genesis of shame

Funny enough… shame is not an ethic that Jesus preached. Shame is rather a form of social control.

For example, growing up Catholic Korean Catholic… All this guilt and shame around porn pornography, masturbation etc. And all these weird superstitions that you would grow hairy palms if you jerked off? 

Also, very funny… Even the modern day times, with all these fake macho guys at the gym etc.… Whenever you joke about Porn and jerking off… All guys will always side chuckle a little bit shamefully, because obviously all the guys do it.

But technically, assuming you grew up up without religion and modern day shamed notions… None of it should really be shameful. Maybe gross, or unhygienic, but not shameful.

This is where Japanese culture is really fascinating to me; like there is no Christian Judeo morality holding back the Japanese; and therefore, pornography is not really seen as a big deal in Japan. Whereas in America, we all believe it to be porn to be a little bit morally reprehensible. Even to progressive people. 

Why is being naked seen as being shameful? 

I have some theories.

First, in the Bible… The second Adam and Eve take a bite out of the apple from the garden of Eden… Apparently the first thing that Adam and Eve realize is that they were naked, they feel shame and they immediately want to cover up. God knows and discovers that they took a bite of the forbidden fruit.

Some subtle nuances;

First, where does this notion of the forbidden fruit even come from? Kind of a bizarre notion. Essentially the idea is that it is better to be naked and dumb and happy, rather than to possess your own self wisdom rationality and intelligence and judge the world?

The second… Why is it considered shameful to be naked, either in private or public?

Shame is good at selling (overpriced) clothing 

Shame sells! Some theories:

The first theory is a capitalistic one. You cannot make money by telling people to be naked. You got to sell them clothes.

Second, it seems that by breeding insecurity is a smart strategy if you want people to purchase or desire to purchase certain clothes in articles of clothing, in order to feel “cool“? For example, at the age of 36, I feel the wisest I have ever been in my life. No more lame and loser Nikes, sneakers, etc. Only losers were Nikes, Jordans, whatever.

The true intelligent footwear to wear is either the vibram five finger shoes, or if you have a kid, just getting them those super minimalist water shoes on Amazon which only cost about 10 bucks. 

Cars are the new shoes for adults?

Another theory; when you are kid, and maybe before you have a drivers permit or license, you can’t drive. Therefore, shoes and sneakers are like a metaphorical car or vehicle. When you are a middle school or highschooler a teenager… We are yet rich enough to buy cars but we could buy shoes.

Now that we are adults, and we are richer, and we could do stupid things like finance a car with a down payment, and have a monthly payment, cars and automobiles are like the new sneakers. Think about it… Both have to deal with transportation transit and getting around and moving around, being seen, fashion being fashionable etc.

Cars are fashion objects

If you just need a car to get around, the truly intelligent thing is to get a used Toyota Prius, the 2010 edition. Otherwise, all cars are just fashion?

And also, cars… They come in and out of fashion every 3 to 6 months, and there’s always a new car being released. In fact, whether we like it or not, LA, Southern California, California, the states, the planet… A car or automobile Vehicle, a truck SUV whatever… Might be one of the grandest industries in America and beyond?

But lots of problems here:

First, I have a theory that one’s happiness is inversely proportional to how much time you have to either spend seated in a car, driving around etc. And I’m starting to think that the payoff is not worth it ; for example,  let us see you have the option to drive an additional 30 minutes to go somewhere that is maybe 40% nicer than just going somewhere local that you could access via walking. Typically that optimization is not worth it.

Why? Opportunity cost. A 30 minute drive there, 30 minute drive back… That is a full hour otherwise you have spent just walking around!

The metro E line is the future 

Taking the metro is a far better bet. For example, on killing 10 birds with one stone; the joys of taking the metro, especially the metro E line in Los Angeles is multifold:

First, you have the joy and privilege of being able to stand the whole ride, and even shift around your weight and walk around the train if you want!

Second, you get an insanely cool view of the city! Playing SimCity with Seneca, there’s this notion of a maglev train; a magnetic elevated train!

It doesn’t have to be magnetic, just elevated. The reason why the metro line in LA is so phenomenal is that you are above traffic, you are above the ground level, and you get this really interesting panopticon view of the city! 

Third, kids love it! I don’t know any kid who doesn’t like to take the metro, it is so fun for them! Even for my niece Amelia who is now in the first or second grade, seven or eight years old, After taking her and her younger brother Benjamin to the California science Center via the metro E line, she asked me and Cindy… Can we take the metro back home (to Orange County)?

The future might be more basic than we think it is?

Also, watching this cute film at the California science Center about cities of the future… The general idea is that in the future, everyone would just be taking some sort of magnetic electric elevated train somewhere, And on the mid and bottom and middle levels, would be some of the fools who have to self drive their own cars. In the middle layer would have self driving cars.

Or more simply put, in the future, only poor people have to drive themselves?

Visions?

Singapore is often cited as being a city of the future, but it is not. Truth be told Singaporeans don’t really like living in Singapore; they would prefer to live in the states if they could.

Maybe the closest thing I have to witnessing a city of the future is Culver City, the only city which you could actually walk around all day, and never get bored, and you could also do all your grocery shopping here at Trader Joe’s or Erewhon or Whole Foods. Even nowadays, a supermassive innovation that we got is being able to do the Amazon fresh grocery deliveries so might pull in I think 80% of the average American family, time and resources is wasted occurring food and groceries.

The future of food is here

And also, let us consider… It is the year 2024, it is very common to get the same day prime delivery of almost any single item on Amazon. Shouldn’t we apply the same ethos to food, which is really the only critical thing we need in order to live? We don’t have free food… Yet, but at this point we have free clean water, just drinking from the tap or filtered water at home! And at this point, you could purchase coffee in bulk, on Amazon and it is so cheap practically free! The “fresh roasted coffee” 5 pound bag on Amazon, the yirgacheffe Ethiopian blend quite good!

How to unshame yourself? 

God sent me to break the shame. I’m the true and living, all the rest of you guys are vain. 

First, get rid of those loser AirPods, throw them in the trash. Better to be ghetto and hood, if you want to listen to something, music podcasts or whatever, just crank up the volume on your iPad Pro or iPhone, and listen to it loud in public or even in private. If somebody tells you to quiet down, just lower the volume and continue.

And actually this is the funny polarity that I have observed and discovered; almost everybody else is always listening to AirPods pros, which means that they can’t even hear you.

Nowadays, I have a new heuristic or the way that I separate people; people have something in their ears, or don’t.

Headphones or noise canceling headphones or AirPods pros are like condoms for your ears. Imagine if you had a noise canceling thing on your penis, a noise canceling condom. Probably would not be good for sexual pleasure.

And the truth is, I think our sense of hearing is actually 1000 times more acute than our power of vision. For example, the reason why hoking is so irating to me is because I have very sensitive earlobes! And also the reason why the smell of second hand smoke whether cigarettes, marijuana, or even vape… Perhaps there is also more wisdom in our nose than our eyes. 

Therefore just observe it… When you’re out in public or at the gym or whatever, separate people into the two categories; people with headphones on, people without. Seek the naked ear lobe hole folks.

All people with headphones and AirPods on are simply drones

The iPhone is the new drug?

Second, throw your iPhone Pros into the trash. I notice it nowadays… Very subtly; when I am walking around with my 60 pound weight vest on, and I look at somebody, and then they want to glance at me, and they do for half a second, and then half a second they do this nervous twitch in which what they do is check their phone… or they are in New York Manhattan, or in a crowded elevator, I will see people open up their phones, check the time, refresh their email inbox, etc.… Simply as it means to avoid eye contact or inter action with others?

Don’t open up or check your phone when you feel nervous

Simple suggestions include whenever you make eye contact with somebody, or even if you see somebody half a block away looking at you, just throw up the peace sign, or give them a head nod. You would be surprised, people can spot you from half a mile away. 

You would want all the votes you can

Maybe a random thought is think like you are the mayor, you are a firefighter, a public servant, or if you’re running for mayor. If this were the case, you would want to be maximally friendly to every single human being you encounter, because you want their votes! This means being nice friendly and courteous and cheerful and acknowledge the existence of people who are even antisocial, bizarre?

I have a simple rule; first, always be nice friendly and courteous to anybody you encounter, even if they give you bad vibes. And also, always better to risk being friendly and saying hello to somebody, even if they may give you the cold shoulder or pretend that you didn’t greet them? 

In fact, this is my personal read on things; when you see somebody, that you have maybe seen before, and you have a low-key suspicion that they are somehow envious jealous or afraid or intimidated by you, because you make them feel smaller… You actually might be right. And therefore, when you say what’s up to them, and say hello, but they kind of pretend like they didn’t see you do it… It is typically a signal that yes they did see you, but they’re too much of a pussy and coward to acknowledge you.

If this were in fact the true case, carry on! 

And then, let us say that you didn’t know this with 100% supreme accuracy, then, you continue to greet them in a friendly manner, or do you then also retaliate and give them the cold shoulder? 

I say do the more courageous path; to pretend like you didn’t see them, giving the cold shoulder is an act of cowardice; therefore doing the opposite thing is more courageous! 

In fact in modern day times, to greet and say hello to strangers, might be one of the greatest acts of courage? 

---

Make friends with security guards.

Why? First, honestly a lot of security guards, because they are outside all day just walking around… are just friendlier and happier than the average office drone. Second, most of them have not taken the traditional educational route in life, which means that they tend to be much more interesting to talk to, rather than the average university graduate and career person.

In fact, the only interesting conversations I’ve had is from people from the hood, maybe people in the military, some kids, and those who we would consider “nontraditional”. In fact, 99.99% of people you encounter, in the states are quite boring. The second someone bores you, just excuse yourself and say you have to use the bathroom and walk away.

For example, you’ll find more interesting sociological truth wisdom and interest from somebody who is real ghetto, really from the hood, rather than a fake ass average person.

***

Drain?

OK let us assume that you are a battery and you cannot be recharged in the middle of the day. The only way you can recharge your battery is when you go to sleep at night.

That means any single interaction social interaction, engagement whatever could either have a positive or negative effect on you.

I’m sorry to realize this… but the truth is that some people will essentially just capture you, and just keep talking nonsense to you, and refuse to let you leave. And the whole interaction is insanely draining. You could feel it physiologically, in terms of your attention span, your energy levels, and also you just feel boredom. 

This is my personal heuristic — if I know somebody, whether a friend family member acquaintance or whatever, and I asked them how they are doing and chat about them… Their family whatever, and they never asked how my son Seneca is doing, this is a very bad sign. 

In fact I have a new heuristic; whenever anyone shows even an ounce of interest in Seneca, seems concerned about his well-being, shows affection to him with their hand in a friendly manner, or praises him, they will 100% forever be on my good side.  

Also the opposite; for friends and family members who have never asked about Seneca or his well-being, even after several encounters, I shall shun them.

Misery loves misery

To be happy as rare. I am probably the only happy person that I know, and Seneca is also rare; the only happy kid I know. 

I would say that 99.99% of people are miserable. And the way that they could feel better about themselves is by dragging other people down, spewing hate, etc.? Very counterproductive.

In the UK they call it the tall poppy syndrome; you see a guy driving around the new Lamborghini, and then you’ll find some sort of way to discredit him, saying that he has a small dick, or he cheated for that money etc.

At least a good thing in America is that often our jealousy and envy could be positive and productive; we see Jeff Bezos Elon Musk and the like becoming super successful, and we aspire to become like them.

Or, maybe if you see somebody driving a certain car, in the US we think —

Wow, if I also work super hard, one day I could also have that same car! 

Therefore, at least in America we do have this notion of a constructive envy.

Building muscle is the ultimate democratic thing 

Also in bodybuilding, I think we often use other men and their physiques as a role model; we all want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime, is always plastered around all across the planet.

But a simple thought: I think body glorification is 1 trillion times more virtuous than car fellatio, or even money glorification. 

For example, I would never switch spaces with any other human being on the planet, irregardless of how wealthy or rich or powerful they are.

Jeff Bezos is short, only 5 foot seven. Kanye West is also short, maybe 5 foot five. I think Kendrick Lamar is only 5 foot two? Jay Z is cool, but he’s too old now. 

Also, any billionaire in their 50s or 60s would probably trade their wealth in order to become 20 years old again.

Even if you were worth 100 billion or $1 trillion, and you’re 90 years old, wouldn’t you trade 100% of your wealth in order to become 21 years old again?

And truth be told, the most important thing is for our youth, our strength, our bodily vigor, our muscle, our height, our happiness and joy! 

How do you know if somebody is old or not? Look at their arms.

I saw some pictures of Hugh Jackman on the red carpet, and if you look at his forearms… Even though he has a bulging vein in it, his arms look old. You could tell by their skin quality.

Even the same thing with women, apparently the best thing to do is judge the character of their skin, or their hand! Because I don’t think there is something as hand aesthetic surgery yet, which means you cannot fake your age via your hands.

If you want to see whether someone is a man or woman or their age ,,, feel and hold and inspect their hands!

---

Unwealth

You can truly determine how rich somebody is by what they don’t own.

For example, really really insanely rich people don’t own or wear watches; they are not a slave of time. 

Also, insanely successful and rich people like Carlos Slim don’t own an iPhone or a smartphone; because they are not slaves to their inbox. 

Even a thought, if I ever had to buy Seneca a phone, I would just buy him a dump phone, even something that doesn’t have text messaging! To train him that if he really needs to make a phone call, you could just make a phone call? And it doesn’t matter if he gets teased in school; all these other kids are basic. 

In fact if you really really think about it, the super super rich and successful people don’t even own a car! If you lived in Manhattan, I don’t even think you own a car– nor is it even a desirable thing. If you live in Manhattan, nobody wants to drive themselves. Or even be stuck in a car; even the super super rich people would prefer to take the subway, even though it is crowded, at least you’re not stuck in traffic!

Don’t draw attention to yourself

Something which is really genius that the Wachowski brothers, now sisters, did is they never granted interviews, they never really showed their face in public, etc.… Which was insanely genius because they have all of the upsides of success without the downsides like being mobbed in public. 

The really really really rich smart successful powerful people are hidden; they don’t draw attention themselves because they know the downsides of fame.

In fact, I feel bad for people like Dr. Dre or Jay Z or whatever; they can’t even go out without being mobbed etc. And one of the greatest joys and pleasures of being human and alive is to simply go outside for a walk, in a public square, to be totally anonymous. In fact, the ideal is to be super super rich and powerful, and have a lot of labor power latent within you… Having a lot of economic power, but also being 100% anonymous. Why? Let us consider the misery of a Brad Pitt; estranged from his children, his beautiful ex-wife Angelina Jolie, and it doesn’t matter if he has all of the good looks in the world, or all of the cool cars whatever… He can’t just walk around the block, or enjoy himself at the beach! Unless you put on a facemask a ski mask or something that covers his face up?

Suggestions

If celebrities really wanted to be low-key and enjoy their anonymity, they would just drive a white Toyota Prius — the ultimate stealth car. If you pop out of a Prius, no one will think that you’re that famous actor oractress or celebrity. Even Kim Kardashian, I wonder if there is certain days she would just prefer to be outside and just wanna go on a walk?

I think this is also the genius of Kanye having his 100% facemask on, I’m not sure how it feels breathability wise, but, assuming that he not wearing a certain outfit, or driving a certain car, in theory he should be able to walk around in public without having people stare at him, they would only stare at the facemask not knowing it was him. 

Via negativa wealth

Some new radical thoughts on wealth:

I think true wealth is inversely proportional; the things you don’t have the things you don’t own in order to maintain.

The less you own the less you have to maintain, the wealthier you are.

For example, I would not wish for a Lamborghini McLaren or any hyper sports car on even my worst enemy. Why? The critical issue here is that maintenance costs are an effing nightmare. And insane headache! Because whether you like it or not, even the rich people you are jealous of also feel physiological and mental pain and anguish, they also sleep poorly and feel terrible. Why? They sacrifice their life, their personal freedom and their health life time soul for money!

The limits of money?

How much wealth is enough wealth? Simple: enough to pay your rent, buy ground beef at Amazon fresh, and then just bundle the rest of the money into bitcoin.

Think long

Why hybrid is the way:

With cars, it is not even a money thing. Like the laws of physics; sooner or later you’re going to have to get an oil change, and it will not only be very expensive, but time consuming, insanely annoying etc. I think this is where it makes more sense to get some sort of maybe Hybrid sports car or Lexus LC500– in theory you could just take it to any ordinary oil change place, because it is a Toyota, you could easily get it repaired or change the oil. Also, the now discontinued Acura NSX is a hybrid; which means you get stellar miles per gallon, and also it should require less maintenance than any other non-Japanese hyper sports car. And I guess because it is discontinued now, it should hold its value? And because Acura is a Honda… Hondas are reliable, and also not difficult to find parts to fix. 

No oil changes is ideal 

Maybe this is also the logic of having an all electric sports or hyper car; in theory, an electric sports car should require less maintenance and gasoline or hybrid one;  I think the only thing you probably have to change or fix or maintain is refill the window wiper fluid? 

Everyone wants the butterfly doors or the scissor doors or the Lambo doors — but I think the true intelligent optimization here is that you have some sort of electric car that could do this? Maybe this is also where the BMW i8 is a good idea; because it has the butterfly or scissor doors? And it is either all electric, or Hybrid I think?

And also if you really wanted the billionaire doors on a budget, just get a Tesla model X! You get the gull wing doors, the same thing  on that one really really rare and expensive Mercedes car, or the DeLorean, for only about $65,000?

Tesla Model X Plaid

I also think this is where the Tesla model X plaid is so genius; the 0 to 60 speed is 2.5 seconds; faster than a Porsche 911, and also you could have a family of six all seated? And at worst, if shit hits the fan, I suppose you could also live inside of it?

Why do you want it?

Question: do you want it for what it is, or what it symbolizes? 

I think the big issue here is the question; do you actually like that Lamborghini, the idea of the Lamborghini, actually owning it, the idea of it, or the totem of it?

It is all imaginary in our mind. For example if I knew that I owned a Lamborghini with the scissor doors just parked in my garage, but I never drove it… Certainly I would not really have the benefit of it. But just knowing at the back of my head that I got it, is what makes me smile?

Portable wealth

I think this is also where bitcoin is useful; I think the new modern day digital dick measuring contest will be; how many bitcoin do you own? And it is like your metaphorical dick size; the more bitcoin you got, the longer your cyber dick.

Kanye had a funny quote saying that being a male porn star was an objective way to measure them– essentially, their penis size. In theory the guy with the 20 inch dick should be the best porn star. But I would also not wish this even not my worst enemy, because it would seem very uncomfortable to just walk around, without having to tuck it or wrap it around your leg or something.

But I think the issue here is that with the whole dick size thing, we all know that African-American men statistically have the largest or the longest penis size. But statistically they are not the richest nor the most powerful men in America.

Therefore the question is; when we try to do a metaphorical thick measuring contest, what are we trying to do? I think what we are trying to do is to jockey for a position, in terms of economic power?

Once again, it is not money that we seek, but economic power.

---

What is it that we all truly seek?

I think this is where I go beyond Seneca and the stoics, also beyond even my best friend Nietzsche.

Have you ever met a philosopher or a stoic who looks like me?

The problem with Seneca the younger is that I think he was a fatty boy. I think the true bust statue of him and his head he was bald, and had a triple chin. Makes sense; even Seneca “On Anger” writes, we should not get offended by truthful facts; why would you be offended if somebody made fun of you for being bald, when in fact you actually are bald? The better response is to just poke fun at yourself; better to poke fun at your baldness, rather than feel shameful about it?

Also, Seneca critiques people who spent too much time exercising, and that rather, our focus should be on training our mind and our soul. But is this a sour grapes fallacy;

You hate people you wish you were?

Making fun of yourself is the best defense

For example, if somebody makes fun of you for being Asian and having a small dick or whatever, just call it a baby turtle. That it pokes out every once in a while. Or that you have a “chode”– a penis which has more girth than length.

When you poke fun at yourself, it is an impregnable defense. 
I even remember in high school, whenever somebody would tease you for being gay or whatever, the best response was “I love dick!” And then after that, nobody had anything left to say.

Humor, dark humor, black stoic Spartan humor is key?

We stoics of the future

Whenever people think about the future, people are foolish; they think about adding more technology to our lives, throwing on more vision pros, more AirPods pros, more time in your self driving car etc. 

But in fact, the true path to the future is via negativa– the true future is more spartan, less physical, more cyber and digital.

More cyber real estate which is bitcoin, more digital money which is also bitcoin, more time outdoors in the direct sun with your shirt off, which is the true way of living the dream. 

Living the dream!

---

Radical?

I suppose the question is do we really need to be radical here?

I think there is some sort of like intelligent wise radicalism, which is just stick to your own guns, following your own gut, refusing to just be another drone. I’d rather be Brad Pitt and Tyler Durden than Edward Norton.

And I think the problem here is that we have weird role models now. Everyone wants to be Warren Buffet; but do you want to be a fat old man, who is just sitting in hunched over our newspaper all day, even if you are the world’s second richest man?

Therefore the new godhead is wealth being super rich. Being in the Forbes top 100, ideally number one.

There is no second best.

---

Why settle for second? 

The American way —

In America, our whole ethos and impetus is towards being the best, number one. There is no second best.

Nobody wants the silver. Just look at the Olympics, we always measure by the number of gold trophies. Better to get one gold medal for your country, rather than 1000 silvers.

“One good girl is worth a 1000 bitches” Kanye Bound 2, YEEZUS album

I think this is where it is so critical to be so insanely wise about choosing your life partner your wife etc. Don’t settle for second best.

And also, this is where where you live is critical; Culver City is the best, in all of Los Angeles, no second best.

I think, opting for the best is the best path forward. This is why America is number one for entrepreneurship on the planet!

Certainly there is bad things about trying to always be number one. But truth be told, assuming you’re not taking drugs or doing weird stuff, I don’t think it hurts?

---

The ethos of the best

I think this is why America is so productive; we all desire to be the best! We want to be the most rich and the most successful, within our friends circle and family circle, and then maybe beyond that, spreading our circles and sphere of influence a bit further out.

For example, I’m happy that I’m the number 1 greatest street photography blogger of all time, nobody will ever take the crown from me, no matter how hard they try. Just ask ChatGPT!

Then I then suppose that the next step forward is to discover a new niche, and also dominate that. Perhaps I have a passion for domination.

This is why when I go to the gym, or when I used to go to the gym, it was always my number one goal to be the strongest guy in the gym, by a huge fold. This is why I lifted 10 plates, a 25 and a five on each side; and broke the weightlifting universe with my 1,000 pound atlas lift. 

I believe this accomplishment and will last forever.

You only have to do it once. 

What is the next thing I want to dominate?

Anything you have a true passion for, autotelic; it is very easily achievable, if you do not have to consider economic payoff, making money etc. Or making other people happy, or even giving utility to other people.

A random thought I have on my mind is towards lifestyle; now that I am 36 years old, about the same age which Tim Ferriss wrote the four hour work week? Maybe I could become the next Tim Ferriss? Tim Ferriss is great; but I think the issue is that he is short, balding, insecure, and I think he is also not yet married and childless, maybe he has a dog? And also, I don’t think he’s really figured things out for himself yet; he’s always onto the next thing, just seeking endless distraction for himself? 

Maybe I’ll be the next Tim Ferris! 

Suggestions for Tim:

1. Get rid of advertisements on your podcast, you’re rich enough.
2. Maybe your next step is just writing a really good philosophy book, which is 100% honest, and doesn’t try to be a best seller or sell well. And maybe just give away a free PDF e-book version of it, open access, open source, and then sell the printed cover to your fanbase?
3. Try to get married and have at least one kid?

---

How and why lifestyle is such a critical thing to consider

I kind of hit the lifestyle that shouldn’t because it typically revolves around buying some sort of equipment and gear.

My personal thought is that lifestyle should just be a mental, a mindset, which should actually be “via negativa”– the ideal lifestyle you look more like a zen stoic spartan monk, rather than a fat short old balding loser with a Lamborghini. 

Making more money, but also spending no money?

If you really really really gotta buy something, just get it on Amazon Amazon prime! For example, I got this fantastic new all black Sun hat, on Amazon Amazon for only 10 bucks, one day delivery?

 in fact, maybe the intelligent path forward is to just always purchase all of your clothing on Amazon, or Uniqlo?

Why? I think it just makes sense. You’re cutting out the middleman, all the stuff by Lululemon is just made in the same factory in Vietnam, I think $100 pair of tight leggings from Lululemon, might only cost $10 for them to produce? The rest of those $90 is probably profit for the Lululemon corporation.

Apparently nowadays on Amazon, you could purchase all these duplicate clothing, in which they take the inseam and the measuring of Lululemon men shorts, and just create a duplicate, with inferior materials. But if you just want something simple and cheap, it seems to be logical this way.

Or, design it yourself! I recently had the epiphany I hate sleeves; and therefore, I just took some heavy duty steel scissors I got at home, and I just took my old -32 merino wool black T-shirt and just cut off the sleeves! Boom, brand new outfit that cost me nothing. 

Just buy it on Amazon! Problem solved.

***

Brands are for cowards

I put zero faith in anybody who drives a base level Audi, like an Audi Q3 three or A3, an entry-level BMW or Mercedes, or even an entry-level Porsche 718. They are signaling some serious insecurity here.

Everybody knows that a Toyota Prius is the best car, but for men… They think it is demasculating to drive a Prius?

I was talking to one of the guys who worked at the Toyota dealership, and I asked him what car he thought I drove. The first thing he thought was 911? Which is pretty cool; because I guess I have the 911 personality, without having to Maintain that $100,000 loser car.

In fact, if I had to do some sort of brand new car project today, my idea would be get a brand new Prius prime, and matte black wrap it, murder it out, no loser tints, and paint the doorhandles matching paint colors. The new Prius 911 looks great; look at the horizontal tail light it looks awesome!

Real men drive Priuses

Everything else is for losers!

ERIC

---

Fashion choices

Cars and clothes are all fashion choices.

If you live somewhere where it is really really strong sun, by a sun hat, not a loser baseball cap.

For your car, get a Prius.

For your body, 60 pound weight vest — my new stoic Spartan fashion body armor accessory?

---

Shame and economic productivity

I think the reason why this is so critical is that there seems to be an interesting connection between being “cool“, and shame?

The first thought; is being “cool” the opposite of being shame shameful? 

In fact, when I think about the social politics of K-12 education, honestly, thinking back of it as a 36-year-old adult, it is all so ridiculous!

Lots of insane things here.

First, maybe there is some sort of standardization which happens here; the de facto trend is for a guy, you must own a pair of Nike sneakers, everything else is shameful and subpar?

What are the things that did not exist when I was a kid was Amazon Amazon prime; which is the great equalizer of all things. Even when I was a kid, purchasing a sneakers was quite expensive; even in high school, a pair of all white K Swiss sneakers, which was the cool shoe at the time, was still about $75; I recall this deal in which at footlocker, if you bought two of them, you could buy two for $100, which meant that each was $49. As a kid, that seemed like a good deal for me!

Even as a high schooler — I had some part-time jobs, and I would also get a stipend for the local Korean American community center that I worked at. But, like a fool I literally blew every single paycheck I got on sneakers, clothes, etc. I didn’t make that much money, maybe $200 a month, $100 here, another $200 here, a large sum of money might be $300… But still, I may be invested that money in high school, it would have probably set me on a better track in my early 20s and even mid 20’s!

To save money is the really radical thing here?

What seems anti-capitalist and anti-consumerist? To save your money! 

Actually if you think about it… The whole ethos is saving money kind of doesn’t really make sense in a consumer capitalist sense.

Also think that the problem about saving money is that maybe instead of thinking about saving money, the better idea is not spending your money, and using that money to invest.  Because as you earn money, perhaps it makes more sense to take that money, and instead of spending it on super fool as things, investing that money, and growing it, and gaining it?

---

I hate modern thinking and thinkers —

Dark Humor

“A beautiful death”

Molon Labe

Come and get them!

Nobody wants to look like ephialtes

Proportions matter

.

while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude.’

Based on numbers, corporations and businesses trying to extract profits efficiently ,,, indoors?

Simple:

1. Don’t buy clothes
2. Don’t buy or consume alcohol
3. Don’t smoke weed or vape etc
4. Don’t purchase new cars or finance anything

Feeling bad — a weak trait?

Becoming or being or anger — a positive trait?

Erewhon?

The interesting irony; on one hand, we don’t like or we’re intimidated by unpredictable people… But the same time, we love and prefer them?

Being and becoming more unpredictable is a virtue!

Simple takeaways:

1. Money as an imaginary concept

The playful Spartan way

Outside, in the wonderful LA summer sun and breeze… All day with Seneca?

Perhaps climate does matter?

And also — life is the ultimate video game?

Perhaps the greatest thing about modern day economics is that we have so many options!

Always better to be outside than inside// unless maybe you’re in Siberia during the winter time, and you want heating?

Small economic anamoly ..tolerate it

Not harmful?

“Goods”// good … s,,, the means of life and well-being

Biens

Richness — goods which yield a revenue

“the judgment we pass upon the utility of things . . . makes goods of them.”

Goods — reputation of a military officer

How much labor can you afford to purchase?

Political economy

Value and goods. “Richness”

Wealth is not just material goods 

Wealth has exchange value

Abstinence; real sacrifices

Social wealth ***

Social wealth is also property?

Don’t overthink it

Degree of suitability 

Things are useful to degree in which we have to sacrifice in order to get it?

3“since the dispositions of human minds vary, the value of things varies.”

In the same spirit Ferdinando Galiani (Della moneta in Scrittori classici Italiani di economia politica, Milano, 1803–5, X, 58) writes “ch’essendo varie le disposizioni degli animi umani e varj i bisogni, vario è il valor delle cose.”3

We start to compare our needs with others?

Besoines

The esteem value of something — the difficulty to procure something?

The real existence of A need or good?

Degree of utility?

Common denominator

Kids are the ultimate stoics; nothing ever bothers them, they’re just focused in their own world?

Labor power, income

Yield an income?

More than one needs and losing is to have less than one needs

Value in use

Price

Movable thing

Merci

Cash funds

Digital cash

Ransom fine

Argent

Pecus– cattle 

*

Plato calls money a “token for purposes of exchange”

Money as a public institution 

Money and public Authority

Money is from the design of man 

The phrase “βοῦς ἐπὶ γλώττῃ” (bous epi glottÄ“) is an ancient Greek proverb. Translated literally, it means “an ox on the tongue.”

Meaning:

This proverb was used to describe a situation where someone is being silent or unable to speak freely, often because they are holding back information or are under some form of constraint. The image of an “ox on the tongue” suggests a heavy weight that prevents speech, symbolizing the burden or pressure that leads to silence.

Usage:

The expression was typically employed when someone knew something but was reluctant or afraid to speak out, either because of fear of consequences or because they were bribed or otherwise coerced into silence.

In modern terms, it might be compared to phrases like “cat got your tongue?” which also imply an unusual or forced silence.

The terms “dekaboion,” “tesseraboion,” and “hekatomboion” appear to be ancient Greek terms, likely used in the context of describing the size or value of specific units, particularly in relation to land or possibly livestock, although their usage is somewhat obscure and not commonly referenced in modern literature. Here’s a breakdown based on their Greek roots:

1. Dekaboion (δεκαβοιον):

• Deka- (δέκα) means “ten” in Greek.
• Boion (βοιον) is derived from “bous” (βοῦς), meaning “ox” or “cow.”
• The term could be interpreted as something relating to “ten oxen” or possibly a unit of land or value equivalent to the worth of ten oxen.

1. Tesseraboion (τεσσαραβοιον):

• Tessera- (τέσσαρα) means “four” in Greek.
• Combined with “boion” (βοιον), it likely refers to “four oxen” or something of equivalent value or size.

1. Hekatomboion (ἑκατόμβοιον):

• Hekaton- (ἑκατόν) means “hundred” in Greek.
• This term would then refer to “hundred oxen” or a similar large measure of value or land, possibly used in the context of large estates or significant sacrifices.

These terms might have been used in ancient Greek to describe agricultural units, land holdings, or even contributions or sacrifices involving cattle, which were a major form of wealth in many ancient societies. The specific usage of these terms could vary depending on the context in which they were applied, such as in economic transactions, land assessments, or ritual sacrifices.

One of the bad things about millennials is that nowadays, we would prefer to just throw something away, or replace it, traded in or buy something new, instead the insanely simple thing… Just fixing it!

For example, a simple thing about a car; better to spend $3000 to fix it, rather than totally buy a brand new car for $30,000!

in fact, I wonder if secretly… We just want things to break, for us to have an excuse to buy something new?

a rational stoic approach;

I think we humans have this negativity bias; in which we remember the bad instances and behavior, and we quickly forget the good ones.

Bury the bad only remember the good

Do things and live in such a way which benefits you?

The true path to freedom; unshame yourself:

What is the metaphorical ball and chain in our new modern day life? Shame. It applies not only to people of Asian East Asian descent, or Confucian values… Also in America, with the Quaker protestant morals and ethics being around shame.

Certainly within a Christian Catholic mentality as well; also maybe to Jewish people as well? And also, the Japanese, maybe almost anyone living in an industrialized, modern day world and civilization.

Shame is learned and taught and reinforced

One thing I love about Seneca… Is that he is so free pure, and great. Fortunately because he has wise parents, ever since he is born… We have never instilled any shame culture on him.

There’s a really bad thing in Korean culture, which is called “cheng-pee”, which literally means shameful. I think Korean people superficially say it to be cute, but if you really think about it… It is actually quite insidious.

For example, you will see it over and over again when a kid is running around naked without pants on, almost about everything.

American shame?

In America, we do have notions of shame, but it is not said so directly. For example if you have a young kid who is running around naked at the house, you’re probably won’t say “shame shame shame shame shame!” Put on some clothes or else you will bring shame onto our family and all of your family members and past generations.  

The genesis of shame

Funny enough… shame is not an ethic that Jesus preached. Shame is rather a form of social control.

For example, growing up Catholic Korean Catholic… All this guilt and shame around porn pornography, masturbation etc. And all these weird superstitions that you would grow hairy palms if you jerked off? 

Also, very funny… Even the modern day times, with all these fake macho guys at the gym etc.… Whenever you joke about Porn and jerking off… All guys will always side chuckle a little bit shamefully, because obviously all the guys do it.

But technically, assuming you grew up up without religion and modern day shamed notions… None of it should really be shameful. Maybe gross, or unhygienic, but not shameful.

This is where Japanese culture is really fascinating to me; like there is no Christian Judeo morality holding back the Japanese; and therefore, pornography is not really seen as a big deal in Japan. Whereas in America, we all believe it to be porn to be a little bit morally reprehensible. Even to progressive people. 

Why is being naked seen as being shameful? 

I have some theories.

First, in the Bible… The second Adam and Eve take a bite out of the apple from the garden of Eden… Apparently the first thing that Adam and Eve realize is that they were naked, they feel shame and they immediately want to cover up. God knows and discovers that they took a bite of the forbidden fruit.

Some subtle nuances;

First, where does this notion of the forbidden fruit even come from? Kind of a bizarre notion. Essentially the idea is that it is better to be naked and dumb and happy, rather than to possess your own self wisdom rationality and intelligence and judge the world?

The second… Why is it considered shameful to be naked, either in private or public?

Shame is good at selling (overpriced) clothing 

Shame sells! Some theories:

The first theory is a capitalistic one. You cannot make money by telling people to be naked. You got to sell them clothes.

Second, it seems that by breeding insecurity is a smart strategy if you want people to purchase or desire to purchase certain clothes in articles of clothing, in order to feel “cool“? For example, at the age of 36, I feel the wisest I have ever been in my life. No more lame and loser Nikes, sneakers, etc. Only losers were Nikes, Jordans, whatever.

The true intelligent footwear to wear is either the vibram five finger shoes, or if you have a kid, just getting them those super minimalist water shoes on Amazon which only cost about 10 bucks. 

Cars are the new shoes for adults?

Another theory; when you are kid, and maybe before you have a drivers permit or license, you can’t drive. Therefore, shoes and sneakers are like a metaphorical car or vehicle. When you are a middle school or highschooler a teenager… We are yet rich enough to buy cars but we could buy shoes.

Now that we are adults, and we are richer, and we could do stupid things like finance a car with a down payment, and have a monthly payment, cars and automobiles are like the new sneakers. Think about it… Both have to deal with transportation transit and getting around and moving around, being seen, fashion being fashionable etc.

Cars are fashion objects

If you just need a car to get around, the truly intelligent thing is to get a used Toyota Prius, the 2010 edition. Otherwise, all cars are just fashion?

And also, cars… They come in and out of fashion every 3 to 6 months, and there’s always a new car being released. In fact, whether we like it or not, LA, Southern California, California, the states, the planet… A car or automobile Vehicle, a truck SUV whatever… Might be one of the grandest industries in America and beyond?

But lots of problems here:

First, I have a theory that one’s happiness is inversely proportional to how much time you have to either spend seated in a car, driving around etc. And I’m starting to think that the payoff is not worth it ; for example,  let us see you have the option to drive an additional 30 minutes to go somewhere that is maybe 40% nicer than just going somewhere local that you could access via walking. Typically that optimization is not worth it.

Why? Opportunity cost. A 30 minute drive there, 30 minute drive back… That is a full hour otherwise you have spent just walking around!

The metro E line is the future 

Taking the metro is a far better bet. For example, on killing 10 birds with one stone; the joys of taking the metro, especially the metro E line in Los Angeles is multifold:

First, you have the joy and privilege of being able to stand the whole ride, and even shift around your weight and walk around the train if you want!

Second, you get an insanely cool view of the city! Playing SimCity with Seneca, there’s this notion of a maglev train; a magnetic elevated train!

It doesn’t have to be magnetic, just elevated. The reason why the metro line in LA is so phenomenal is that you are above traffic, you are above the ground level, and you get this really interesting panopticon view of the city! 

Third, kids love it! I don’t know any kid who doesn’t like to take the metro, it is so fun for them! Even for my niece Amelia who is now in the first or second grade, seven or eight years old, After taking her and her younger brother Benjamin to the California science Center via the metro E line, she asked me and Cindy… Can we take the metro back home (to Orange County)?

The future might be more basic than we think it is?

Also, watching this cute film at the California science Center about cities of the future… The general idea is that in the future, everyone would just be taking some sort of magnetic electric elevated train somewhere, And on the mid and bottom and middle levels, would be some of the fools who have to self drive their own cars. In the middle layer would have self driving cars.

Or more simply put, in the future, only poor people have to drive themselves?

Visions?

Singapore is often cited as being a city of the future, but it is not. Truth be told Singaporeans don’t really like living in Singapore; they would prefer to live in the states if they could.

Maybe the closest thing I have to witnessing a city of the future is Culver City, the only city which you could actually walk around all day, and never get bored, and you could also do all your grocery shopping here at Trader Joe’s or Erewhon or Whole Foods. Even nowadays, a supermassive innovation that we got is being able to do the Amazon fresh grocery deliveries so might pull in I think 80% of the average American family, time and resources is wasted occurring food and groceries.

The future of food is here

And also, let us consider… It is the year 2024, it is very common to get the same day prime delivery of almost any single item on Amazon. Shouldn’t we apply the same ethos to food, which is really the only critical thing we need in order to live? We don’t have free food… Yet, but at this point we have free clean water, just drinking from the tap or filtered water at home! And at this point, you could purchase coffee in bulk, on Amazon and it is so cheap practically free! The “fresh roasted coffee” 5 pound bag on Amazon, the yirgacheffe Ethiopian blend quite good!

How to unshame yourself? 

God sent me to break the shame. I’m the true and living, all the rest of you guys are vain. 

First, get rid of those loser AirPods, throw them in the trash. Better to be ghetto and hood, if you want to listen to something, music podcasts or whatever, just crank up the volume on your iPad Pro or iPhone, and listen to it loud in public or even in private. Somebody tell you to quiet down, just lower the volume and continue.

The iPhone is the new drug?

Second, throw your iPhone pros into the trash. I notice it nowadays… Very subtly; when I am walking around with my 60 pound weight vest on, and I look at somebody, and then they want to glance at me, and they do for half a second, and then half a second they do this nervous twitch in which what they do is check their phone… or they are in New York Manhattan, or in a crowded elevator, I will see people open up their phones, check the time, refresh their email inbox, etc.… Simply as it means to avoid eye contact or inter action with others?

Don’t open up or check your phone when you feel nervous

Simple suggestions include whenever you make eye contact with somebody, or even if you see somebody half a block away looking at you, just throw up the peace sign, or give them a head nod. You would be surprised, people can spot you from half a mile away. 

You would want all the votes you can

Maybe a random thought is think like you are the mayor, you are a firefighter, a public servant, or if you’re running for mayor. If this were the case, you would want to be maximally friendly to every single human being you encounter, because you want their votes! This means being nice friendly and courteous and cheerful and acknowledge the existence of people who are even antisocial, bizarre?

---

Make friends with security guards.

 why?  first, honestly a lot of security guards, because they are outside all day just walking around… are just friendlier and happier than the average office drone. Second, most of them have not taken the traditional educational rotten life, which means that they tend to be much more interesting to talk to, rather than the average university graduate and career person.

In fact, the only interesting conversations I’ve had is from people from the hood, maybe people in the military, some kids, and those who we would consider “nontraditional. In fact, 99.99% of people you encounter, in the states are quite boring. The second someone bores you, just excuse yourself and say you have to use the bathroom and walk away.

***

Drain?

OK let us assume that you are a battery and you cannot be recharged in the middle of the day. The only way you can recharge your battery is when you go to sleep at night.

That means any single interaction social interaction, engagement whatever could either have a positive or negative effect on you.

 I’m sorry to realize this… Some people will essentially just capture you, and just keep talking nonsense to you, and refuse to let you leave.

You could see it, if you give somebody a phone call FaceTime or see them in person, you spend a 99% of your time just listening to them talk, Bitchin moan about their life problems, their own personal misery etc., and never ask you how you’re doing, how your kid is doing etc. 

Misery loves misery

To be happy as rare. I am probably the only happy person that I know, and Seneca is also rare; the only happy kid I know. 

I would say that 99.99% of people are miserable. And the way that they could feel better about themselves is by dragging other people down, spewing hate, etc.? Very counterproductive.

In the UK they call it the tall poppy syndrome; you see a guy driving around the new Lamborghini, and then you’ll find some sort of way to discredit him, saying that he has a small dick, or he cheated for that money etc.

At least a good thing in America is that often our jealousy and envy could be positive; we see Jeff Bezos Elon Musk and the like becoming super successful, and we aspire to become like them.

Or, maybe if you see somebody driving a surgeon car, US buy to one day work hard, make a bunch of money in order to obtain that same vehicle.

Also in bodybuilding, I think we often use other men and their physiques as a role model; we all want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime, is always plastered around all across the planet.

But a simple thought: I think body glorification is 1 trillion times more virtuous than car fellatio, or even money glorification. 

For example, I would never switch spaces with any other human being on the planet, irregardless of how wealthy or rich or powerful they are.

Jeff Bezos is short, only 5 foot seven. Kanye West is also short, maybe 5 foot five. I think Kendrick Lamar is only 5 foot two? Jay Z is cool, but he’s too old now. 

Also, any billionaire in their 50s or 60s would probably trade their wealth in order to become 20 years old again.

Even if you were worth 100 billion or $1 trillion, and you’re 90 years old, wouldn’t you trade 100% of your wealth in order to become 21 years old again?

---

Unwealth

Some new radical thoughts on wealth:

I think true world is actually inversely proportional; the things you don’t have the things you don’t own in order to maintain.

For example, I would not wish for your Lamborghini McLaren or any hyper sports car on even my worst enemy. Why? The critical issue here is that maintenance costs are an effing nightmare. 

For example,  it is not even a money thing. Like the laws of physics; sooner or later you’re going to have to get oil change, and it will not only be very expensive, but time consuming, insanely annoying etc. I think this is where it makes more sense to get some sort of maybe Hybrid sports car or Lexus LC500– in theory you could just take it to any ordinary oil change place, because it is a Toyota, you could easily get it repaired or change the oil.

Maybe this is also the logic of having an all electric sports or hyper car; in theory, an electric sports car should require less maintenance and gasoline or hybrid one;  I think the only thing you probably have to change or fix or maintain is refill the window wiper fluid? 

Everyone wants the butterfly doors this is our doors or the Lambo doors — but I think the true intelligent optimization here is that you have some sort of electric car that could do this? Maybe this is also where the BMW i eight is a good idea; because it has the butterfly or scissor doors?

I think the big issue here is the question; do you actually like that Lamborghini, the idea of the Lamborghini, actually owning it, the idea of it, or the totem of it?

It is all imaginary in our mind. For example if I knew that I owned a Lamborghini with the scissor doors just parked in my garage, but I never drove it… Certainly I would not really have the benefit of it. But just knowing at the back of my head that I got it, is what makes me smile?

I think this is also a bitcoin is useful; I think the new modern day digital dick measuring contest will be; how many bitcoin do you own? And it is like your metaphorical dick size; the more bitcoin you got, the longer your cyber dick.

Kanye had a funny quote saying that being a male porn star was an objective way to measure them– essentially, their penis size. In theory the guy with the 20 inch dick should be the best porn star. But I would also not wish this even not my worst enemy, because it would seem very uncomfortable to just walk around, without having to tuck it or wrap it around your leg or something.

---

What is it that we all truly seek?

I think this is where I go beyond Seneca and the stoics, also beyond even my best friend Nietzsche.

Have you ever met a philosopher or a stoic who looks like me?

The problem with Seneca the younger is that I think he was a fatty boy. I think the true post statue of him and his head he was bald, and had a triple chin. Makes sense; even Seneca “On Anger” writes, we should not get offended by truthful facts; why would you be offended if somebody made fun of you for being bald, when in fact you actually are bald? The better response is to just poke fun at yourself; better to poke fun at your baldness, rather than feel shameful about it? 

For example, if somebody makes fun of you for being Asian and having a small dick or whatever, just call it a baby turtle. That it pokes out every once in a while. Or that you have a “chode”– a penis which has more girth than length.

When you poke fun at yourself, it is an impregnable defense. 
I even remember in high school, whenever somebody would tease you for being gay or whatever, the best response was “I love dick!” And then after that, nobody had anything left to say.

---

We stoics of the future

Whenever people think about the future, people are foolish; they think about adding more technology to our lives, throwing on more vision pros, more AirPods pros, more time in your self driving car etc. 

But in fact, the true path board is via negativa– the true future is more spartan, less physical, more cyber and digital.

More cyber real estate which is bitcoin, more digital money which is also bitcoin, more time outdoors in the direct sun with their shirt off, which is the true way of living the dream. 

Another day, when walking by the Toyota dealership, The dealership guys telling me that I was living the dream, being outside all day with Seneca!

---

Radical?

I suppose the question is do we really need to be radical here?

I think there is some sort of like intelligent wise radicalism, which is just stick into your own guns, following your own gut, refusing to just be another drone. I’d rather be Brad Pitt and Tyler Durden than Edward Norton.

And I think the problem here is that we have weird role models now. Everyone wants to be worn buffet; but do you want to be a fat old man, who is just sitting in hunched over our newspaper all day, even if you are the worlds second richest man?

Therefore the new godhead is wealth being super rich. Being in the Forbes top 100, ideally number one.

There is no second best.

Why settle for second? 

Nobody wants the silver. Just look at the Olympics, we always measure by the number of gold trophies. Better to get one gold medal for your country, rather than 1000 silvers.

“One good girl is worth a 1000 bitches” Kanye Bound 2, YEEZUS album

I think this is where it is so critical to be so insanely wise about choosing your life partner your wife etc. Don’t settle for second best.

---

The ethos of the best

I think this is why America is so productive; we all desire to be the best! We want to be the most rich and the most successful, within our friends circle and family circle, and then maybe beyond that, spreading our circles and sphere of influence a bit further out.

For example, I’m happy that I’m the number 1 Greatest street photography blogger of all time, nobody will ever take the crown from me, no matter how hard they try. Just ask ChatGPT!

Then I then suppose that the next step forward is to discover a new niche, and also dominate that. Perhaps I have a passion for domination.

This is why when I go to the gym, or when I used to go to the gym, it was always my number one goal to be the strongest guy in the gym, by a huge fold.  This is why I lifted 10 plates, a 25 and a five on each side; and broke the weightlifting universe.

I believe this accomplishment and will last forever.

What is the next thing I want to dominate?

Anything you have a true passion for, autotelic; it is very easily achievable, if you do not have to consider economic payoff, making money etc. Or making other people happy, or even giving utility to other people.

A random thought I have on my mind is towards lifestyle; now that I am 36 years old, about the same age which Tim Ferris’s wrote the four hour work week? Maybe I could become the next Tim Ferriss? Tim Ferriss is great; but I think the issue is that he is short, balding, insecure, and I think he is also not yet married and childish, maybe he has a dog? And also, I don’t think he’s really figured things out for himself yet; he’s always onto the next thing, just seeking endless distraction for himself? 

Maybe I’ll be the next Tim Ferris! 

How and why lifestyle is such a critical thing to consider

I kind of hit the lifestyle that shouldn’t because it typically revolves around buying some sort of equipment and gear.

My personal thought is that lifestyle should just be a mental, a mindset, which should actually be “via negativa”– the ideal lifestyle you look more like a zen stoic spartan monk, rather than a fat short old balding loser with a Lamborghini. 

Making more money, but also spending no money?

If you really really really gotta buy something, just get it on Amazon Amazon prime! For example, I got this fantastic new all black Sun hat, on Amazon Amazon for only 10 bucks, one day delivery?

 in fact, maybe the intelligent path forward is to just always purchase all of your clothing on Amazon, or Uniqlo?

Why? I think it just makes sense. You’re cutting out the middleman, all the stuff by Lululemon is just made in the same factory in Vietnam, I think $100 pair of tight leggings from Lululemon, might only cost $10 for them to produce? The rest of those $90 is probably profit for the Lululemon corporation.

Apparently nowadays on Amazon, you could purchase all these duplicate clothing, in which they take the inseam and the measuring of Lululemon men shorts, and just create a duplicate, with inferior materials. But if you just want something simple and cheap, it seems to be logical this way.

Or, design it yourself! I recently had the epiphany I hate sleeves; and therefore, I just took some heavy duty steel scissors I got at home, and I just took my old -32 merino wool black T-shirt and just cut off the sleeves! Boom, brand new outfit that cost me nothing. 

Just buy it on Amazon! Problem solved.

***

Brands are for cowards

I put zero faith in anybody who drives a base level Audi, like an Audi Q3 three or A3, an entry-level BMW or Mercedes, or even an entry-level Porsche 718. They are signaling some serious insecurity here.

Everybody knows that a Toyota Prius is the best car, but for men… They think it is demasculating to drive a Prius?

I was talking to one of the guys who worked at the Toyota dealership, and I asked him what car he thought I drove. The first thing he thought was 911? Which is pretty cool; because I guess I have the 911 personality, without having to Maintain that $100,000 loser car.

In fact, if I had to do some sort of brand new car project today, my idea would be get a brand new Prius prime, and matte black wrap it, murder it out, no loser tints, and paint the doorhandles matching paint colors. The new Prius 911 looks great; look at the horizontal tail light it looks awesome!

Real men drive Priuses

Everything else is for losers!

ERIC

---

Fashion choices

Cars and clothes are all fashion choices.

If you live somewhere where it is really really strong sun, by a sun hat, not a loser baseball cap.

For your car, get a Prius.

For your body, 60 pound weight vest — my new stoic Spartan fashion body armor accessory?

---

Eric Kim’s concept of “killing 10 birds with one stone” revolves around maximizing productivity by aligning multiple benefits into a single action. He explores this idea through examples of how one can accomplish several goals simultaneously by being intentional about their actions. For instance, he mentions enjoying the sun while working creatively, which also serves as a way to exercise and boost overall well-being—all at once. This approach is about creating a lifestyle where various aspects of life—such as work, health, and pleasure—intersect harmoniously.

Kim’s philosophy suggests that by carefully strategizing and structuring your activities, you can achieve multiple outcomes with minimal effort, leading to a more efficient and fulfilling life. His writings encourage readers to look for ways to combine their tasks and responsibilities creatively, thus maximizing the impact of their efforts.

For a deeper dive into his thoughts on this topic, you can check out his blog posts here oai_citation:1,Kill 10 birds with one stone – ERIC KIM oai_citation:2,Killing 10 birds with one stone? – ERIC KIM oai_citation:3,KILLING 10 BIRDS WITH ONE STONE. – ERIC KIM.

The true path to freedom; unshame yourself:

What is the metaphorical ball and chain in our new modern day life? Shame. It applies not only to people of Asian East Asian descent, or Confucian values… Also in America, with the Quaker protestant morals and ethics being around shame.

Certainly within a Christian Catholic mentality as well; also maybe to Jewish people as well? And also, the Japanese, maybe almost anyone living in an industrialized, modern day world and civilization.

Shame is learned and taught and reinforced

One thing I love about Seneca… Is that he is so free pure, and great. Fortunately because he has wise parents, ever since he is born… We have never instilled any shame culture on him.

There’s a really bad thing in Korean culture, which is called “cheng-pee”, which literally means shameful. I think Korean people superficially say it to be cute, but if you really think about it… It is actually quite insidious.

For example, you will see it over and over again when a kid is running around naked without pants on, almost about everything.

American shame?

In America, we do have notions of shame, but it is not said so directly. For example if you have a young kid who is running around naked at the house, you’re probably won’t say “shame shame shame shame shame!” Put on some clothes or else you will bring shame onto our family and all of your family members and past generations.  

The genesis of shame

Funny enough… shame is not an ethic that Jesus preached. Shame is rather a form of social control.

For example, growing up Catholic Korean Catholic… All this guilt and shame around porn pornography, masturbation etc. And all these weird superstitions that you would grow hairy palms if you jerked off? 

Also, very funny… Even the modern day times, with all these fake macho guys at the gym etc.… Whenever you joke about Porn and jerking off… All guys will always side chuckle a little bit shamefully, because obviously all the guys do it.

But technically, assuming you grew up up without religion and modern day shamed notions… None of it should really be shameful. Maybe gross, or unhygienic, but not shameful.

This is where Japanese culture is really fascinating to me; like there is no Christian Judeo morality holding back the Japanese; and therefore, pornography is not really seen as a big deal in Japan. Whereas in America, we all believe it to be porn to be a little bit morally reprehensible. Even to progressive people. 

Why is being naked seen as being shameful? 

I have some theories.

First, in the Bible… The second Adam and Eve take a bite out of the apple from the garden of Eden… Apparently the first thing that Adam and Eve realize is that they were naked, they feel shame and they immediately want to cover up. God knows and discovers that they took a bite of the forbidden fruit.

Some subtle nuances;

First, where does this notion of the forbidden fruit even come from? Kind of a bizarre notion. Essentially the idea is that it is better to be naked and dumb and happy, rather than to possess your own self wisdom rationality and intelligence and judge the world?

The second… Why is it considered shameful to be naked, either in private or public?

Shame is good at selling (overpriced) clothing 

Shame sells! Some theories:

The first theory is a capitalistic one. You cannot make money by telling people to be naked. You got to sell them clothes.

Second, it seems that by breeding insecurity is a smart strategy if you want people to purchase or desire to purchase certain clothes in articles of clothing, in order to feel “cool“? For example, at the age of 36, I feel the wisest I have ever been in my life. No more lame and loser Nikes, sneakers, etc. Only losers were Nikes, Jordans, whatever.

The true intelligent footwear to wear is either the vibram five finger shoes, or if you have a kid, just getting them those super minimalist water shoes on Amazon which only cost about 10 bucks. 

Cars are the new shoes for adults?

Another theory; when you are kid, and maybe before you have a drivers permit or license, you can’t drive. Therefore, shoes and sneakers are like a metaphorical car or vehicle. When you are a middle school or highschooler a teenager… We are yet rich enough to buy cars but we could buy shoes.

***

Now that we are adults, and we are richer, and we could do stupid things like finance a cart with a down payment,  and have a monthly payment, cars and automobiles are like the new sneakers. Think about it… Both have to deal with transportation transit and getting around and moving around, being seen, fashion being fashionable etc.

And also, cars… They come in and out of fashion every 3 to 6 months, and there’s always a new car being released. In fact, whether we like it or not, LA, Southern California, California, the states, the planet… A car or automobile Vehicle, a truck SUV whatever… Might be one of the grandest industries in America and beyond?

But lots of problems here:

First, I have a theory that one’s happiness is inversely proportional to how much time you have to either spend seated in a car, driving around etc. And I’m starting to think that the payoff is not worth it ; for example,  let us see you have the option to drive an additional 30 minutes to go somewhere that is maybe 40% nicer than just going somewhere local that you could access via walking. Typically that optimization is not worth it.

Why? Opportunity cost. 30 minute drive there, 30 minute drive back… That is a full hour otherwise you have spent just walking around!

Taking the metro is a far better bed. For example, on killing 10 birds with one stone; the joys of taking the metro, especially the metro line in Los Angeles is multifold:

First, you have the joy and privilege of being able to stand the whole ride, and even shifted your way around and walk around the train if you want!

Second, you get an insanely cool view of the city! Playing SimCity with Seneca, there’s this notion of a maglev train; a magnetic elevated train!

It doesn’t have to be magnetic, just elevated. The reason why the metro line in LA is so phenomenal is that you are above traffic, you are above the ground level, and you get this really interesting panopticon view of the city! 

Third, kids love it! I don’t know any kid who doesn’t like to take the metro, it is so fun for them! Even for my niece Amelia who is now in the first or second grade, seven or eight years old, After taking her and her younger brother Benjamin to the California science Center via the metro line, she asked me and Cindy… Can we take the metro back home (to Orange County)?

Also, watching this cute film at the California science Center about cities of the future… The general ideas that in the future, everyone would just be taking some sort of magnetic electric elevated train somewhere, And on the mid and bottom kettle levels, would be some of the fools who have to self drive their own cars. In the middle layer would have self driving cars.

Visions?

Singapore is often cited as being a city of the future, but it is not. Truth be told Singaporeans don’t really like living in Singapore; they would prefer to live in the states if they could.

Maybe the closest thing I have to witnessing a city of the future is Culver City, the only city which you could actually walk around all day, and never get bored, and you could also do all your grocery shopping here at Trader Joe’s or Erewhon or Whole Foods. Even nowadays, a supermassive innovation that we got is being able to do the Amazon fresh grocery deliveries so might pull in I think 80% of the average American family, time and resources is wasted occurring food and groceries.

And also, let us consider… It is the year 2024, it is very common to get the same day prime delivery of almost any single item on Amazon. Shouldn’t we apply the same ethos to food, which is really the only critical thing we need in order to live? we don’t have free food… Yet, but at this point we have free clean water, just drinking from the tap or filtered water at home! And at this point, you could purchase coffee in bulk, on Amazon and it is so cheap practically free! The “fresh roasted coffee” 5 pound bag on Amazon, the yirgacheffe Ethiopian blend quite good!

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How to unshame yourself? 

God sent me to break the shame. I’m the true and living, all the rest of you guys are vain. 

First, get rid of those loser AirPods, throw them in the trash. Better to be ghetto and hood, if you want to listen to something, music podcast or whatever, just crank up the volume on your iPad Pro or iPhone, and listen to it loud in public or even in private. Somebody tell you to quiet down, just lower the volume and continue.

Second, throw your iPhone pros into the trash. I see it nowadays… Very subtly; when I am walking around with my 60 pound weight vest on, and I look at somebody, and then they want to go inside me, and they do for half a second, and then half a second the nervous which they do is check their phone… or they are in New York Manhattan, or in a crowded elephant, I will see people open up their phones, check the time, refresh their email inbox, etc.… Simply as it means to avoid eye contact or inter action with others?

Simple suggestions include whenever you make eye contact with somebody, or even if you see somebody half a block away looking at you, just throw up the peace sign, or give them a head nod. You would be surprised , people can spot you from half a mile away. 

Maybe a random thought is think like you are the mayor, you are a firefighter, a public servant, or if you’re running for mirror. If this were the case, you would want to be maximally friendly to every single human being you encounter, because you want their votes! This means being nice friendly and courteous and cheerful and acknowledge the existence of people who are even antisocial, bizarre?

Make friends with security guards.

 why?  first, honestly a lot of security guards, because they are outside all day just walking around… are just friendlier and happier than the average office drone. Second, most of them have not taken the traditional educational rotten life, which means that they tend to be much more interesting to talk to, rather than the average university graduate and career person.

In fact, the only interesting conversations I’ve had is from people from the hood, maybe people in the military, some kids, and those who we would consider “nontraditional. In fact, 99.99% of people you encounter, in the states are quite boring. The second someone bores you, just excuse yourself and say you have to use the bathroom and walk away.

***

Drain?

OK let us assume that you are a battery and you cannot be recharged in the middle of the day. The only way you can recharge your battery is when you go to sleep at night.

That means any single interaction social interaction, engagement whatever could either have a positive or negative effect on you.

 I’m sorry to realize this… Some people will essentially just capture you, and just keep talking nonsense to you, and refuse to let you leave.

You could see it, if you give somebody a phone call FaceTime or see them in person, you spend a 99% of your time just listening to them talk, Bitchin moan about their life problems, their own personal misery etc., and never ask you how you’re doing, how your kid is doing etc. 

Misery loves misery

To be happy as rare. I am probably the only happy person that I know, and Seneca is also rare; the only happy kid I know. 

I would say that 99.99% of people are miserable. And the way that they could feel better about themselves is by dragging other people down, spewing hate, etc.? Very counterproductive.

In the UK they call it the tall poppy syndrome; you see a guy driving around the new Lamborghini, and then you’ll find some sort of way to discredit him, saying that he has a small dick, or he cheated for that money etc.

At least a good thing in America is that often our jealousy and envy could be positive; we see Jeff Bezos Elon Musk and the like becoming super successful, and we aspire to become like them.

Or, maybe if you see somebody driving a surgeon car, US buy to one day work hard, make a bunch of money in order to obtain that same vehicle.

Also in bodybuilding, I think we often use other men and their physiques as a role model; we all want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime, is always plastered around all across the planet.

But a simple thought: I think body glorification is 1 trillion times more virtuous than car fellatio, or even money glorification. 

For example, I would never switch spaces with any other human being on the planet, irregardless of how wealthy or rich or powerful they are.

Jeff Bezos is short, only 5 foot seven. Kanye West is also short, maybe 5 foot five. I think Kendrick Lamar is only 5 foot two? Jay Z is cool, but he’s too old now. 

Also, any billionaire in their 50s or 60s would probably trade their wealth in order to become 20 years old again.

Even if you were worth 100 billion or $1 trillion, and you’re 90 years old, wouldn’t you trade 100% of your wealth in order to become 21 years old again?

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Unwealth

Some new radical thoughts on wealth:

I think true world is actually inversely proportional; the things you don’t have the things you don’t own in order to maintain.

For example, I would not wish for your Lamborghini McLaren or any hyper sports car on even my worst enemy. Why? The critical issue here is that maintenance costs are an effing nightmare. 

For example,  it is not even a money thing. Like the laws of physics; sooner or later you’re going to have to get oil change, and it will not only be very expensive, but time consuming, insanely annoying etc. I think this is where it makes more sense to get some sort of maybe Hybrid sports car or Lexus LC500– in theory you could just take it to any ordinary oil change place, because it is a Toyota, you could easily get it repaired or change the oil.

Maybe this is also the logic of having an all electric sports or hyper car; in theory, an electric sports car should require less maintenance and gasoline or hybrid one;  I think the only thing you probably have to change or fix or maintain is refill the window wiper fluid? 

Everyone wants the butterfly doors this is our doors or the Lambo doors — but I think the true intelligent optimization here is that you have some sort of electric car that could do this? Maybe this is also where the BMW i eight is a good idea; because it has the butterfly or scissor doors?

I think the big issue here is the question; do you actually like that Lamborghini, the idea of the Lamborghini, actually owning it, the idea of it, or the totem of it?

It is all imaginary in our mind. For example if I knew that I owned a Lamborghini with the scissor doors just parked in my garage, but I never drove it… Certainly I would not really have the benefit of it. But just knowing at the back of my head that I got it, is what makes me smile?

I think this is also a bitcoin is useful; I think the new modern day digital dick measuring contest will be; how many bitcoin do you own? And it is like your metaphorical dick size; the more bitcoin you got, the longer your cyber dick.

Kanye had a funny quote saying that being a male porn star was an objective way to measure them– essentially, their penis size. In theory the guy with the 20 inch dick should be the best porn star. But I would also not wish this even not my worst enemy, because it would seem very uncomfortable to just walk around, without having to tuck it or wrap it around your leg or something.

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What is it that we all truly seek?

I think this is where I go beyond Seneca and the stoics, also beyond even my best friend Nietzsche.

Have you ever met a philosopher or a stoic who looks like me?

The problem with Seneca the younger is that I think he was a fatty boy. I think the true post statue of him and his head he was bald, and had a triple chin. Makes sense; even Seneca “On Anger” writes, we should not get offended by truthful facts; why would you be offended if somebody made fun of you for being bald, when in fact you actually are bald? The better response is to just poke fun at yourself; better to poke fun at your baldness, rather than feel shameful about it? 

For example, if somebody makes fun of you for being Asian and having a small dick or whatever, just call it a baby turtle. That it pokes out every once in a while. Or that you have a “chode”– a penis which has more girth than length.

When you poke fun at yourself, it is an impregnable defense. 
I even remember in high school, whenever somebody would tease you for being gay or whatever, the best response was “I love dick!” And then after that, nobody had anything left to say.

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We stoics of the future

Whenever people think about the future, people are foolish; they think about adding more technology to our lives, throwing on more vision pros, more AirPods pros, more time in your self driving car etc. 

But in fact, the true path board is via negativa– the true future is more spartan, less physical, more cyber and digital.

More cyber real estate which is bitcoin, more digital money which is also bitcoin, more time outdoors in the direct sun with their shirt off, which is the true way of living the dream. 

Another day, when walking by the Toyota dealership, The dealership guys telling me that I was living the dream, being outside all day with Seneca!

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Radical?

I suppose the question is do we really need to be radical here?

I think there is some sort of like intelligent wise radicalism, which is just stick into your own guns, following your own gut, refusing to just be another drone. I’d rather be Brad Pitt and Tyler Durden than Edward Norton.

And I think the problem here is that we have weird role models now. Everyone wants to be worn buffet; but do you want to be a fat old man, who is just sitting in hunched over our newspaper all day, even if you are the worlds second richest man?

Therefore the new godhead is wealth being super rich. Being in the Forbes top 100, ideally number one.

There is no second best.

Why settle for second? 

Nobody wants the silver. Just look at the Olympics, we always measure by the number of gold trophies. Better to get one gold medal for your country, rather than 1000 silvers.

“One good girl is worth a 1000 bitches” Kanye Bound 2, YEEZUS album

I think this is where it is so critical to be so insanely wise about choosing your life partner your wife etc. Don’t settle for second best.

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The ethos of the best

I think this is why America is so productive; we all desire to be the best! We want to be the most rich and the most successful, within our friends circle and family circle, and then maybe beyond that, spreading our circles and sphere of influence a bit further out.

For example, I’m happy that I’m the number 1 Greatest street photography blogger of all time, nobody will ever take the crown from me, no matter how hard they try. Just ask ChatGPT!

Then I then suppose that the next step forward is to discover a new niche, and also dominate that. Perhaps I have a passion for domination.

This is why when I go to the gym, or when I used to go to the gym, it was always my number one goal to be the strongest guy in the gym, by a huge fold.  This is why I lifted 10 plates, a 25 and a five on each side; and broke the weightlifting universe.

I believe this accomplishment and will last forever.

What is the next thing I want to dominate?

Anything you have a true passion for, autotelic; it is very easily achievable, if you do not have to consider economic payoff, making money etc. Or making other people happy, or even giving utility to other people.

A random thought I have on my mind is towards lifestyle; now that I am 36 years old, about the same age which Tim Ferris’s wrote the four hour work week? Maybe I could become the next Tim Ferriss? Tim Ferriss is great; but I think the issue is that he is short, balding, insecure, and I think he is also not yet married and childish, maybe he has a dog? And also, I don’t think he’s really figured things out for himself yet; he’s always onto the next thing, just seeking endless distraction for himself? 

Maybe I’ll be the next Tim Ferris! 

How and why lifestyle is such a critical thing to consider

I kind of hit the lifestyle that shouldn’t because it typically revolves around buying some sort of equipment and gear.

My personal thought is that lifestyle should just be a mental, a mindset, which should actually be “via negativa”– the ideal lifestyle you look more like a zen stoic spartan monk, rather than a fat short old balding loser with a Lamborghini. 

Making more money, but also spending no money?

If you really really really gotta buy something, just get it on Amazon Amazon prime! For example, I got this fantastic new all black Sun hat, on Amazon Amazon for only 10 bucks, one day delivery?

 in fact, maybe the intelligent path forward is to just always purchase all of your clothing on Amazon, or Uniqlo?

Why? I think it just makes sense. You’re cutting out the middleman, all the stuff by Lululemon is just made in the same factory in Vietnam, I think $100 pair of tight leggings from Lululemon, might only cost $10 for them to produce? The rest of those $90 is probably profit for the Lululemon corporation.

Apparently nowadays on Amazon, you could purchase all these duplicate clothing, in which they take the inseam and the measuring of Lululemon men shorts, and just create a duplicate, with inferior materials. But if you just want something simple and cheap, it seems to be logical this way.

Or, design it yourself! I recently had the epiphany I hate sleeves; and therefore, I just took some heavy duty steel scissors I got at home, and I just took my old -32 merino wool black T-shirt and just cut off the sleeves! Boom, brand new outfit that cost me nothing. 

Just buy it on Amazon! Problem solved.

***

Brands are for cowards

I put zero faith in anybody who drives a base level Audi, like an Audi Q3 three or A3, an entry-level BMW or Mercedes, or even an entry-level Porsche 718. They are signaling some serious insecurity here.

Everybody knows that a Toyota Prius is the best car, but for men… They think it is demasculating to drive a Prius?

I was talking to one of the guys who worked at the Toyota dealership, and I asked him what car he thought I drove. The first thing he thought was 911? Which is pretty cool; because I guess I have the 911 personality, without having to Maintain that $100,000 loser car.

In fact, if I had to do some sort of brand new car project today, my idea would be get a brand new Prius prime, and matte black wrap it, murder it out, no loser tints, and paint the doorhandles matching paint colors. The new Prius 911 looks great; look at the horizontal tail light it looks awesome!

Real men drive Priuses

Everything else is for losers!

ERIC

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Fashion choices

Cars and clothes are all fashion choices.

If you live somewhere where it is really really strong sun, by a sun hat, not a loser baseball cap.

For your car, get a Prius.

For your body, 60 pound weight vest — my new stoic Spartan fashion body armor accessory?

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Much of marketing behavior is around making people feel shameful about everything; for example, shame in their feet? So they try to cover it up by buying some sort of Nike sneakers? Or for women… To purchase high heels or stuff which is positively bad for your physiology?

Also I have a theory about why people wear long pants, to hide their chicken legs?

Also, T-shirts and long sleeves… Maybe part of it is a modesty thing, but also part of it is that most people don’t have impressive arms?