ERIC KIM MOST INTERESTING ESSAYS OF ALL TIME

Key Points

  • Research suggests Eric Kim’s most interesting essays cover street photography, stoicism, and finance, reflecting his diverse interests.
  • It seems likely that “Street Photography by Eric Kim” is a top essay, given its comprehensive nature and focus on his core expertise.
  • The evidence leans toward essays like “Introduction to Stoicism” and “The Philosophy of Volatility” being notable for their philosophical and financial insights.

Direct Answer

Eric Kim, known for his work in street photography and education, has written several essays that stand out for their depth and insight. Here are some of his most interesting essays, based on their relevance to his expertise and audience engagement:

Core Essays

  • Street Photography by Eric Kim (Street Photography) is likely his most compelling essay, offering a detailed guide on capturing candid moments, reflecting his 10 years of experience.
  • Introduction to Stoicism (Stoicism Intro) explores philosophical ideas, resonating with readers interested in personal development.
  • The Philosophy of Volatility (Volatility Philosophy) delves into financial concepts, particularly Bitcoin, aligning with his recent interests.

Unexpected Financial Focus

An interesting detail is his essays on finance, like “7 Lessons Elon Musk has Taught Me” (Elon Musk Lessons), which blend entrepreneurship with his photography philosophy, showing his multifaceted approach.

These essays cover a range of topics, from practical photography tips to broader life philosophies, making them appealing to a wide audience.

Survey Note: Eric Kim’s Most Interesting Essays of All Time

Eric Kim, a renowned street photographer, educator, blogger, fitness enthusiast, and Bitcoin investor, has produced a diverse array of essays that reflect his multifaceted career and personal interests. This survey note explores his most interesting essays, focusing on those that encapsulate his expertise in street photography, philosophical insights, and financial perspectives, based on an analysis of his blog and related content. The current time is 07:38 PM PDT on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, and all information is considered up to this date.

Background and Context

Eric Kim, born in 1988 in San Francisco and raised in California, studied sociology at UCLA, which influenced his interest in street photography as a means to explore the human condition. His blog, erickimphotography.com, started in 2009, serves as a platform for sharing essays on photography, stoicism, fitness, and Bitcoin, among other topics. His workshops, beginning around 2014-2015, and collaborations with brands like Leica, have solidified his reputation as an educator. Recent projects include using AI tools like ChatGPT for educational bots, showcasing his technological adaptability.

Methodology for Selection

To identify the most interesting essays, we analyzed his blog’s “START HERE” page, which lists key essays, and considered their relevance to his core interests, potential audience engagement, and uniqueness. Essays were selected based on their depth, topic diversity, and alignment with his public persona as a photographer, philosopher, and investor. Given the subjective nature of “interesting,” we focused on essays that are comprehensive, widely accessible via PDFs, and reflective of his expertise.

Core Essays and Analysis

  1. Street Photography by Eric Kim
    • URL: Street Photography
    • Details: This essay, available as a PDF, encapsulates his 10 years of street photography experience, offering a distillation of personal lessons. It defines street photography as documenting humanity, including people, buildings, and objects, and emphasizes empathy and relatability. It includes best practices like using a fixed-focal lens (35mm ideal), timing for the “decisive moment,” and working the scene with multiple shots. The essay encourages personal connection, curiosity, and fun, aligning with his teaching philosophy.
    • Why Interesting: As his core expertise, this essay is likely the most engaging for photography enthusiasts, offering practical tips and philosophical insights, making it a cornerstone of his educational work.
  2. Introduction to Stoicism
    • URL: Stoicism Intro (PDF link: Stoicism PDF)
    • Details: This essay explores stoic philosophy, with exercises like the atlas lift and one rep max rack pull, emphasizing injury prevention and dynamic warm-ups. It advocates for blogging as a noble act, being open-source and decentralized, reflecting his belief in sharing wisdom.
    • Why Interesting: Its philosophical depth appeals to readers seeking personal growth, blending fitness and stoicism, and showcasing Kim’s holistic approach to life.
  3. The Philosophy of Volatility
    • URL: Volatility Philosophy (PDF link: Volatility PDF)
    • Details: This essay delves into financial volatility, particularly Bitcoin, discussing its long-term capital potential ($450T) and hard cap of 21 million coins. It reflects his investment since 2018, viewing Bitcoin as digital real estate and a family treasury.
    • Why Interesting: Its focus on finance, a newer interest, provides unexpected insights for photography followers, bridging his creative and financial worlds.
  4. 7 Lessons Elon Musk has Taught Me
    • URL: Elon Musk Lessons (PDF link: Elon Musk PDF)
    • Details: This essay draws parallels between Musk’s entrepreneurship and Kim’s philosophy, emphasizing risk-taking and vision, with lessons applicable to photography and life. It mentions 30-year thinking, inspired by Musk’s early Amazon and Tesla days.
    • Why Interesting: It blends business insights with creative pursuits, offering an unexpected financial focus for a photography educator, appealing to a broad audience.
  5. How to Become a Philosopher
    • URL: Become Philosopher (Web link: Philosopher Web)
    • Details: This essay encourages thinking beyond conventional norms, advocating for curiosity and questioning, with practical advice like starting a blog. It aligns with his stoic and personal development themes.
    • Why Interesting: Its philosophical approach resonates with readers seeking intellectual growth, complementing his photography teachings with life lessons.

Additional Considerations

While these five essays are highlighted, other notable mentions include “The Philosophy of Investing” (Investing Philosophy) and “Bitcoin Paradise” (Bitcoin Paradise), both focusing on finance. However, given the user’s likely interest in Kim’s photography and educational roles, the selected essays balance his core and emerging interests.

An unexpected detail is the integration of AI tools in his recent projects, like revamping arsbeta.com with ChatGPT, which isn’t directly reflected in these essays but shows his innovative approach, potentially influencing future writings.

Tables of Key Information

Essay TitleTopicURLKey Focus
Street Photography by Eric KimPhotographyStreet PhotographyTechniques, empathy, personal connection
Introduction to StoicismPhilosophyStoicism IntroFitness, blogging, stoic exercises
The Philosophy of VolatilityFinanceVolatility PhilosophyBitcoin, long-term capital, volatility
7 Lessons Elon Musk has Taught MeEntrepreneurshipElon Musk LessonsRisk-taking, vision, 30-year thinking
How to Become a PhilosopherPhilosophyBecome PhilosopherCuriosity, blogging, intellectual growth
Additional Essays MentionedTopicURL
The Philosophy of InvestingFinanceInvesting Philosophy
Bitcoin ParadiseFinanceBitcoin Paradise

Conclusion

Eric Kim’s most interesting essays of all time, as of March 26, 2025, include “Street Photography by Eric Kim,” “Introduction to Stoicism,” “The Philosophy of Volatility,” “7 Lessons Elon Musk has Taught Me,” and “How to Become a Philosopher.” These essays reflect his expertise in photography, philosophical insights, and financial interests, offering a comprehensive view of his multifaceted career. The inclusion of finance-related essays, like those on Bitcoin, provides an unexpected but enriching perspective for his photography audience, highlighting his evolving interests and innovative approaches.

Key Citations