Here are selected quotes from Eric Kim’s philosophy on photography:
Photolosophy Course – Intro Transcript: “Photolosophy: no right or wrong. It’s your personal photography philosophy.”
Photolosophy – What is Photolosophy?: “Use photography as a tool to impress yourself; not others. Let us be like children, to have fun and joy in photography!”
Street Photography Confidence: “Don’t photograph others, as you don’t want others to photograph you.â€
Street Photolosophy – Beauty in the Mundane: “The more we can find beauty in everyday life, the more inspired and grateful we will be about being alive!”
Street Photolosophy – Create Art for Mental Health: “Photography is a holistic process of finding more joy and happiness in the world!”
Street Photolosophy – Walking Meditation: “Treat street photography as a walking meditation; and clear your mind.”
Street Photolosophy – Everything is Editable: “Remember, everything is editable!”
Personal Photolosophy – Intro: “The more personal the photos are, the more authentic they are, and the more others can relate to them!”
Personal Photolosophy – Make Photos for Yourself: “Make photos to impress and please yourself; instead of pleasing others!”
Personal Photolosophy – Gratitude: “Photography helps us recognize what we are grateful for and what we love.”
Entrepreneurship Photolosophy – Empowerment: “Risk taking, and making a positive change in the world which is beyond yourself.”
Entrepreneurship Photolosophy – JUST DO IT: “There is no failure, only feedback.”
Entrepreneurship Photolosophy – How Much is Enough: “You only have joy when you’re making new photo projects and innovating as a photographer.”
These quotes encapsulate Kim’s emphasis on personal fulfillment, continual innovation, and the emotional impact of photography.
The philosophy of photography, as discussed by Eric Kim, covers a broad range of topics. It emphasizes finding personal meaning in photography, moving beyond the pursuit of social media likes to create photographs with personal significance. Key themes include seeing beauty in the mundane, using photography as a form of mental health therapy, and treating photography as a meditative practice. Additionally, Kim discusses personal photography as a form of self-expression and empowerment, and the concept of photography entrepreneurship, encouraging photographers to take risks and make a positive impact. The philosophy overall advocates for an introspective and innovative approach to photography, prioritizing personal fulfillment over external validation.
“Food: not for hedonism and pleasure-maximization, but for physiological growth (muscular hypertrophy [which actually just means ‘hyper-nutrition’]).” oai_citation:6,Error
His Dietary Regimen and Goals:
“I do not take steroids, HGH, test, protein powder, creatine, or any supplements. Only meat, collard greens, kale, kimchi, sauerkraut, and black coffee and water.” oai_citation:7,My Philosophy of Food – ERIC KIM
These quotes provide insight into Eric Kim’s views on food and meat, emphasizing personal choice, the importance of meat for physical development, and the rejection of conventional dietary norms and ethics.
ERIC KIM 100% CARNIVORE RED MEAT DIET FLEX (LAMB, BEEF)— DEMIGOD DIET ALL NATTY BRO!
Eric Kim has articulated a distinct philosophy on food and meat, which can be summarized as follows:
Philosophy of Meat Eating: Kim questions the philosophical arguments against meat eating, observing that much of modern philosophy and thought tends to be anti-meat. He challenges this stance by arguing that there are no natural dietary restrictions for humans, as we have evolved to consume a variety of foods to maximize our physiological strength oai_citation:1,The Philosophy of Meat Eating – ERIC KIMoai_citation:2,Error.
Humanity and Meat Consumption: Addressing the ethical aspect, Kim argues that the concept of ‘humane’ is intrinsically human-centric and that humans and animals don’t necessarily deserve equal treatment. He suggests that striving for a completely cruelty-free existence might not be feasible for achieving human progress and advancements oai_citation:3,The Philosophy of Meat Eating – ERIC KIMoai_citation:4,The Philosophy of Meat Eating – ERIC KIM.
Personal Choice and Diet: Kim emphasizes the importance of personal choice in dietary habits. He criticizes the notion that eating meat is unethical or bad for the environment, pointing out that many human activities are detrimental to the planet. He advocates for the freedom to consume meat without judgment from others oai_citation:5,The Philosophy of Meat Eating – ERIC KIM.
Meat for Physical Development: In his view, meat consumption is crucial for achieving high levels of physical fitness and muscular development. He believes that meat eaters, especially in contexts like bodybuilding and strength competitions, tend to outperform their vegetarian or vegan counterparts oai_citation:6,The Philosophy of Meat Eating – ERIC KIM.
Nutrition and Creativity: Kim posits that consuming meat, which he considers superior nutrition, can lead to more ‘epic’ thoughts, greater artistic creation, and a more remarkable existence oai_citation:7,The Philosophy of Meat Eating – ERIC KIM.
Food as Fuel for Growth: In his personal philosophy, Kim views food not as a means for pleasure or hedonism, but as a tool for physiological growth, particularly muscular hypertrophy. He emphasizes eating to augment his muscles and strengthen his body and mind, aiming to become more epic, apex, and strong oai_citation:8,Error.
Eric Kim’s philosophy on food and meat, thus, centers around the ideas of personal choice, physical growth, and challenging conventional dietary norms. He views meat as a critical component of a diet aimed at achieving superior physical and mental strength.
IONOS.COM — formerly known as 1and1.com — kind of shitty, but the customer support is good, and *it just works*— I’ve been using it since 2009, when I was 20 years old, or was it when in 2010 or before … when I was a high school senior?
It still works! Website is confusing to navigate, but fortunately —
Eric Kim, a street photographer and educator, is known for his inspirational and motivational quotes that often resonate with creatives, especially photographers. Here are some of his notable quotes that reflect his philosophy and approach to photography and life:
On Creativity and Individuality: “Don’t photograph what it looks like, photograph what it feels like.” This quote encourages photographers to go beyond the superficial appearance of their subjects and capture the emotions and essence behind them.
Regarding Fear in Photography: “The more you shoot, the less scared you are to shoot.” This emphasizes the importance of practice and facing one’s fears head-on, especially relevant in street photography where hesitation can mean missing a moment.
About Passion and Persistence: “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” Paraphrasing Henri Cartier-Bresson, this quote by Kim highlights the importance of perseverance and continuous learning in the journey of photography.
On Simplicity and Focus: “Buy books, not gear.” This advocates for the importance of knowledge and inspiration over accumulating equipment, emphasizing that creativity doesn’t depend on having the most expensive tools.
Concerning the Journey of Photography: “The joy of photography is that it’s a lifelong journey.” Here, Kim highlights that photography is a continuous learning experience, where there is always something new to explore and understand.
On Self-Expression: “Photograph who you are.” This quote suggests using photography as a means of self-expression and exploring one’s identity and perspectives through the lens.
Regarding Success and Self-Improvement: “Don’t strive to be famous, strive to make meaningful work.” Kim advises focusing on the impact and depth of one’s work rather than seeking external validation or fame.
On the Value of Photography: “A photograph is a poem without words.” This metaphorical statement reflects on the power of a photograph to convey stories, emotions, and ideas, much like a piece of poetry.
These quotes capture Eric Kim’s approach to photography — one that values authenticity, continuous learning, simplicity, and self-expression. They provide motivation not just for photographers but for anyone pursuing creative endeavors.
Eric Kim, known for his work in street photography and as a photography educator, has inspired and motivated others in various ways:
Passion for Street Photography: Eric Kim’s enthusiasm for street photography is contagious. He encourages aspiring photographers to explore their environments and find beauty in everyday moments. His approach to street photography as an accessible and spontaneous art form has inspired many to pick up their cameras and start exploring their surroundings with a new perspective.
Educational Resources and Workshops: Kim has contributed significantly to the photography community through his educational resources, including online tutorials, e-books, and workshops. These resources are often freely available or offered at an accessible cost, making photography education more democratic and encouraging individuals from diverse backgrounds to learn and improve their skills.
Philosophy of Open Source and Sharing: Embracing an open-source philosophy, Kim shares much of his knowledge, experiences, and even his photography presets freely. This approach not only helps others learn and grow but also fosters a sense of community and collaboration in the photography world.
Encouraging Creativity and Individuality: Kim often emphasizes the importance of developing a personal style and voice in photography. He motivates others to experiment and take risks in their work, thus fostering creativity and individual expression.
Overcoming Fear in Photography: One of the key aspects of Kim’s teachings is overcoming fear, especially the fear of photographing strangers in street photography. His tips and personal experiences help budding photographers to gain confidence and approach street photography with less apprehension.
Positive and Supportive Community Building: Through his blog, social media presence, and workshops, Kim has built a supportive and engaged community. This community not only learns from him but also supports and motivates each other, creating a nurturing environment for photographers at all levels.
Emphasis on the Joy of Photography: Kim often talks about the joy and therapeutic aspects of photography. His focus on the happiness and fulfillment that comes from the act of photographing, rather than just the end results, encourages individuals to find joy in the process itself.
In summary, Eric Kim has inspired and motivated others through his passionate approach to street photography, his generous sharing of knowledge and resources, his encouragement of creativity and individuality, and his efforts in building a supportive and positive photography community.
Super simple — buzz shave the sides yourself (WAHL wireless hair cutter buzzer thing on Amazon), and let the top grow long, and just use gel, wax, or even Vaseline to slick it back your head… let that shit bang and grow really long!
The phrase “Eric Kim Lamborghini Haircut” doesn’t directly relate to any well-known aspect of Eric Kim’s work or public persona, especially since he is primarily known for his contributions to street photography and photography education. This phrase seems more like an eclectic or whimsical combination of words rather than something specifically associated with him.
However, let’s break it down and explore the possible meanings or implications:
Eric Kim: As previously mentioned, Eric Kim is a prominent figure in street photography, known for his educational resources, workshops, and his approach to photography that emphasizes spontaneity, authenticity, and overcoming fear.
Lamborghini: This word typically symbolizes luxury, speed, and high performance. In popular culture, Lamborghinis are often associated with success, wealth, and a certain flamboyance or desire to stand out.
Haircut: A haircut can symbolize change, a new beginning, or a transformation in one’s appearance. It can also reflect a person’s style, personality, or even their current mood or phase in life.
Combining these elements, “Eric Kim Lamborghini Haircut” could whimsically imply a transformation or a bold new style that embodies luxury, high performance, or a desire to stand out — though this is purely a creative interpretation and not rooted in any known facts about Eric Kim. It might also suggest a humorous or exaggerated scenario, playing on the contrast between Eric Kim’s down-to-earth, approachable persona in the world of photography and the extravagance symbolized by a Lamborghini.
Without more context, it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact intent or meaning behind this phrase. If it’s related to a specific event, artwork, or statement involving Eric Kim, it hasn’t been widely recognized or documented up to my last update in April 2023.
Eric Kim’s interpretation of “Fight Club” philosophy aligns closely with the themes presented in Chuck Palahniuk’s novel and the subsequent film adaptation. The essence of this philosophy revolves around the critique of consumer culture, the search for identity in a postmodern world, and the exploration of freedom and self-realization through extreme means.
Critique of Consumerism: “Fight Club” delves deeply into the idea that modern society is overly materialistic and that consumerism has a dehumanizing effect. The characters in the story rebel against a world where one’s identity is increasingly defined by what one owns rather than who one is. Eric Kim’s interpretation might focus on how this critique of consumer culture aligns with a philosophical push towards minimalism and essentialism, encouraging individuals to seek meaning beyond material possessions.
Quest for Identity: The story also touches on the crisis of masculinity and identity in the modern world. The protagonist struggles with a sense of emptiness and unfulfillment, leading him to create an alter ego that embodies the qualities he perceives as missing from his life. This can be seen as a commentary on the struggle to find a genuine identity in a fragmented, superficial society. Kim’s perspective might explore how this quest for identity is a fundamental human endeavor, linking it to philosophical concepts of self, consciousness, and existentialism.
Freedom and Self-Realization: “Fight Club” also presents a radical approach to achieving freedom and self-awareness. Through the creation of Fight Club, the characters engage in primal, violent activities as a way to feel alive and break free from societal constraints. This extreme method of seeking authenticity and liberation could be interpreted by Kim as a metaphor for the need to confront one’s fears and limitations in order to grow and find true self-realization.
Anti-Heroism and Rebellion: The philosophy of “Fight Club” also embodies elements of anti-heroism. The main characters, especially Tyler Durden, are not traditional heroes but rather flawed figures who challenge societal norms. This rebellion against traditional values and structures might be seen by Kim as a necessary step in questioning and redefining one’s place in the world.
In summary, Eric Kim’s interpretation of “Fight Club” philosophy likely emphasizes the importance of questioning societal norms, seeking authentic self-identity, and exploring unconventional paths to self-realization. This interpretation fits well within the broader philosophical discussions around consumerism, identity, and the nature of self in contemporary society.
Hey friends; I am super excited to have you for our course; photolosphy. This starter kit will be your unique opportunity to find more personal meaning in your photography, and to motivate you to think more critically why you take photos; and for whom you shoot photos for, and how to find more purpose in your photography.
Skip around for this course! You can download all the files offline, share it with your friends, and spread the information.
This information will be educational.
Photolosophy: no right or wrong. Its your personal photography philosophy.
Go at your own pace, don’t need to go in chronological order.
Very excited to see what you can do!
ERIC
2. Photolosophy – What is Photolosophy?
What is photolosophy and why is it important? Photolosophy is a word we made up which means ‘photography philosophy’. The purpose is for you to find more purpose and meaning in your photography and life.
Everything I’m sharing in this course is from my personal experience. I was once stuck in the ‘social media rat-race’ — when I tried to take good photos, and uploaded it on social media to get as many likes as possible. Social media is a fun way to get feedback, but the problem is you get stuck into this treadmill. It becomes about accumulating likes, instead of taking photos which gives you personal meaning and purpose in your life.
So once question to ask yourself:
“If I didn’t have social media, Facebook, or Instagram to share my photos; would I still shoot photos?”
If so, what kind of photos would you shoot, who would you share your photos with, and how could you share your photos? And what ultimate meaning does photography give you?
For myself, I consider myself 90 years on my deathbed, and looking at the last few decades of my photography career. I want to fulfill myself with my photos, because (spoiler alert) we are all going to die! Knowing we are going to die, how can we focus to make photos which are meaningful to us?
I studied sociology in school, and I make photos to give social critique and commentary on society. I find street photography as ‘visual sociology’ — I can use photography to understand others, and better understand myself!
I like to photograph my loved ones, because it reminds me that they’re going to die and I’m going to die. I want to be grateful of my life while im still living. So photography is a meditation on life and death. When you’re alive, show your gratitude to being alive! Make photos which spark joy in your heart, and share photos that can also spark joy into the heart of others!
Also, photography is a meditation on death. Eventually you’re going to die, and the people you photograph will also die.
Use photography as a tool to impress yourself; not others. Let us be like children, to have fun and joy in photography!
ERIC
1. Street Photography Confidence
Lets talk about social dynamics and street photography and how to build your confidence. Street photography is great because it gives you the opportunity to interact with real humans! In todays world, the norm is to be anti-social. We don’t make eye contact with others, and this is what alienates us, and depresses us.
The more we interact with others we’re interested in, the happier we are!
For myself, I like to talk to strangers, recording my interactions with strangers– so realize that photography can be your passport into the lives of others.
I used to make the mistake of thinking of people as ‘photo objects’. Now I realize that photography is one of the best tools to HUMANIZE people. So rather than seeing them as weird or different, use photography as a tool to bring you closer with them!
With ethics in photography, I like to follow the ‘silver rule of photography’:
“Don’t photograph others, as you don’t want others to photograph you.”
Recognize that everyone has a different code of ethics. Don’t let anyone super-impose their code of ethics unto you, and also don’t super-impose your code of ethics onto others!
Also another tip: if you want to be more comfortable photographing others, be more comfortable being photographed yourself!
Have your loved ones photograph you more! Or practice shooting more selfies of yourself! Be comfortable in your own skin!
If you don’t like being photographed, you will make the (wrong) assumption that others don’t like being photographed as well! This is false, because there are many people out there (like ERIC KIM) who actually like being photographed!
If you take photos of strangers, ask them: “What is your life story?” to better interact and engage with them. Furthermore, offer to also email them the photo! Or show them the LCD screen of the photos you’ve shot them!
As an activity, shoot more self-portraits of yourself!
If you don’t like being photographed by others, ask yourself:
“Why not?”
And then reflect and meditate on this question.
“Do you like being photographed? Why or why not?”
ERIC
2. Street Photolosophy – Beauty in the Mundane
Realize beauty in the mundane is the way you want to photograph. The basic idea is this: recognize that there is beauty all around you. For example, make photos at home!
At home, you can go to your bathroom, you can photograph selfies of yourself in the mirror, you can go to the kitchen, you can photograph yourself.
There is so much beauty all around you regardless of where you are!
You can photograph your own bedroom, your own living room — photograph lovely streams of light!
Even the beautiful thing in street photography; it isn’t about finding weirdness, it is about finding the simple, beautiful, everyday!
The more we can find beauty in everyday life, the more inspired and grateful we will be about being alive!
Tip: When you commute to work, turn off your phone and use that opportunity to make photos! Use your camera to find beauty all around you. Photograph textures, light, and different color combinations.
Look at children, and observe how they see the world with fresh eyes!
ERIC
3. Street Photolosophy – Create Art for Mental Health
Make photos as a form of visual therapy and art therapy for yourself.
To be happier in life; make more stuff!
I don’t think happiness is a good definition. I think we are trying to spark more joy in our lives. Joy is this exuberant uplifting feeling; a feeling of power and control we have — a feeling we can control our future in life!
We are happiest when we are making things, being challenged, and photography is such a joyful process! We have joy when we are making photos on the streets, walking around, talking to people, and seeing new things!
We also get joy when we look through our photos at home; when we choose which to keep or ditch. We also get fun from editing and sequencing our photos, and processing our photos!
With film photography, I have joy of getting my film processed as well. And the joy of sharing your photos!
Realize photography is a holistic process of finding more joy and happiness in the world!
Photography is a unique opportunity to interact with the ‘real world’. We are happiest when we are actively CREATING!
To be happier in life, make more photos and art, and share more with others!
Don’t limit yourself to photos; make sculptures, paintings, videos, or poetry and other forms of art!
Remember– photography isn’t limited to just your camera. Use your phone to make photos! Go on a street walk or hunt and shoot with your phone. Shoot whatever sparks joy into your heart.
Photography is a way for you to find more joy and meaning in your life!
Make art for your mental wellness; prioritize this!
ERIC
4. Street Photolosophy – Walking Meditation
Just by walking, it helps clear your mind, relieve stress. I think street photography is walking meditation. Use a small camera, and never expect to make good photos.
When you try really hard to make ‘good photos’; you won’t make good photos! The more you just zen out and enjoy shooting; the more likely you are to make good photos!
Let the photos come to you.
Always have your camera around your neck or wrist, and don’t expect anything; but be perceptive to the world around you.
When on the streets, don’t use headphones, or don’t use your phone. If you shoot with your phone, switch it to airplane mode.
Walk 25% slower than you normally do, and whenever you see something you like, stop and smile, then shoot it! Touch the textures of things you like to photograph and smile. When you shoot street photography, talk and interact with people.
The slower you walk, and feeling the pavement under your feet is a good way to relax. Be less stressed, and be more artistic and creative.
Treat street photography as a walking meditation; and clear your mind.
ERIC
5. Street Photolosophy – Everything is Editable
Everything is editable!
As a photographer you’re constantly changing, evolving, and a state of flux.
The goal isn’t to make an amazing photography book that will last forever. With digital technology and the internet, you can edit it afterwards!
I’m anti-finality. Im a fan of Willem de Kooning; who said, “I never finish.”
With photo projects, with the internet and digital portfolios — you can constantly add to your projects, and remove and re-sequence the photos! As a photographer, your taste will always change.
Don’t be any type of photographer your entire life. Sometimes you can change your camera, your aesthetic, or equipment! There are so many ways you can change and evolve your working process as a photographer.
Be more active!
Realize as a photographer, we’re happiest when we are active!
When I’m bored at night, I like to look at my own photos on Dropbox. I like to look back at my older photos, and re-live the experiences behind the photos!
This is good because I can re-discover old photos that I recognize are good photos!
Always go out and shoot new photos, and also use time to look at your old photos.
Use your website and blog as a visual diary — blog about your photo experiences, change it up, and don’t worry about perfection.
Remember, you can always delete or re-upload old photos!
Don’t let finality or perfection hold you back.
My tip:
“Get it 80% good enough, and hit publish.”
Remember, everything is editable!
ERIC
Personal Photography 101
1. Personal Photolosophy – Intro
What is personal photography?
For me, it is making photos for yourself. In modern society we are told that doing ‘self-centered’ things are evil. I don’t think that is the case. The best type of photos is personal — because the more personal the photos are, the more authentic they are, and the more others can relate to them!
By being more personal and more self-centered or focused, you can end up empowering others more!
With personal photography, photograph your own life and yourself as the main character of your photography.
In personal photography, you empower yourself by using your own subjective view of the world and realizing that is your way of seeing the world. I don’t believe in objectivity in photography. I think all photography is subjective– because you are the lens in which you filter the world. You decide what is signifant, and what isn’t significant!
Regardless of how busy you are, you can make good photos of anything! Think of your whole life as a photo project!
Photograph your commute, photograph your shadow, photograph your kids, and loved ones! Your whole photographic project can be documenting your own life!
Use photography as a tool to find more gratitude in your life!
Use your phone, RICOH GR II camera, Fuji x100, etc — the most important is to use a camera that is as unobtrusive, easy to use as possible.
For my personal photos, I shot a RICOH GR II, just in Program mode, and I use ‘ERIC KIM PRESETS’ when importing my photos into Lightroom.
Reduce the friction; and shoot from your gut. Whenever you see something that resonates with you, just shoot it!
No right or wrong way to shoot personal photography. Just ask yourself:
“Is this personal or not?”
The more authentic and personal your photos, the more your viewers will relate with you, and feel an emotional connection with you and your photos, and be uplifted in a positive way!
ERIC
2. Personal Photolosophy – Make Photos for Yourself
Make photos to impress and please yourself; instead of pleasing others!
With personal photography, you are the most important person to impress.
The more you make photos that impress yourself and please yourself, the more likely you are to impress or please others.
As a photographer, you’re an innovator. Theres only one of you on the planet. Its very important for you to give your own subjective view of the world and share this with others!
Making photos that impresses yourself is so important because in social media, we always try to impress others. We try to ‘crowd-source’ our self-esteem; contingent on how many likes we get from others.
I used to use the likes I got as a barometer to see how good my photos were; rather than judging my own photos.
I would recommend before sharing your photos, look at your own photo and ask yourself:
“Do I like this photo?”
Or,
“If someone else shot this photo, would I still like it?”
Ultimately, theres no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ photos. Only photos which impress you or don’t impress you.
Make photos that you think are good, and make photos that you like to look at!
I like to use Dropbox to look at my old photos!
Getting famous as a photographer is a lot of luck. So imagine yourself 90 years on your deathbed; would you look at your old photos and feel impressed with your own photos? Can you die with a smile on your face?
Make photos that resonate with you; in order that they may resonate with others.
ERIC
3. Personal Photolosophy – Gratitude
Hey friends; let us talk about personal photography and gratitude.
We must be grateful– grateful for being alive, for having an interest in photography, grateful that we own a camera or a phone, and realizing that we should be grateful for all the amazing digital technologies now that empower us!
Can you imagine in the 1920s, you had ISO 25 film in black and white film, and you couldn’t really share your photos with others!
We should be grateful for the opportunities we have to share our photos online in todays world!
We often feel our camera isn’t good enough. Perhaps if our camera was better, perhaps others would appreciate our photos more?
But, recognize that the whole camera industry wants you to be perpetually dissatisfied with your camera gear.
Recognize this, and then ask yourself: “How can I best use the camera I already own?”
We might not have the best equipment, but how can we still make beautiful photos which bring us joy and happiness in life?
First, recognize your camera is 80% ‘good enough’; and use that as a tool to photograph what you’re grateful for!
Assignment: For an entire day, only photograph what you’re grateful of! Anything that puts a smile on your face.
When you photograph something, you are saying:
“I am grateful you exist.”
Photography helps us recognize what we are grateful for and what we love.
Use photography as a tool to find more gratitude in your life.
Photograph your loved ones while they’re still alive, before they die!
Photograph what you’re grateful for, and upload it to social media with the hashtag: #blessings
If you look at your own photo, and it puts a smile on your face, it is a good photo!
ERIC
Photography Entrepreneurship Philosophy 101
1. Entrepreneurship Photolosophy – Empowerment
So friends, let us talk about entrepneuership!
What is entrepreneurship, and whats my definition?
For me, if you’re a photographer and you’re sharing your photos online, you’re an entrepreneur.
My definition of entrepreneurship:
“Risk taking, and making a positive change in the world which is beyond yourself.”
You don’t need to make money in entrepreneurship. Rather, consider yourself as an entrepreneur as someone who follows your own voice. I see entrepreneurship as empowerment.
With entrepreneurship you can put a dent in the universe in the words of Steve Jobs. You can change your reality! You can make a positive impact!
A lot of us feel disempowered because we feel, “No matter how hard I try, I cannot make a difference!”
But recognize, you have the power to change the world!
As a photographer, ask yourself:
“How can my photos empower myself and others?”
“Do not water the garden of others if your own garden is parched.” – Publilius Syrus
First empower yourself in photography. Secondly, share with others.
You can never please 100% of others.
Just think:
“If your photos has the ability to empower at least 1 other human being on planet earth, it is your duty to share your photos and ideas with others!”
Photography entrepreneurship is empowerment! Start your own photography blog. I recommend bluehost.com and installing wordpress.org. use your own website/blog to empower yourself and others!
ERIC
2. Entrepreneurship Photolosophy – JUST DO IT
JUST DO IT! Realize there is no such thing as failure– only feedback.
Many of us want to put ourselves out there but we are afraid that others might criticize us, or hate on us. Or we are worried of getting trolled or of ‘failure’.
But in photography– you’re not going to starve to death or die!
We still fear starving to death, which holds us back from achieving our personal maximum in life. My personal philosophy is this:
There is no failure, only feedback.
If you work on a photo project and don’t sell any copies; it is just feedback! Maybe others aren’t interested, but thats okay!
Vincent Van Gogh didn’t sell a single painting in his lifetime; but he achieved fame after his death. His work was great; but he was perhaps a bit too early for his time, or he had a marketing problem.
Dedicate your life to what is meaningful to you. You might never achieve external ‘success’; but realize, you are laboring for future generations of humanity as well!
If you’re enthusiastic or interested in something; just do it!
As a photographer, don’t look at your social media numbers. Also disable your stats on your website/blog, to innovate more, and to break the ‘rules’.
Don’t be a slave to page views, follower counts, or likes.
Its your duty as a photographer to never compromise your vision!
As an entrepreneur; its about putting yourself out there, not making money!
Before you pursue a photo project; just shoot it! Don’t ask others for their feedback BEFORE you start a project! You don’t need permission before you start anything in life!
Take a risk, take the power in your hands, and just do it!
ERIC
3. Entrepreneurship Photolosophy – How Much is Enough
How much is enough?
When you have enough; then what?
My last 10 years — I wanted to travel, become internet famous, have solo exhibitions, etc. I achieved all my dreams, and I actually got a little depressed. I started to ponder, “Whats the next big thing?”
This is the truth:
You only have joy when you’re making new photo projects and innovating as a photographer.
For me, when you have enough to pay rent and feed yourself (and coffee); continue making new art, innovating, and pushing and challenging yourself to make new photos art which please yourself!
I’ve been pushing myself to create new layers in my photos, by studying cinema (like Stanley Kubrick). I’m also shooting video street photography and street scenes; to create visual storytelling in new ways!
I’m never going to starve to death, and I have enough money to retire in Saigon.
What are your goals in photography and life? And if you achieve all your dreams, what will you do for the rest of your life?
Never stop making art; you can’t take money with you when you die!
Nobody regrets not making more money before they die. I think the best is to die with $0 in the bank!
Use your life to create photo projects that empowered others; creating new innovations that helped others think outside the box, and to make a positive impact in the world.
Challenge yourself to think,
“How much is enough in my photography?”
At what point is enough, enough?
What do you really want from photography, and how can you keep shooting until you die at age 100?
Never doubt yourself, and make photos that please yourself. Seek to empower yourself and humanity!
The phrase “burn the boats” is often used to describe a situation where a person or a group commits to a course of action by eliminating any possibility of retreat. This metaphorical expression has its roots in real historical events, where military leaders literally burned their ships to prevent retreat and ensure full commitment to a battle or mission.
Another earlier example comes from the ancient world. In 334 BC, Alexander the Great is said to have burned his ships upon reaching the shores of Persia, again as a demonstration of his commitment to victory over the Persians.
2012 — now it is nearly 2024 … almost 12 years ago, decade plus 2 years ago?
Hmm…
George Lucas’s decision to sell Lucasfilm, including the “Star Wars” franchise, to Disney in 2012 was influenced by several factors:
Succession Planning: Lucas was aware of the challenges in ensuring the longevity and continuity of the “Star Wars” legacy. At 68, he was considering retirement and was looking for a way to pass on his creation to a new generation of filmmakers. Disney, with its strong track record in handling big franchises, appeared as a suitable custodian.
Creative Legacy: Lucas had previously seen Disney as a good home for his other major franchise, “Indiana Jones.” He trusted Disney’s ability to respect and expand on his creative vision, ensuring that “Star Wars” would continue to thrive.
Financial Security: The deal with Disney was worth approximately $4.05 billion, a significant financial gain for Lucas. This not only secured his financial future but also provided funds for his philanthropic interests.
Philanthropy: Post-sale, Lucas committed to donating the majority of the proceeds from the sale to education-focused philanthropy. This reflected his long-standing interest in education and charitable causes.
Future of the Franchise: Lucas recognized that Disney had the resources and capability to expand the “Star Wars” universe in ways he couldn’t achieve independently. This included theme parks, merchandise, and new film and television projects.
Industry Trends: The sale occurred in a context where big studios were consolidating popular franchises. Disney had already acquired Marvel and would later acquire 21st Century Fox. Lucas’s decision can be seen as part of a broader trend in the entertainment industry.
Lucas’s decision, from a philosophical perspective, underscores themes of legacy, the passage of time, and the evolution of creative works beyond their original creators. It also reflects a recognition of the changing landscape of media and entertainment, where scale and diversified capabilities have become crucial for the sustained success of large franchises.
The question of “why” cocaine leads to sexual dysfunction, including impotence, involves understanding its effects on the body, particularly the cardiovascular and nervous systems:
Vasoconstriction and Blood Flow: Cocaine causes vasoconstriction, which is the narrowing of blood vessels. This effect can significantly reduce blood flow throughout the body, including to the penis. Adequate blood flow is crucial for achieving and maintaining an erection, so this reduced blood flow can lead to erectile dysfunction.
Neurotransmitter Disruption: Cocaine significantly affects neurotransmitters in the brain, especially dopamine, which is closely linked to pleasure and reward. Initially, cocaine use may heighten sexual desire and arousal due to increased dopamine activity. However, over time and with chronic use, cocaine can disrupt the normal functioning of these neurotransmitters. This can lead to a decrease in sexual desire and a diminished ability to achieve sexual arousal or orgasm.
Psychological Effects: Cocaine use can cause various psychological issues such as anxiety, stress, and paranoia, which can further contribute to sexual dysfunction. These mental health effects can create a psychological barrier to sexual performance.
Hormonal Changes: Chronic cocaine use can also lead to hormonal imbalances. It can affect hormone levels like testosterone, which plays a vital role in sexual function and libido.
Health Deterioration: Long-term cocaine use can lead to overall deterioration of health, including cardiovascular problems, which can indirectly affect sexual performance.
Tolerance and Dependence: As tolerance to the drug develops, the user may require higher doses to achieve the same effects, which can exacerbate the negative impacts on sexual function.
It’s important to understand that these effects can be complex and varied, depending on individual factors like the amount and frequency of cocaine use, overall health, and the presence of other substances. Professional medical advice and treatment are essential for anyone experiencing these issues.
Cocaine use can have various adverse effects on sexual function. One of the potential side effects is sexual dysfunction, which can include impotence (erectile dysfunction). Cocaine is a stimulant that can initially increase libido and sexual arousal, but with prolonged use or high doses, it can lead to decreased sexual desire, difficulty in achieving or maintaining an erection, and other sexual performance issues.
The mechanism behind this involves cocaine’s effect on the body’s cardiovascular and nervous systems. Cocaine constricts blood vessels, which can impede the flow of blood to the penis, a necessary condition for achieving an erection. Additionally, cocaine’s impact on neurotransmitters like dopamine can initially heighten arousal but eventually lead to decreased libido and sexual dysfunction due to changes in the brain’s reward and pleasure centers.
It’s important to note that these effects can vary among individuals and depend on factors like the frequency and amount of cocaine use, overall health, and the presence of other substances. Long-term use of cocaine can lead to more severe and persistent sexual dysfunction, and these effects might not be fully reversible even after stopping cocaine use.
The impact of cocaine on sexual health is just one of the many reasons why it is considered a harmful substance, both legally and medically. If someone is experiencing sexual dysfunction related to cocaine use, seeking help from a healthcare professional is crucial, both for addressing the sexual health issue and for assistance with substance abuse treatment.
Eric Kim, a renowned photographer and blogger, has expressed his admiration for Akira Kurosawa, particularly in the context of his film “Seven Samurai.” Kim’s reflections focus on the realistic and relatable characters, the range of human emotions portrayed, and the impressive cinematography. He specifically recalls a scene featuring a young boy lying in a bed of flowers, highlighting the film’s visual impact oai_citation:1,Akira Kurosawa: Learn From the Masters – ERIC KIM. Additionally, Kim’s interest in exploring Kurosawa’s work further is evident, as he mentions watching a YouTube video analyzing Kurosawa’s masterful use of movement in his films oai_citation:2,Akira Kurosawa: Learn From the Masters – ERIC KIM.
Akira Kurosawa, a legendary filmmaker known for his influential works in cinema, has also left a legacy of insightful quotes:
On Personal Qualities and Effort: “I am not a special person, I am not especially strong; I am not especially gifted. I simply do not like to show my weakness, and I hate to lose, so I am a person who tries hard. That’s all there is to me” oai_citation:9,TOP 25 QUOTES BY AKIRA KUROSAWA | A-Z Quotes.
On the Importance of Script in Filmmaking: “With a good script a good director can produce a masterpiece; with the same script a mediocre director can make a passable film. But with a bad script even a good director can’t possibly make a good film” oai_citation:11,TOP 25 QUOTES BY AKIRA KUROSAWA | A-Z Quotes.
Kurosawa’s quotes, much like his films, reflect a deep understanding of human nature and the art of storytelling. His philosophical perspective on life, art, and cinema continues to inspire filmmakers, artists, and audiences around the world.
Born in Modesto California, 1944– 44 years before me?
Studied at USC — hugely inspired by Akira Kurosawa— I love Kurosawa!
Quotes biography
George Lucas, an iconic figure in the world of cinema, has made significant contributions as a director, producer, and screenwriter. His life and career are as fascinating as the quotes he has left us with.
Biography
Early Life: Born on May 14, 1944, in Modesto, California, Lucas was an avid reader of classic adventure stories and a keen student of history. His interests included comic books and car racing. A near-fatal crash at age 18 steered him away from racing and toward filmmaking oai_citation:1,George Lucas | Biography, Movies, & Facts | Britannica.
Education: Lucas studied at the University of Southern California, where he was influenced by the work of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. His student film, “Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB,” won first prize at the National Student Film Festival in 1965 oai_citation:2,George Lucas | Biography, Movies, & Facts | Britannica.
Lucasfilm and ILM: In 1971, he formed Lucasfilm Ltd., and later, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), a leading special-effects workshop. His second film, “American Graffiti” (1973), was a hit and reflected his youth as a hot-rodding enthusiast in Modesto oai_citation:4,George Lucas | Biography, Movies, & Facts | Britannica.
Lucas’s journey from a young filmmaker inspired by classic literature and adventure, to creating one of the most enduring and influential sagas in film history, is a testament to his vision, creativity, and determination. His quotes reflect his deep insights into filmmaking, storytelling, and human nature.
Narrative art?
As the first museum to focus exclusively on storytelling through images, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art™ believes that visual storytelling can connect us and help shape a more just society.Â
George Lucas, renowned for creating the iconic “Star Wars” franchise, has shared many thought-provoking and insightful quotes throughout his career. Here are some notable ones:
On Perspective and Reality: “Always remember, your focus determines your reality.” This quote, from “Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace,” emphasizes the power of mindset and how our focus shapes our perception of the world oai_citation:1,TOP 25 QUOTES BY GEORGE LUCAS (of 263) | A-Z Quotes.
On Fear and Its Consequences: From “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace,” Lucas stated, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” This quote reflects on the destructive chain reaction that can stem from fear, a central theme in the “Star Wars” saga oai_citation:2,George Lucas Quotes (Author of Star Wars) – Goodreads.
On Mythology and Human Nature: He once reflected, “Mythology gives you a sense of what a people believes, what they fear.” This insight shows his understanding of mythology not just as stories, but as reflections of collective human beliefs and fears oai_citation:4,Top 10 George Lucas Quotes – BrainyQuote.
On Importance and Film: Lucas remarked, “The secret to film is that it’s an illusion. Keep going through the things that you like to do until you find something that you actually seem to be extremely good at.” This quote highlights his belief in the power of persistence and finding one’s true calling oai_citation:5,39 Most Inspiring George Lucas Quotes (STAR WARS).
Lucas’s quotes often reflect deep insights into human nature, storytelling, and the pursuit of one’s passions.
People only hate Jewish people because they’re either envious, jealous or suspicious scared of them
Some thoughts on Jewish people:
First, seems that American people are suspicious of Jewish people because they don’t understand Jewish people –their customs their beliefs, their names their clothing, how they talk, their last names, cultural thoughts etc.
For example, Hanukkah. A menorah dreidel etc.… going to the temple? The average Christian, Catholic protestant in America has no idea what Judaism, being Jewish is all about.
I’m speaking from the perspective of being born and raised, baptized Roman Catholic, growing up in a liberal Korean American Catholic circle, and also later becoming Sunday school teacher and even Sunday school principal.
First, at least for Catholic people we don’t really care for Jewish people. We don’t really think about them, nor care, and we don’t criticize or critique them. We don’t even know who Jewish people are what they are, and we really don’t care.
I think for Christian protestants, Lutheran’s Baptists or whatever… also, they don’t really care about Jewish people that much either. There are more interested in leaving Jewish people alone, and trying to proselytize and convert more normal people into their protestant sect.
Catholicism is interesting because we are not rabid religious zealots. We are very tolerant actually; we allow other people to do as they please, even one hot fact that people don’t know, the Catholic Church is actually very open to the LGBTQ community, and being gay. The only thing that the Catholic Church doesn’t like is gay people having intercourse, as the Catholic Church believes the purpose of intercourse is for a man and a woman to get a child, which I get. 
So who is anti-Jewish?
I think actually, the African-American community the “black†community is actually the ones who are anti-Jewish. Why? I think there actually is a history of exploitation or perhaps power dynamic issues between powerful and rich Jewish executives in the music rap industry and poor African-American aspiring rapper kids, who come from the hood.
I heard from this one cool African-American guy that I met who’s been to Nigeria Lagos and traveled a bunch and knows history told me that even a lot of the original jazz divas, jazz musicians, James Brown and all of that music was mostly bankrolled by Jewish media executives, even if you read Henry Ford’s anti-Semitic publication, the international Jew, there is actually a section on which it is mentioned that jazz is a Jewish phenomenon.
A funny thought:
Then is rap music, Jewish music?
Even Ben Horowitz, the great Silicon Valley entrepreneur and venture capitalist, who is also Jewish American, put out a rap album as a kid! Even apparently Kanye West has ties with Ben Horowitz.
Who doesn’t care?
So at least for Asians, Asian Americans, or the new elite rich Asians in Asia, they are unapologetically racist. Also, there is a strict caste system and hierarchy in Asia. Only poor slave like indentured people do the dirty work of sanitation and hygiene, sweeping and mopping at the mall, cooking food, taking care of kids, waiters and waitresses, working at coffee shop etc. The rich just lounge, hang out, drink coffee, wear luxury clothes, and want to be seen. Compare this to funny America where everyone thinks that kind of labor is beneath them — the notion of the benevolent virtue of “work, respect for one’s work†and “careerâ€.
Why so many cultural clashes in America?
America is a very strange hodgepodge of things because in America, we are almost too multicultural. 
For example, let us consider that essentially the first founding fathers of America were British people who didn’t like Britain, and fled. The early American settlers came to America and colonized America because it didn’t like the policies of the British monarchy and king, they were essentially the first troublemakers.
Fast forward to today, cultural vestiges of Quakerism, Protestantism, Benjamin Franklin and the protestant work ethic etc.… the new world order and ethos is towards capitalism. Like Kanye said: 
White people make money don’t spend it. But I’d rather buy 80 gold chains and go ‘ignant’!
How people profit
One of my workshop attendees when I was in New York told me a funny Jewish or a Yiddish thing; one generation makes the money, the next generation conserves the money, the third generation spoils all the money, and thus, the cycle continues.
Jewish people just want to be left alone 
I think the truth is Jewish people just want to be left alone, and like any good immigrant, they were actually very pro assimilation. For example Kirk Douglas, changed his last name because he wanted to “fit in†in Hollywood, and not be stigmatized for his Jewish background. His real name is Issur Danielovitdh. Doesn’t sound as catchy as a good simple “American†sounding name.
Kirk Douglas was the son of Jewish immigrants fro, Belarus, spoke Yiddish growing up and faced poverty and antisemitism early on.
Apparently Walt Disney was very anti-Semitic and anti-Jewish.
Even in today’s world, why is the modern-day American or person so anti-Jewish?
Just look at these podcasts, anybody who has anything bad to say about Jewish people. They tend to be weak, skinny, anemic, probably drink too much vegetable juice or green fruit juice or whatever, don’t eat enough meat, has too low testosterone. 
I have a theory that actually, the higher your testosterone, the more tolerant and open minded you are. It seems only low testosterone men are the ones who blame others, hate, etc.
Scapegoating is a tactic of the weak, meek, powerless and castrated.
Solution ideas 
First and foremost, I think everybody should do some sort of DNA test, DNA testing or whatever, and find out that their genetic heritage is actually more diverse than they thought it was. For example imagine if you are anti-Jewish and anti-Semitic, and you did a DNA test and you actually found out that you were part Jewish? Even the fun fact, people don’t want you to know this… Japanese people descended from Korean people and the Yayoi people — and also I think Korean people we descended from the Chinese Mongolians? And ultimately if you go back far enough we all came from Africa anyways. 
I really do believe that ChatGPT 4, AI can actually make people more tolerant. Why? For example get the paid ChatGPT paid plus premium, and ask it “What are some common misconceptions about Islam“? Or, “What are some common misconceptions about Catholicism?†or, “what are some misconceptions about Judaism?â€. To debunk conspiracy theories, myths, and other insane nonsense is critical.
It ain’t my fault you’re so poor! 
A lot of people who talk about Jewish people owning the whole banking system international finance whatever, I think these individuals were complaining are because they themselves are poor, in poverty, or have financial problems, and once again they are looking for a scapegoat. Nobody likes to think:
Wow, perhaps I should go back to medical school, law school, become a doctor or lawyer, or do a coding Boot Camp, or go to community college and teach myself computer programming, and get a better pay job as a programmer, etc.
Why don’t people like to take responsibility of themselves?
I think the big issue here is that I don’t know if it is a learned behavior, a cultural behavior or something else?
One of the good things about the immigrant mentality is the ethos, which I think is a good one… that “if you work hard enough“, you will become successful“.
For example just watch FIGHT CLUB, do you remember that scene where Brad Pitt puts a fake gun with no bullets in the barrel against the kids head, telling him to go back to law school or doctor school or whatever? There were no bullets in the gun!  
I think maybe the issue is if you were born in the states, to a well to do family, or maybe something else… And there hasn’t really been a history of struggle in your family or your life, there is this “learned helplessness†which occurs and happens.
Instagram, YouTube is to blame?
OK, if you spend too much time on Instagram, or Reddit, or Google, Wikipedia, YouTube etc.… sooner or later you all fall into weird weird conspiracy theories.
In fact, my greatest shock is often, the most intelligent people that I know fall into the conspiracy theories.
For example one of my friends who is a PhD graduate from UC Berkeley, theorized that Kanye West was in fact gay, and the reason why he was so into fashion and going to Paris was to go see his gay romantic partners, and that Kim Kardashian was just a cover-up for his gayness, and that in fact Kim Kardashian would secretly fly on a private jet to Saudi Arabia or the Middle East to have sex with some princes or whatever, for high sums of money etc.
I was so insanely shocked because here is this erudite scholar man, well-versed in history, insanely intelligent and critical, falling victim to these weird conspiracy theories?
Also, some thing I have learned about academics, scholars at the Ivy League schools, Harvard Yale Princeton Brown University, UC Berkeley UCLA etc.… they are all addicted to Netflix, checking their Gmail for too many times a day, not eating enough meat, not exercising enough, drinking too much alcohol (it seems that universally all academic scholar professors are either alcoholics, or smoke too much weed). Let us consider the effects of these intelligent scholars; the ones that shape public opinion and policy… if they themselves are the ones who are also physically and mentally sick, what will the public opinion be?
Have you really met these rich famous people in real life in the flesh?
Spending a lot of time in Beverly Hills Holmby Hills, Culver City etc.… I have definitely rubbed shoulders with a lot of famous, notable, “beautiful†people. And truth be told, in the flesh when you see them face-to-face are not very impressive.
First and foremost, a lot of them are actually quite short. Isn’t Tom Cruise like 5 foot seven or something? Or 5 foot six?
Kanye West I think is also 5 foot seven.
So a lot of these “shorty guysâ€, have a Napoleon syndrome here; they try to make up for their insecurity of being short through other weird ways like buying an expensive car, whatever?
Even a lot of these “beautiful women“ in LA; if you look at them up close and in person in the flesh, in direct sunlight, in fact, a lot of them look quite repulsive in the flesh because you can tell that they’ve had some weird Botox lip fillers or face fillers or something, they essentially look like Hyenas who had some sort of allergic facial reaction.
Even something that’s becoming more mainstream now, people injecting stuff in their face? Collagen, other things in their face? Even for men in their 50s and 60s, apparently it is popular to Botox their face for men as well? I think this is a bad idea.
Who to trust?
First and foremost, don’t trust nobody but yourself. Why? You yourself are the center of all intelligence wisdom and critical thinking. To outsource your intelligence wisdom and thinking is base.
Also, even when you meet really intelligent people, a lot of them are also not very critical. They can quote all of these boring old French thinkers until no end, as Nassim Taleb calls them “International Association of Name Droppers“, they themselves have no true original ideas which is vested in themselves. 
Also, it also seems that a lot of these academics spend too much time watching sports – Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, other sports etc. To me watching sports on television is almost like the male version of pornography.
Critical thinking
To me critical thinking is being the judge, weighing the information yourself. For example, even if you discover the truth, you gotta ask yourself “Does this even matter?â€ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼
“So what?â€
For example, let us say all the conspiracy theories are true, we never landed on the moon yada yada yada, Jewish people run the world whatever, you gotta ask yourself:
Does this even matter?
I don’t think so. Why? The joy and the glory of free market capitalism in America is that in theory, you as a sole proprietor can start your business right now, start selling products and services on PayPal, your own woocommerce enabled wordpress.org website, or using Shopify or whatever else —  and you could take a profit.
Actually the benefit of having a day job is you could do very very risky entrepreneurial ventures on the side, while  still being able to pay your rent.
Certainly having to be employed full-time is tiring, but there are very creative ways you could leverage your time. For example, my pragmatic thought is this:
Do the bare minimum of work necessary without getting fired. 
So let us say that you work at a tech company or whatever, Google Amazon Facebook Apple whatever, just show up, collect your paycheck, or zoom in, and during all your extra time, build your empire on the side.
Now what?
Just think to yourself, at what point do we scapegoat others?
A funny intervention that I had was thinking; What if in fact I am actually the bad guy? And I was the bad guy all along?
Everyone likes to see themselves as the judicious hero in their own life’s narrative, and everybody else is the bad guy, doing them injustice. 
Personally speaking I witness this with my father; he was always blaming other people for everything. Blaming my mom, blaming my grandfather on my mom‘s side, my mom‘s relatives family members etc., yet, he never blamed himself? 
Also something really weird; he would always blame other people, all the time, yet, ever since I was two years old, he never had a job?
I think as a child, you are keenly aware of things. Kids are 1 trillion times more intelligent than their parents think. Kids are no fools.
Now what?
This is what I say, fuck it! Let us assume that all the conspiracy theories are true, that we never landed on the moon, we never captured Hitler and he went to some sort of bunker in Antarctica or whatever, and that also, there are some sort of world conspiracy illuminati thing happening. So what? Does it matter?
No. You control your own destiny, you create your own future.
Simple things:
Don’t waste money. We waste money by buying new cars, luxury goods and things, going to debt use credit cards etc. I’m even starting to think that the new millennial trap is buying a house, it looks like this is the new modern day trap, because technically even if you buy a house, you yourself don’t really own that house, the bank owns your house! You never really own it until you have hundred percent paid it all off in cash, or if you bought it with a 100% cash offer. But even still, the big issue at hand is you still gotta pay property tax on it! This is literally money you’ll never ever see again, money which is essentially thrown in the gutter. And let us say you own an expensive house, and you bought it in all cash, you might have to still pay it around $1500-$2000 month just in property taxes! Just add another thousand dollars and you got rent money! 
Start a website a blog posted on wordpress.org and bluehost.com — what is a quadrillion times cheaper than owning property, buying a new car etc.? Starting a website! It is so easy, so chief, so accessible, the barrier to entry is only entering your credit card information. Consider how less tedious this is than having to go through the whole escrow process of purchasing a house, which can often take up to a year!
Start publishing your thoughts on anything on everything: to me, all ideas are good ideas, as long as they are personally motivated, something you are genuinely interested in, and also something you genuinely care for. The only crime is when you create something or publish something because you think other people like it. To me this is a sign of cowardice.
So what do you want to build? 
“I want to build now!†– Cindy
The greatest muse in my life is my wife and partner Cindy. To me, she is an exemplary figure of somebody who has taken the rain by her arms, her hands, and steered and crafted her own unique future.
cindyanguyen.com and mis-reading.com and also hapticindustries.com — her own brain children!
I think the life the ultimate thing to seek is a great creative partner. Somebody who has your creative compliment, part of your own plan, your own party, your own squad.
For example, the personality of me and Cindy differs greatly, yet we are both still committed to being curious, creative, and we both have a passion for the arts, the world, travel etc.
Also, if you’re a man, I just suggest you to go out and look for wifey material. Ignore everything else.
Either find a wife get married and have kids, or stay a bachelor.
Creating your own future
The best way to create your own future is maybe through your art?
The other day Cindy myself and Seneca went to the Getty, in LA, on top of the hill, our minds were blown! Parking is 20 bucks, but admission is free! 
We took the tram to the top of the hill, and marveled at these great architectural wonders of the space, the breathtaking view, and also all the great artwork enclosed in the gallery.
It seems at the end of the day, after all the wealth and riches and whatever, whatever everyone loves and inspires for is art. Art, art production, art curation whether it be paintings photos videos sculpture, drawings, printed matter, objects etc.
To me anything and everything could be art, what I just think is art is simply something that you create with love and care and attention, and put it out into the world, whether digitally or physically or both.
Art profiteering
To make a profit off your art, not a bad thing, but also not critical. Some people think the typical capitalist way; in order to become a legitimate artist, I must sell my artwork for a lot of money, as money as a metric of success in America and beyond. 
But is this true? No.
McDonald’s might be the most profitable and most consumed restaurant in the world, but is it of the highest grade? No. Also Starbucks is the number one most consumed coffee beverage in the world, but is Starbucks coffee the apex of great coffee? No.  
Technically android is actually more popular than iPhone, there are more android devices in the world than iPhones, but does that make android better than Apple and iPhone? No. The UI/UX of the iPhone is at least 1 trillion times better than android.
Also, iPhone the iPhone camera is the most used camera on the planet, what is it the best quality? No. The best quality would probably be some sort of Ricoh Pentax camera, or some sort of Panasonic Lumix camera. And let us not forget that Leica cameras essentially used borrowed technology from Panasonic Lumix.
The world is inconsistent
I think one of the greatest things I have learned studied sociology philosophy etc. is that the world is very inconsistent.
For example, we are told that it is virtuous to be meek, humble or whatever… yet everybody in America wants to flex on how rich successful famous they are, or what car they drive?
For example even Christian theology? Humbleness and meekness is praised, yet people will “virtue flex“, by broadcasting into the world how “good†of a person they are?
For example, people who post to social media about donating to some sort of cause nonprofit or adopting an animal or whatever. Or posting Bible scriptures or whatever. I don’t think this is virtuous at all. In fact, isn’t it Jesus that said, when you give to the temple, or you donate to charity, let your left-hand not know what your right hand is doing?
I wonder if Jesus was alive today he would say:
If you’re going to donate to charity, don’t name the building after yourself or a family member, don’t name the foundation after yourself, never publicly donate money under your name, and never publish it to the news or social media.
In fact, I think the rapper Pusha T actually donated 18 wheelers of freshwater to Flint Michigan, anonymously without telling nobody, he is truly virtuous. 
Why so miserable?
If you’re dark depressed and emo or whatever… just move to LA, I recommend Culver City, I especially really like the Culver City arts district. I really like the platform park, the new downtown Culver steps area, in front of the Philz Coffee, the whole area.
I wonder if the reason why a lot of people are so dark and grim is simply because they live somewhere with poor weather?
I know personally that when I was in Berlin, eastern Europe, Prague, Marseille in the winter time, it was some of the most depressive times of my life. 
And on the contrary, some of the happiest times in my life or when I was in Vietnam, in Hanoi and Saigon, in Panam Cambodia, other places with good climate, bright light and sun good weather.
Your mind and your body is precious.
Don’t prostitute your mind, your body your soul.
Prostitution is not just sexual, it could be your mental abilities, your physical body whatever.
Prostitution isn’t just about your sexual organs, your penis or vagina your butt hole your mouth your hands or whatever, maybe… the more critical thing is your soul?
Your soul not as some hocus-pocus concept. Rather, your soul is a combination of your personality, your thoughts, your body, your opinions your beliefs your thoughts your abilities your capabilities, your skills etc. 
The mortal soul. That is when your body dies, your soul also dies. 
Memento mori
Remember that you must die, and you will die. Death is also also one of our final duties.
Therefore just thinking consider an ask yourself, in this short and cruel life that we live in, how can we discover more more joy, more thanksgiving, more happiness, more Thanksgiving?
How can we contribute more to the world to others to our progeny, our children are friends and communities and the world?
Certainly, here are more quotes from Eric Kim that further reflect his interpretation of the “Memento Mori” philosophy:
“Life is fleeting, and the moment we forget that, we waste our most precious resource: time.”
“Remembering death isn’t about fear; it’s about recognizing the value of every moment we’re alive.”
“Our time is limited, so why spend it on things that don’t nourish our souls or the souls of others?”
“Death reminds us that living isn’t just about surviving, but about thriving with purpose and passion.”
“In the face of mortality, trivial pursuits lose their appeal. What remains is the quest for a life well-lived.”
“Every day is a chance to write a meaningful page in the story of our lives – don’t let those pages remain blank.”
“Memento Mori is not a morbid obsession, but a celebration of life and the opportunities it presents.”
These quotes encapsulate Kim’s perspective on life and death. He sees the awareness of mortality as a powerful reminder to live fully, meaningfully, and with a clear focus on what truly matters.
More
Eric Kim’s interpretation of “Memento Mori” is deeply introspective and action-oriented. He doesn’t just acknowledge the inevitability of death; he uses it as a catalyst to live a more purposeful life. His quotes reveal a few key themes in his philosophy:
Life Priorities: Kim challenges the conventional pursuit of wealth and power, suggesting that these are not worthy life goals. He prompts introspection about what truly matters in one’s life story.
Rejecting Trivialities: There’s a clear disdain for wasting time on unimportant matters (“bullshit and strife”). This reflects a desire to focus on what is truly meaningful and impactful.
Love and Relationships: Emphasizing the importance of showing love to family and close ones, Kim highlights relationships as a cornerstone of a meaningful life. He acknowledges the need to cherish and nurture these bonds.
Hard Work and Persistence: The imagery of working hard until blisters tear off speaks to his dedication and resilience. It’s not just about working hard but doing so with a purpose.
Awareness of Mortality: The reference to the grim reaper is a stark reminder of mortality. Yet, instead of inducing fear, it serves as motivation to keep pushing forward, to overcome challenges (“pushing them boulders”).
Helping Others and Emancipation: A significant aspect of his philosophy is helping others. He talks about enabling others to live freely (“to emancipate those living in fear and sorrow”), suggesting a deep sense of empathy and a commitment to uplifting others.
Urgency and Action: Finally, his philosophy is imbued with a sense of urgency. The rejection of procrastination and the emphasis on making the most of every hour and day show his commitment to action and making a difference.
In summary, Eric Kim’s take on “Memento Mori” is not just a contemplation of death but a call to action. It’s a philosophy that encourages living with purpose, focusing on what’s truly important, and making a tangible difference in the world and in the lives of others.
Memento mori quotes
Eric Kim’s reflection on “Memento Mori” is encapsulated in his poignant and motivational quotes. Here are some of his thoughts on the subject:
“Memento mori, what is gonna be my life story? Chasing wealth and power? Or grasping each tender hour.”
“I don’t want to waste my life or partake in bullshit and strife.”
“I want to show love to my wife, my brother and sister, to keep working hard until my blisters tear off.”
“The grim reaper is tapping on my shoulder, and is telling me, ‘Keep pushing them boulders.’”
“I never want to waste a single hour or day, to never delay my God-given task of helping others sail bravely on the seas, to feel the warm breeze on our faces.”
“To emancipate those living in fear and sorrow. Fuck procrastinating until tomorrow.”
Through these quotes, Kim emphasizes the importance of living meaningfully and rejecting the pursuit of superficial goals. He advocates for love, hard work, and a commitment to helping others, underlined by a vivid awareness of life’s impermanence oai_citation:1,Memento Mori – ERIC KIM.
Eric Kim’s perspective on “Memento Mori” seems to intertwine with his broader philosophy on life and productivity. In his writings, he reflects on the concept of “Memento Mori” – the reminder of our own mortality – and its implications on how we choose to live our lives. He questions whether one should chase wealth and power or cherish every moment. Kim expresses a desire not to waste life on trivial matters but to focus on love, hard work, and helping others. This perspective is underscored by an awareness of death’s inevitability, urging him to make the most of each day and to focus on tasks that help others and bring joy oai_citation:1,Memento Mori – ERIC KIM.
Moreover, Kim applies the “Memento Mori” philosophy to his approach to productivity, suggesting it as a way to get more done in a day. This indicates that he sees the awareness of death not as a source of fear, but as a motivational force to live more fully and effectively oai_citation:2,How to Get More Done in a Single Day – MEMENTO MORI PHILOSOPHY – ERIC KIM.
This approach aligns well with the broader philosophical and historical context of “Memento Mori,” which has been used across various cultures and epochs to remind people of the inevitability of death and the importance of living a meaningful life.
Street photography is just applied visual sociology!
Processed with VSCO with a1 preset
Quotes
Eric Kim’s quotes on the intersection of sociology and street photography highlight the role of sociological understanding in his approach to photography:
Through these quotes, Kim encapsulates how sociology informs and enhances his practice of street photography, providing insights into human behavior, communication, and societal norms.
Eric Kim’s perspective on the intersection of sociology and street photography is quite insightful. He views street photography as a form of applied sociology, using it as a medium to explore and understand human behavior and society. Here are some of his key thoughts:
Sociology’s Relevance to Street Photography: Kim acknowledges his sociology education as a significant influence on his street photography. He appreciates the insights gained from studying human interaction and group behavior, which he finds applicable to street photography oai_citation:1,10 Things Sociology Has Taught Me About Street Photography – ERIC KIM.
Similarities in Human Reactions: Traveling and shooting street photography worldwide, Kim observes that despite cultural differences, people’s reactions to street photography are more similar than dissimilar. This realization comes from his sociological understanding of human nature oai_citation:2,10 Things Sociology Has Taught Me About Street Photography – ERIC KIM.
Non-Confrontational Nature of People: Kim notes that people are generally non-confrontational, a concept he applies to street photography. He rarely encounters aggressive responses, even when shooting close to his subjects, which aligns with his sociological observations oai_citation:3,10 Things Sociology Has Taught Me About Street Photography – ERIC KIM.
Through these reflections, Kim illustrates how sociology provides a framework for understanding and engaging with the world, significantly enriching his approach to street photography.
Eric Kim’s views on sociology and social media reveal a critical and reflective stance. He discusses the societal implications of social media, its psychological effects, and its role in modern communication:
Digital Colonialism and Social Media Penetration: Kim notes the high penetration of social media like Facebook in countries like Vietnam and the Philippines, raising concerns about digital colonialism and its impact on societies. He points out how social media platforms have become integral to commerce and communication in these regions oai_citation:1,Eric Kim Social Media Philosophy – ERIC KIM.
Personal Experience with Social Media: As a millennial without Instagram, Kim observes how different age groups in America use social media platforms differently, with younger people preferring Instagram and older generations using Facebook. He also comments on the evolving landscape of social media, with platforms like Snapchat losing popularity and TikTok emerging as an addictive form of entertainment oai_citation:2,Eric Kim Social Media Philosophy – ERIC KIM.
Reasons for Deleting Instagram: Kim deleted his Instagram account due to various reasons, including its distraction from valuable work, its psychological impact like dependency on likes for self-esteem, concerns about advertising and data privacy, and limitations on freedom of speech. He emphasizes the importance of authenticity and self-expression, choosing to use his own platforms for sharing ideas oai_citation:3,Eric Kim Social Media Philosophy – ERIC KIM.
Through these insights, Kim highlights the complex relationship between sociology and social media, emphasizing the need for critical thinking and authentic expression in the digital age.
On Sociology and Philosophy: “My personal thought is [sociology] is practical, pragmatic, applied philosophy to society, other people, everyday life” oai_citation:4,Sociology vs Philosophy? – ERIC KIM.
These quotes highlight how sociology has influenced Kim’s understanding of various aspects of life, his approach to thinking, and his views on the interaction between individuals and society.
Eric Kim expresses a profound appreciation for sociology, viewing it as a foundational discipline for understanding various fields of knowledge. He emphasizes its role in fostering free thinking and unlearning societal misconceptions. Kim regards sociology as the “ultimate ‘generalist’ major,” essential for comprehending business, finance, politics, and more, as these fields are deeply rooted in social contexts. Reflecting on his own educational journey, Kim finds his sociology education increasingly valuable over time, contrasting it with other fields like Political Science, English, and Business/Economics, which he perceives as less impactful in the long run oai_citation:1,Sociology is Great – ERIC KIM.
Until you own you can’t be free, how we still slaves in 2016? – JAY Z
Quotes
Eric Kim’s quotes on creating your own website blog emphasize the importance of self-publishing and the freedom it provides. Here are some of his key thoughts:
On Starting and Publishing: “First register your own website and domain… Then, start publishing! Start publishing your photos, blog posts, and the goal is to get indexed by Google” oai_citation:1,How to Publish Yourself – ERIC KIM – EK.
On Choosing a Domain: “When you register your own website domain, select a .com domain, ideally your firstnamelastname.com. If not, firstnamelastnamephoto.com” oai_citation:2,How to Build a Blog – ERIC KIM.
On the Significance of Building: “Build a website, or blog. Build your own name, your own personal brand. Build your own personal self-employment empire” oai_citation:4,BUILD! – ERIC KIM.
Kim’s advice underscores the value of owning your digital space, the importance of being discoverable through Google, and the potential personal and professional growth that comes from building and maintaining a personal website or blog.
Easy—
Eric Kim, known for his expertise in photography and blogging, offers valuable advice for creating your own website blog. Here’s a summary of his recommendations:
Register Your Own Website and Domain: Start by registering your website and domain. Kim suggests using services like 1and1.com or Bluehost.com for this purpose. It’s important to choose a .com domain, preferably your first and last name (or with ‘photo’ added if the desired domain is taken) oai_citation:1,How to Build a Blog – ERIC KIM.
Start Publishing and Get Indexed by Google: Once your website is set up, start publishing content like photos and blog posts. The goal is to get your site indexed by Google, which will increase your visibility in search results and help people discover your website oai_citation:4,How to Publish Yourself – ERIC KIM – EK.
Customize and Control Your Website: Having your own website gives you complete freedom and control over its design and content. You can customize your website as you wish, and you have unlimited access to various plugins and tools to enhance or fix your site. This control allows you to build your personal brand and potentially create a self-employment empire oai_citation:5,Why You Must Create Your Own Website – ERIC KIMoai_citation:6,BUILD! – ERIC KIM.
Consider Investing in Your Website: While many themes and tools are available for free, Kim advises that paying for certain aspects of your website, like a premium theme, can be beneficial. This investment can enhance the professional look and functionality of your site oai_citation:7,How to Build a Blog – ERIC KIM.
These steps outlined by Eric Kim provide a solid foundation for anyone looking to start their own website blog, particularly those interested in showcasing photography or other creative content.
Eric Kim, a prominent figure in the world of street photography, has expressed his views on the concept of sole proprietorship through various quotes. These quotes reflect his philosophy on independence, self-reliance, and entrepreneurship:
On Avoiding Business Partners: “Don’t have any business partners. If you have a business partner, sooner or later you’ll get screwed somewhere, or, resentment from how slow and ineffective they are. Go solo. Sole proprietor is the way.” This quote highlights Kim’s preference for independence in business, emphasizing the potential pitfalls of partnerships oai_citation:1,Don’t have any business partners – ERIC KIM.
Sole Proprietorship as a One-Man Ship: “What I believe in — sole proprietorship. Basically you’re a one-man ship. You got extreme responsibility in yourself. It’s all on you. In Praise of Sole Proprietorship. Why sole proprietorship? Maximal freedom. You dictate and choose for yourself. You choose your successes, wins, losses, whatever.” Here, Kim underscores the autonomy and freedom that come with being a sole proprietor, accepting both the responsibilities and rewards that come with it oai_citation:2,Sole Proprietorship – ERIC KIM – EK.
Economic Independence and Self-Employment: “Become self-employed (you are the sole proprietor of your business). In praise of solo entrepreneurship. Don’t desire to buy stuff … desire to make, design and create stuff! In praise of design and designer thinking. Don’t buy anything.” This quote reflects Kim’s emphasis on the creative and productive aspects of entrepreneurship, valuing the creation and innovation over consumerism oai_citation:3,How to Become Economically Independent – ERIC KIM.
Simplicity and Control in Business: “The best style of company to build in America is a ‘Sole Proprietorship.’ What is this? Simple: You are the solo owner, boss, and employee of your own company (of yourself). Simplest taxes, ways to report income and deductions, etc.” Kim advocates for the simplicity and control offered by a sole proprietorship, highlighting the practical benefits such as easier tax handling oai_citation:4,Become a Sole-Proprietor – EK.
Business Expenses in Sole Proprietorship: “The upside of sole proprietorship, you could literally file almost everything as a business expense.” This advice points to the financial advantages of being a sole proprietor, where a wide range of expenses can potentially be filed as business costs oai_citation:5,Just treat everything like a business expense – ERIC KIM – EK.
These quotes collectively showcase Eric Kim’s endorsement of sole proprietorship as a business model. He emphasizes the importance of independence, responsibility, and the freedom to make one’s own decisions, which he sees as crucial for personal and professional growth. His perspective is particularly relevant for those looking to venture into entrepreneurship, especially in creative fields like photography.
Eric Kim, a renowned figure in street photography, has shared his insights on entrepreneurship, particularly regarding the idea of operating as a sole proprietor. He advocates for going solo in business ventures, cautioning that having a business partner can lead to issues like resentment or inefficiency. Kim’s preference for being a sole proprietor aligns with his emphasis on personal freedom and control over one’s work and life oai_citation:1,Don’t have any business partners – ERIC KIM.
Additionally, Kim highlights the importance of owning your platform in the digital economy, advising against relying solely on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook for business. He suggests building a personal website as a central hub for your work, akin to owning a home rather than renting. This approach reflects his advocacy for independence and control in business endeavors oai_citation:5,How to Start Your Own Photography Business – ERIC KIM.
Kim’s entrepreneurial philosophy is also evident in his approach to photography and life in general. He is known for his innovative approach, blending traditional photography techniques with modern technology. His teachings often delve into the philosophical aspects of photography, touching on themes like mortality, the human condition, and finding beauty in everyday life. He encourages community building and sharing knowledge, resonating with the communal learning principles of ancient Greek societies. Kim’s approach to street photography can be seen as a form of practical stoicism, emphasizing dealing with rejection, overcoming fear, and finding contentment in the art itself rather than seeking external validation oai_citation:6,Why does Eric Kim Matter? – ERIC KIM.
Eric Kim’s views on sole proprietorship and entrepreneurship reflect a broader philosophy of independence, innovation, and personal freedom. His advice and approach offer insights not only into starting and running a photography business but also into living a life aligned with one’s values and passions.
First and foremost, don’t trust nobody but yourself. Why? You yourself are the center of all intelligence wisdom and critical thinking. To outsource your intelligence wisdom and thinking is base.
“I see all this potential; and I see it all squandered. Entire generation of slaves with white collars.”
“Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need. No purpose or place. No great war, no great depression. Our great war is a spiritual war. Our great depression is our lives.”
“Without pain and sacrifice, we would have nothing.”
“It is only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.” – Tyler Durden
“You are not your job; you’re not how much money you have in the bank; you’re not the car you drive; you’re not the contents of your wallet.”
These quotes resonate with themes of anti-consumerism, self-identity, and the pursuit of freedom from societal norms. “Fight Club” explores the disconnection of modern individuals from authentic experiences and emotions, using sharp and provocative language to question the values and lifestyles of contemporary society.
Delving deeper into the analysis of these quotes:
Nihilism and Despair: “It’s easy to cry when you realize that everyone you love will reject you or die. On a long enough time line, the survival rate for everyone will drop to zero.” This quote reflects the narrator’s nihilistic view of life, where despair becomes a solace in a world perceived as meaningless oai_citation:3,Fight Club Quotes and Analysis | GradeSaver.
Identity Crisis: “If I could wake up in a different place, at a different time, could I wake up as a different person?” This contemplates the fluidity of identity and the dissociation between the narrator and his alter-ego, Tyler Durden oai_citation:4,Fight Club Quotes and Analysis | GradeSaver.
The Fleeting Nature of Perfection: “One minute was enough, Tyler said, a person had to work hard for it, but a minute of perfection was worth the effort. A moment was the most you could ever expect from perfection.” This highlights the elusiveness of perfection and the intense effort needed to achieve fleeting moments of it oai_citation:5,Fight Club Quotes and Analysis | GradeSaver.
Consumerism and Entrapment: “Then you’re trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you.” This speaks to the entrapment within consumer culture, where material possessions begin to control one’s life oai_citation:6,Fight Club Quotes and Analysis | GradeSaver.
Dichotomy of Identity: “Who guys are in fight club is not who they are in the real world.” This quote emphasizes the contrast between societal identity and the more primal, authentic self revealed in the fight club oai_citation:7,Fight Club Quotes and Analysis | GradeSaver.
Perfection vs. Self-Destruction: “Maybe self-improvement isn’t the answer… Maybe self-destruction is the answer.” This suggests that true self-discovery may require breaking down established perceptions and ideals oai_citation:8,Fight Club Quotes and Analysis | GradeSaver.
Intensity of Living: “You aren’t alive anywhere like you’re alive at fight club.” This captures the raw, intense experience of being alive in moments of physical and emotional extremity, contrasting with the numbness of everyday life oai_citation:9,Fight Club Quotes and Analysis | GradeSaver.
Freedom Through Loss: “‘It’s only after you’ve lost everything,’ Tyler says, ‘that you’re free to do anything.’” This encapsulates the concept of liberation through the loss of material and emotional attachments oai_citation:10,Fight Club Quotes and Analysis | GradeSaver.
Deconstruction of Individuality: “‘You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are the same decaying organic mater as everyone else, and we are all part of the same compost pile.’” This refutes the notion of inherent specialness, suggesting a collective, undifferentiated human existence oai_citation:11,Fight Club Quotes and Analysis | GradeSaver.
Fatherhood and Faith: “‘If you’re male and you’re Christian and living in America, your father is your model for God. And if you never know your father, if your father bails out or dies or is never at home, what do you believe about God?’” This quote explores the relationship between paternal figures and religious belief oai_citation:12,Fight Club Quotes and Analysis | GradeSaver.
Disillusionment of a Generation: “‘We are the middle children of history, raised by television to believe that someday we’ll be millionaires and movie stars and rock stars, but we won’t. And we’re just learning this fact,’ Tyler said. ‘So don’t fuck with us.’” This expresses the disillusionment of a generation raised with false promises and a sense of entitlement, only to face a different reality oai_citation:13,Fight Club Quotes and Analysis | GradeSaver.
“Fight Club” uses these themes to critique modern society’s obsessions with materialism, identity, and the illusion of individuality, raising profound questions about the nature of reality and our place in it.
Complexity of Characters: “People are composed of many things, and in my work, what influences me is the complexity of people — the chiaroscuro of dark and light. When I play a strong guy, I try to find, where is he weak? And conversely, when I play a weak guy, where is he strong?” oai_citation:7,40 Best Kirk Douglas Quotes About Acting & Dealing With Adversity | YourTango.
On Being a Father: “I am so proud of Michael because he never followed my advice. I wanted him to be a doctor or lawyer, and the first time I saw him in a play I told him he was terrible, but then I saw him a second time and I said: ‘You were wonderful!’ And I think he is very good in everything he’s done” oai_citation:8,40 Best Kirk Douglas Quotes About Acting & Dealing With Adversity | YourTango.
These quotes reflect Kirk Douglas’s insightful observations on life, acting, and personal growth. They offer a window into his philosophy and character, painting a picture of a man who was not only a great actor but also a thoughtful and reflective individual.
First, seems that American people are suspicious of Jewish people because they don’t understand Jewish people –their customs their beliefs, their names their clothing, how they talk, their last names, cultural thoughts etc.
For example, Hanukkah. A menorah dreidel etc.… going to the temple? The average Christian, Catholic protestant in America has no idea what Judaism, being Jewish is all about.
I’m speaking from the perspective of being born and raised, baptized Roman Catholic, growing up in a liberal Korean American Catholic circle, and also later becoming Sunday school teacher and even Sunday school principal.
First, at least for Catholic people we don’t really care for Jewish people. We don’t really think about them, nor care, and we don’t criticize or critique them. We don’t even know who Jewish people are what they are, and we really don’t care.
I think for Christian protestants, Lutheran’s Baptists or whatever… also, they don’t really care about Jewish people that much either. There are more interested in leaving Jewish people alone, and trying to proselytize and convert more normal people into their protestant sect.
Catholicism is interesting because we are not rabid religious zealots. We are very tolerant actually; we allow other people to do as they please, even one hot fact that people don’t know, the Catholic Church is actually very open to the LGBTQ community, and being gay. The only thing that the Catholic Church doesn’t like is gay people having intercourse, as the Catholic Church believes the purpose of intercourse is for a man and a woman to get a child, which I get. 
So who is anti-Jewish?
I think actually, the African-American community the “black†community is actually the ones who are anti-Jewish. Why? I think there actually is a history of exploitation or perhaps power dynamic issues between powerful and rich Jewish executives in the music rap industry and poor African-American aspiring rapper kids, who come from the hood.
I heard from this one cool African-American guy that I met who’s been to Nigeria Lagos and traveled a bunch and knows history told me that even a lot of the original jazz divas, jazz musicians, James Brown and all of that music was mostly bankrolled by Jewish media executives, even if you read Henry Ford’s anti-Semitic publication, the international Jew, there is actually a section on which it is mentioned that jazz is a Jewish phenomenon.
A funny thought:
Then is rap music, Jewish music?
Even Ben Horowitz, the great Silicon Valley entrepreneur and venture capitalist, who is also Jewish American, put out a rap album as a kid! Even apparently Kanye West has ties with Ben Horowitz.
Who doesn’t care?
So at least for Asians, Asian Americans, or the new elite rich Asians in Asia, they are unapologetically racist. Also, there is a strict caste system and hierarchy in Asia. Only poor slave like indentured people do the dirty work of sanitation and hygiene, sweeping and mopping at the mall, cooking food, taking care of kids, waiters and waitresses, working at coffee shop etc. The rich just lounge, hang out, drink coffee, wear luxury clothes, and want to be seen. Compare this to funny America where everyone thinks that kind of labor is beneath them — the notion of the benevolent virtue of “work, respect for one’s work†and “careerâ€.
Why so many cultural clashes in America?
America is a very strange hodgepodge of things because in America, we are almost too multicultural. 
For example, let us consider that essentially the first founding fathers of America were British people who didn’t like Britain, and fled. The early American settlers came to America and colonized America because it didn’t like the policies of the British monarchy and king, they were essentially the first troublemakers.
Fast forward to today, cultural vestiges of Quakerism, Protestantism, Benjamin Franklin and the protestant work ethic etc.… the new world order and ethos is towards capitalism. Like Kanye said: 
White people make money don’t spend it. But I’d rather buy 80 gold chains and go ‘ignant’!
How people profit
One of my workshop attendees when I was in New York told me a funny Jewish or a Yiddish thing; one generation makes the money, the next generation conserves the money, the third generation spoils all the money, and thus, the cycle continues.
Jewish people just want to be left alone 
I think the truth is Jewish people just want to be left alone, and like any good immigrant, they were actually very pro assimilation. For example Kirk Douglas, changed his last name because he wanted to “fit in†in Hollywood, and not be stigmatized for his Jewish background. His real name is Issur Danielovitdh. Doesn’t sound as catchy as a good simple “American†sounding name.
Kirk Douglas was the son of Jewish immigrants fro, Belarus, spoke Yiddish growing up and faced poverty and antisemitism early on.
Apparently Walt Disney was very anti-Semitic and anti-Jewish.
Even in today’s world, why is the modern-day American or person so anti-Jewish?
Just look at these podcasts, anybody who has anything bad to say about Jewish people. They tend to be weak, skinny, anemic, probably drink too much vegetable juice or green fruit juice or whatever, don’t eat enough meat, has too low testosterone. 
I have a theory that actually, the higher your testosterone, the more tolerant and open minded you are. It seems only low testosterone men are the ones who blame others, hate, etc.
Scapegoating is a tactic of the weak, meek, powerless and castrated.
Solution ideas 
First and foremost, I think everybody should do some sort of DNA test, DNA testing or whatever, and find out that their genetic heritage is actually more diverse than they thought it was. For example imagine if you are anti-Jewish and anti-Semitic, and you did a DNA test and you actually found out that you were part Jewish? Even the fun fact, people don’t want you to know this… Japanese people descended from Korean people and the Yayoi people — and also I think Korean people we descended from the Chinese Mongolians? And ultimately if you go back far enough we all came from Africa anyways. 
I really do believe that ChatGPT 4, AI can actually make people more tolerant. Why? For example get the paid ChatGPT paid plus premium, and ask it “What are some common misconceptions about Islam“? Or, “What are some common misconceptions about Catholicism?†or, “what are some misconceptions about Judaism?â€. To debunk conspiracy theories, myths, and other insane nonsense is critical.
It ain’t my fault you’re so poor! 
A lot of people who talk about Jewish people owning the whole banking system international finance whatever, I think these individuals were complaining are because they themselves are poor, in poverty, or have financial problems, and once again they are looking for a scapegoat. Nobody likes to think:
Wow, perhaps I should go back to medical school, law school, become a doctor or lawyer, or do a coding Boot Camp, or go to community college and teach myself computer programming, and get a better pay job as a programmer, etc.
Why don’t people like to take responsibility of themselves?
I think the big issue here is that I don’t know if it is a learned behavior, a cultural behavior or something else?
One of the good things about the immigrant mentality is the ethos, which I think is a good one… That “if you work hard enough“, you will become successful“.
For example just watch fight club, do you remember that scene where Brad Pitt puts a fake gun with no bullets in the barrel against the kids head, telling him to go back to law school or doctor school or whatever? There were no bullets in the gun!  
I think maybe the issue is if you were born in the states, to all occasion family, or maybe something else… And there hasn’t really been a history of struggle in your family or your life, there is this “learned helplessness†which occurs and happens.
Instagram, YouTube is to blame?
OK, if you spend too much time on Instagram, or read it, or Google, Wikipedia, YouTube etc.… Sooner or later you all fall into weird weird conspiracy theories.
In fact, my greatest shock is often, the most intelligent people that I know fall into the conspiracy theories.
For example one of my friends who is a PhD graduate from UC Berkeley, theorized that Kanye West was in fact, and the reason why he was so into fashion and going to Paris was to go see his gay romantic partners, and that Kim Kardashian was just a cover-up for his gayness, and that in fact Kim Kardashian was secretly fly on a private jet to Saudi Arabia or the Middle East to have sex with some princes or whatever, for high sums of money etc.
I was so insanely shocked because here is this area date scholar man, well-versed in history, insanely intelligent and critical, falling victim to these weird conspiracy theories?
Also, some thing I have learned about academics, scholars at the Ivy League schools, Harvard Yale Princeton Brown University, UC Berkeley UCLA etc.… They are all addicted to Netflix, checking their Gmail for too many times a day, not eating enough meat, not exercising enough, drinking too much alcohol (it seems that universally all academic scholar professors are either alcoholics, or smoke too much weed). Let us consider the height in Apex of these intelligent scholars; the ones that shape public opinion and policy… If they themselves are the ones who are also physically and mentally sick, what will the public opinion be?
Have you really met these rich famous people in real life in the flesh?
Spending a lot of time in Beverly Hills Holby Hills, Culver City etc.… I have definitely rubbed shoulders with a lot of famous, notable, “beautiful†people. And truth be told, in the flash when you see them face-to-face are not very impressive.
First and foremost, a lot of them are actually quite short. Isn’t Tom Cruise like 5 foot seven or something? Or 5 foot six?
Kanye West I think is also 5 foot seven.
So a lot of these “Shorty guysâ€, have Napoleon syndrome here; they try to make up for their insecurity of being short through other weird ways like buying an expensive car, whatever?
Even a lot of these “beautiful women“ in LA; if you look at them up close and in person in the flesh, indirect sunlight, in fact, a lot of them look quite repulsive in the flesh because you can tell that they’ve had some weird Botox lip fillers or face fillers or something, they essentially look like Hyenas who had some sort of allergic facial reaction.
Even something that’s becoming more mainstream now, people injecting stuff in their face? Collagen, other things in their face? Even for men in their 50s and 60s, apparently it is popular to Botox surface as well? I think this is a bad idea.
Who to trust?
First and foremost, don’t trust nobody but yourself. Why? You yourself are the center of all intelligence wisdom and critical thinking. To outsource your intelligence wisdom and thinking is base. 
Also, even when you meet really intelligent people, a lot of them are also not very critical. They can quote all of these boring old French thinkers until no end, as Nassim Taleb calls them “international Association of named droppers“, they themselves have no true original ideas which is vested in themselves. 
Also, it also seems that a lot of these academics spend too much time watching sports – Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, other sports etc. Into me watching sports on television is almost like the male version of pornography.
Critical thinking
To me critical thinking is being the judge, weighing the information yourself. For example, even if you discover the truth, you gotta ask yourself “Does this even matter?â€ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼
“So what?â€
For example, let us say all the conspiracy theories are true, we never landed on the moon yada yada yada, Jewish people run the world whatever, you gotta ask yourself:
Does this even matter?
I don’t think so. Why? The joy and the glory of free market capitalism in America is that in theory, you as a sole proprietor can start your business right now, start selling products and services on PayPal, your own woocommerce enabled wordpress.org website, or using Shopify or whatever else —  and you could take a profit.
Actually the benefit of having a day job is you could do very very risky entrepreneurial ventures on the side, while  still being able to pay your rent.
Certainly having to be employed full-time is hiring, but there are very creative ways you could leverage your time. For example, my pragmatic thought is this:
Do the bare minimum of work necessary without getting fired. 
So let us say that you work at a tech company or whatever, Google Amazon Facebook Apple whatever, just show up, click your paycheck, or zoom in, and during all your extra time, build your empire on the side.
Now what?
Just think to yourself, at what point do we scapegoat others?
A funny intervention that I had was thinking; what if in fact I am actually the bad guy? And I was the bad guy all along?
Everyone likes to see themselves as the judicious hero in their own life’s narrative, and everybody else is the bad guy, doing them injustice. 
Personally speaking I witness this with my father; he was always blaming other people for everything. Blaming my mom, blaming my grandfather on my mom‘s side, my mom‘s relatives family members etc., yet, he never blamed himself? 
Also something really weird; he would always blame other people, all the time, yet, ever since I was two years old, he never had a job?
I think as a child, you are keenly aware of things. Kids are 1 trillion times more intelligent than their parents think. Kids are no fools.
Now what?
This is what I say, fuck it!  Lettuce assume that all the conspiracy theories are true, that we never landed on the moon, we never kept it Hitler and he went to some sort of bunker in an article or whatever, and that also, there are some sort of world conspiracy illuminati thing happening. So what? Does it matter?
No. You control your own destiny, you create your own future.
Simple things:
Don’t waste money. We waste money by buying new cars, luxury goods and things, going to debt use credit cards etc. I’m even starting to think that the new millennial trap is buying a house, it looks like this is the new modern day trip, because technically even if you buy a house, you yourself don’t really own that house, the bank owns your house! You never really own it until you have hundred percent paid it all off in cash, or if you bought it with 100% cash offer. But even still, the big issue at hand is you still gotta pay property tax on it! This is literally money you’ll never ever see again, money which is essentially thrown in the gutter. And let us say you own expensive house, and you bought it in all the cash, you might have to still pay it around $1500-$2000 month just in property taxes! Just add another thousand dollars and you got rent money! 
Start a website a blog posted on wordpress.org and bluehost.com — what is a quadrillion times cheaper than owning property, buying a new car etc.? Starting a website! It is so easy, so chief, so accessible, the barrier to entry is only entering your credit card information. Consider how less tedious this is than having to go through the whole escrow process of purchasing a house, which can often take up to a year!
Start publishing your thoughts on anything and everything: to me, all ideas are good ideas, as long as they are personally motivated, something you are genuinely interested in, and also something you genuinely care for. The only crime is when you create something or publish something because you think other people like it. To me this is a sign of cowardice.
So what do you want to build? 
“I want to build now!†– Cindy
The greatest muse in my life is my wife and partner Cindy. To me, she is an exemplary figure of somebody who has taken the rain by her arms, her hands, and steered and crafted her own unique future.
cindyanguyen.com and mis-reading.com and also hapticindustries.com — her own brain children!
I think the life the ultimate thing to seek is a great creative partner. Somebody who has your creative compliment, part of your own plan, your own party, your own squad.
For example, the personality of me and Cindy differs greatly, yet we are both still committed to being curious, creative, and we both have a passion for the arts, the world, travel etc.
Also, if you’re a man, I just suggest you to go out and look for wifey material. Ignore everything else.
Either find a wife get married and have kids, or stay a bachelor.
Creating your own future
The best way to create your own future is maybe through your art?
The other day Cindy myself and Seneca went to the Getty, in LA, on top of the hill, our minds were blown! Parking is 20 bucks, but admission is free! 
We took the tram to the top of the hill, and marveled at these great architectural wonders of the space, the breathtaking view, and also all the great artwork enclosed in the gallery.
It seems at the end of the day, after all the wealth and riches and whatever, whatever everyone loves and inspires for is art. Art, art production, art Curation whether it be paintings photos videos sculpture, drawings, printed matter, objects etc.
To me anything and everything could be art, what I just think is art is simply something that you create with love and care and attention, and put it out into the world, whether digitally or physically or both.
Art profiteering
To make a profit off your art, not a bad thing, but also not critical. Some people think the typical capitalist way; in order to become a legitimate artist, I must sell my artwork for a lot of money, as money as a metric of success in America and beyond. 
But is this true? No.
McDonald’s might be the most profitable and most consumed restaurant in the world, but is it of the highest grade? No. Also Starbucks is the number one most consumed coffee beverage in the world, but is Starbucks coffee the apex of great coffee? No.  
Technically android is actually more popular than iPhone, there are more android devices in the world than iPhones, but does that make android better than Apple and iPhone? No. The URX of the iPhone is at least 1 trillion times better than android.
Also, iPhone the iPhone camera is the most used camera on the planet, what is it the best quality? No. The best quality would probably be some sort of Rico Pentex camera, or some sort of Panasonic Lumix camera. And let us not forget that Leica cameras essentially used borrow technology from Panasonic Lumix.
The world is inconsistent
I think one of the greatest things I have learned starting sociology philosophy etc. is that the world is very inconsistent. 
For example, we are told that it is virtuous to be meek, humble or whatever… Yet everybody in America wants to flex on how rich successful famous they are, or what part they drive?
For example even Christian theology? Humbleness and meekness is praised, yet people will “virtue flex“, by broadcasting into the world how “good†other person they are?
For example, people who post to social media about donating to some sort of cause nonprofit or adopting an animal or whatever. We’re posting Bible scriptures or whatever. I don’t think this is virtuous at all. In fact, isn’t it Jesus that said, when you give to the temple, or you donate to charity, let your left-hand not know what your right hand is doing?
I wonder if Jesus was alive today he would say:
If you’re going to donate to charity, don’t name the building after yourself or a family member, don’t name the foundation after yourself, never publicly donate money under your name, and never publish it to the news or social media.
In fact, I think the rapper Pusha T actually donated 18 wheelers of freshwater to Flint Michigan, anonymously without telling nobody, he is truly virtuous. 
Why so miserable?
If you’re dark depressed and EMO or whatever… Just moved to LA, I recommend Culver City, I especially really like the Culver City arts district. I really like the platform park, the new downtown Culver steps area, in front of the Philz Coffee, the whole area.
I wonder if the reason why a lot of people are so dark and grim is simply because they live somewhere with poor weather?
I know personally that when I was in Berlin, eastern Europe, Prague, Marseille in the winter time, it was some of the most depressive times of my life. 
And on the contrary, some of the happiest times in my life or when I was in Vietnam, in Hanoi and Saigon, in Panam Cambodia, other places with good climate, bright light and sun good weather.
Your mind and your body is precious.
Don’t prostitute your mind, your body your soul.
Prostitution is not just sexual, it could be your mental abilities, your physical body whatever.
Prostitution isn’t just about your sexual organs, your penis or vagina your butt hole your mouth your hands or whatever, maybe… the more critical thing is your soul?
Your soul not as some hocus-pocus concept. Rather, your soul is a combination of your personality, your thoughts, your body, your opinions your beliefs your thoughts your abilities your capabilities, your skills etc. 
The mortal soul. That is when your body dies, your soul also dies. 
Memento mori
Remember that you must die, and you will die. Death is also also one of our final duties.
Therefore just thinking consider an ask yourself, in this short and cruel life that we live in, how can we discover more more joy, more thanksgiving, more happiness, more Thanksgiving?
How can we contribute more to the world to others to our progeny, our children are friends and communities and the world?
