Or why Donald Trump is the most entertaining man of all-time:

The mistake that marketers and ‘content creators’ make:

They optimize for machines, algorithms and Google Search (SEO) instead of optimizing for real human beings!

Get the people going and moving:

Street photography as an ethos, approach, and lifestyle.

Street photography; one of my greatest joys and fun-things in life!

What is pure bliss and joy? Being in the zone. A creative zone where you can focus, think, and create like a stream of water, with no delay or pause.

Rather than see clothing as vanity luxury items, better to see it as functional, utilitarian battle armor (like the gleaming bronze armor of the ancient Greeks in Homer’s Iliad). Note Hector and Achilles.

To continually find inspiration as a photographer and visual artist: look at your own old photos to serve as your own visual stimulus!

When studying the recent presidential debate, the question:

What is the philosophy of a ‘fact’ vs a ‘lie’?

The root and foundation to study all fields of knowledge.

When watching the debate between Biden and Trump I realized:

The left (Democrats) often use anti-rich rhetoric to gain support and votes.

But the thing is this:

Americans don’t resent the rich. In fact, Americans *ASPIRE* to become the rich.

What is it that Americans hate? Unfair bailouts of big corporate CEO’s. Americans seem to resent guys who work on Wall Street, but actual billionaires and rich people … Americans *aspire* to become rich, wealthy, and billionaires themselves.

To grow your mind, your erudition, your BS detector, your physical body (grow your muscles), grow your audience, and keep growing. Because if one isn’t continually growing (over the long term), one is dying and decaying (Bob Dylan quote).

Or why Biden probably won’t win the election:

Surprisingly, flying during COVID-19 isn’t that big of a deal:

Was on a Southwest flight yesterday and (finally) had the chance to watch the new JOKER film. And holy moly — was blown away. The film is unusually good, even considering it was made in 2019 (typically modern films are no good). Some thoughts:

Color is great, but if you seek maximal clarity with your photos, monochrome is the way:

SHABU SHABU (all you can eat in Orange Country) is unusually fun and good. Perhaps not as good as All You Can Eat Korean BBQ, but equally worthy nonetheless.

Good photos encapsulate high energy. Immortalizes energy. Takes the energy power of a (real life) scene, and solidifies it into a photograph.

Discipline for whom and towards what ends?

What does it mean to “listen” or to be a ‘good’ “listener”?

Some thoughts:

To write great:

To write with blood.

To write about your own life experiences. To write with brazen fury. To not censor yourself. To share your thoughts, undiluted … thoughts which even scare you. Or thoughts which make you feel uncomfortable. Ideas which are ‘unsavory’ — interesting ideas you truly believe in, that you don’t want to admit to yourself.

Bad writers: to just commentate on the lives of others, rather than write about yourself.

This is what you were made for:

Let us not fool ourselves:

You cannot become relevant unless you know how to effectively market yourself as a photographer.

Real thoughts:

There are a quadrillion people out there; how can you stand out? Simple: stark differentiation. Rather than seeking to become more similar to others, strive to become more *DISSIMILAR* to others!

The builder ethos:

Currently helping my sister Jennifer build her first computer, and reliving all these joyful memories of the past:

We think the ultimate wisdom resides in rationality, logic, unemotionalness, and the mind. What if the wisdom of the body were superior to the mind?

ALL AMERICAN:

The goal — not more money and resources, but more physiological power.

Dynamic is better. Dynamic means more energy, force, and interest:

If you desire to make massive impact and change on the planet, the world and the human race … you must be dominant. Leave submissiveness to the herd animals and cows.

Are you dominant or submissive? If you desire to advance the human race forward … you must be dominant.

While you’re in VR, and assuming you got noise cancelling headphones on or whatever … you’re totally focused and in the zone. No distractions.

Perhaps good for reading, writing, thinking, and exploring?

Dear strettogs, a thought:

Are humans made for computers, or are computers made for humans?

The reason this is important:

The (nerdy) silicon valley elite want us to become the under-lings of our new AI gods.

To become more creative, focus on optimizing your human metabolism:

The first principle rule to freedom and maximal joy, happiness and flourishing in your life:

Creativity; invest in your own creative longevity!

My favorite restaurant; all you can eat Korean BBQ places (mostly in LA/Southern California):

Any money you invest that makes you more creative inspired and productive— this is a good investment.

My (now) 5 year old niece Amelia is now great at making photos. I encouraged her from a young age (around 2-3) and the secret is this:

Just give them a camera, teach them how to hit the shutter, how to view photos, and let them go crazy!

Thinking about virtual reality — virtual reality is just computing and computers 3.0.

Which makes me think —

What are computers good for?

And do computers really improve our life that much? If so, how so?

The more things you own, the more things own you.

Virtual reality — a great philosophical tool.

What is no longer necessary after VR?

1. No need for physical things and objects as vanity objects or toys
2. No need for a fancy home
3. No need for a Lamborghini

What is necessary, or to be desired:

1. Physical strength, vigor, muscle, and physiological thriving
2. Fresh air
3. Ability to walk outdoors
4. Dynamic environments

In almost everything in life, dynamic is better, more fun, more interesting, and more playful than the static!

(more…)

A VR thought:

It seems we humans prefer a *DYNAMIC* environment, not a simple static one.

I am convinced; the best way to sell real estate, or to sell rentals, AirBnb or whatever is good photos (and now videos). Some thoughts:

1. Kettlebell is possibly the best single workout tool you can get. For fit men, get at least a 70 pound one. Benefit of kettlebell; you only need one (compared to dumbbells)
2. Chinup bar setup of some sorts. I prefer a neutral grip.

For workout ideas:

1. Planche
2. One arm pushup or dive bomber
3. Pistol squats: either bodyweight or with dumbell/kettlebell.

‘Fitness’ — literally comes from ‘fit‘. A theory on the origin of the word ‘fit’ comes from the Middle English ‘fit’ which means ‘an adversary of equal power’.

Thus perhaps in some ways for us men who are trying to become more ‘fit’ — what we are actually trying to *really* do is to become more physically dominant than the other man, in order to exert our strength and dominance over them.

But anyways in the modern sense in terms of ‘physical fitness’ (a modern notion which only comes from around the 1920s onwards) — why fitness?

What is the significance of the ‘real’ (physical) thing and object and the virtual object and thing?

Well, like Ryan Haliday says (Ready Player One), it is hard to get a good meal in VR. Thus certainly sleep, food, shelter, fresh air, and all that jazz is far superior in embodied (‘real’) reality (also a nice cup of coffee).

But when it comes to ‘possessions’ or physical spaces … do we have a *preference* between the ‘real’ and the virtual?

First step: relieve yourself of all physiological pain. This means:

1. Optimize for sleep (8+ hours a night). Get into bed by 8pm. Get up around 6am. Optimize for our real human circadian rhythms (our wake/sleep cycle dictated by our metabolism and the rising and setting of the sun) rather than trying to *overcome* our human physiology. More faith in our natural human physiological system than the trappings of modern society and modern desiderata (things to be desired).
2. Freedom from back, neck, hip, ankle, hand, carpal tunnel pain, etc. Start first from human physiology. Unnatural to sit; thus stand (in praise of standing desks). If you gotta ‘sit’, just do the ‘Asian squat’ (ass to grass squatting). Perhaps do some form of daily yoga, weight lifting, or some cross-fit-esque or powerlifting styled workout. Uber-optimize and uber-ergonomize your computing setup (Kinesis keyboard, trackball mouse, standing desk, etc).
3. Figure out what substances you can tolerate and what you cannot. More faith in your stomach than your ‘rationality’. As an East Asian (I am Korean) I cannot tolerate alcohol, or lactose/milk/cheese/butter products well. Rather than trying to ‘force’ my genetics to adapt to these modern and exotic food-substances, why not optimize for my own DNA?

Why have a ‘real’ desktop when you can have a virtual one?

Why real estate and towards what ends?

Just document your life!

What is the best way to extract the maximum from existence? Striving to reach a state of “supreme repose” in which you’re calm, strong, focused … no fear or doubts or thoughts about the future. Stable and flourishing in your own creative bubble. Excited to see what new creations you shall make.

What makes photography so fun? Unexpected compositions which you discover *AFTER THE FACT*!

In modern society, it all comes down to the visual:

Let us pursue all photo everything — all photography everything:

Philosophical insight:

One of the greatest joys of being alive and one of the greatest joys of existence is the joy of thinking!

The joy of thinking of great and lofty ideas, to flesh out ideas, and to share ideas with others!

Virtual reality (Sketchbook app) in Oculus Rift as effective to shoot photos while in virtual reality!!!

You are your own master:

Often when we try to ‘improve’ or ‘optimize’ things (which already work quite well), we either break it, or make things (or make our lives) *WORSE*!

So:

1. Be very hesitant to ‘upgrade’ your car, devices, lifestyle, etc.
2. Never buy into the first generation of … anything. Always stick with the second-generation or beyond.
3. Be very wary and skeptical of the new, ‘improved’, or ‘optimized’!
4. Typically speaking, stick with what works! Innovate with your final artwork approach, not the process.

Whether we like it or not, quarantine is the new way of life:

This is what we should be optimizing towards. Via negativa approach to achieve this:

Get rid of, uninstall, don’t use, or avoid anything which interrupts or impedes your creative flow.

Kill and prune all distractions (or potential distractions) with courage, vigor, and might.

How do you know whether certain things in life are worth pursuing or not? Simple:

If you’re not personally interested or curious about it, it isn’t worth for you to pursue.

If your personal interest or enthusiasm in something is just “meh”, don’t do it.

Perhaps the most efficient workout: