You are the platform. You are the end goal. The goal ain’t to build some external empire in quick sand. No. The end goal is for you to build your own personal self to the max.

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Existential dread — the dread of being alive. The feeling of having no purpose or direction to life.

Solution: the WHY APP? The opportunity to ask “why?” ad infinitum (to infinity). You must discover a guiding principle to lead yourself in life. You cannot build your own empire of yourself based on the ideals of others.

Some thoughts on the future of living:

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I love Apple, their products and am a self devoted Steve Jobs fan boy. But one of the reasons I returned my iPhone (both the iPhone SE and the iPhone Pro) is this:

It’s a trap.

This is what I mean:

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With almost everything in life ask yourself:

Is this a toy or tool?

Also then we must ask ourselves:

Why are toys bad? And also what are the consequences when we mistake toys for tools and tools for toys?

For too long philosophers have tried to *change* human nature and to deem human nature as ‘evil’, ‘bad’, etc.

But what if all the things of human nature are good? It is what makes us human? Perhaps rather than trying to root out the ‘evils’ of money, greed, wealth, desire for more, vanity and pride… we should figure out how to leverage these beautiful beasts in our favor?

Perhaps the source of my creativity, empathy, understanding, love, sense of justice (or injustice), my morality and ethics and code of living comes precisely because I’m so sensitive. I’m very sensitive to audio-visual stimulation. Loud noises or the yelping of very annoying dogs bothers me 100x more than others. I am easily suckered by advertising and marketing. I cannot focus easily.

Perhaps my sensitivity is what makes me a great artist and thinker? I almost feel as if my audio, visual and emotional “ISO” is at 64,000 which means …I can pick up every little thing, which I can use to my benefit?

Let us not be fooled — what is legal is often *NOT* ethical. Thus we should be very very skeptical of people who try to game the legal system in their favor.

Also, be very cautious when you hear about big corporations talking about ‘corporate responsibility’ or ‘sustainability’. A corporation has no soul and cannot feel or believe in ethics (only the virtue-signaling ethics which can help improve their image, and eventually help them increase their profits).

Typically we tend to think that all addictions are bad addictions. But what is an ‘addiction’ and what makes for a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ addiction?

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A good thought:

As a blogger don’t feel pressured to only blog about one thing, one category, or one reductive thing. Instead, best to indulge your interests as far and wide as you want!

For me, all knowledge is inter-connected. This means if you truly want to plumb the deepest depths of knowledge and to gain deeper wisdom and understanding about society, humans and the world, you must study it all, share it all, and write and reflect on it all!

No, to suffer isn’t the end of life. And to suffer and self flagellate ain’t your duty neither.

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Why are street photographers so anti-social? My thoughts:

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I am currently in Westerly Rhode Island (Taylor Swift apparently owns a mansion by the water here) and I am currently in a more rural setting (at least to my Bay Area City California eyes).

Anyways — I have found that even though I’m not in a huge city proper, I see so many things to photograph!

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Better to aim high and fail (and hit a higher mark) than to set a lower goal and hit it!

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Simple biological approach and hack:

Never eat anything unless you’ve worked out (physically exerted yourself) somehow.

Does the lion eat a granola bar before hunting the gazelle? Of course not. Does the panther drink a protein shake before hunting the lion? No.

The naturalistic approach:

Treat working out like ‘hunting’ — you must first hunt, *THEN* eat!

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In praise of pursing an “unrealistic” life:

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Construct your own ideals for yourself and pursue them with great zeal.

My personal ethos and approach to life:

Better to just do it (80% ‘good enough’, satisficing) than to do *NO* job (paralysis by analysis, paralysis by desire for perfection).

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Simple:

Just shoot photos and videos of whatever you eat (every day), including your own food and the meals of others (your partner, friends, etc).

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When analyzing any thinker or individual ask yourself:

Is this thought born out of spite/malice?

If this is the case, ignore it.

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What is persuasion? To persuade means to ‘thoroughly advise’. Latin ‘suadeo‘ which means to urge, to extort, recommend and advise.

Thus when you are ‘persuading’ others, you are simply using your own thoughts and wisdom and encouraging others to do as you do, or think as you do.

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A thought:

When you give your advice to others, market or advertise it in such a matter: ‘Just take it or leave it‘.

Ironically enough if you spin it this way, you’re actually *MORE* likely to influence and persuade others to think the way you do!

Let us think beyond ‘self esteem‘. I feel the notion of ‘self-estimate’ as far more robust and accurate.

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Self cultivation as a noble pursuit:

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One of the worst curses of modernity:

We have been brainwashed to become obedient slaves.

Most of modernity is simply systematized forms of domestication of man.

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Don’t trap yourself in one aesthetic ghetto. Do both.

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Dynamic ethics means:

Don’t treat every single being as the same.

Towards a more ‘bespoke’ (custom tailored) form of ethics towards others:

My thoughts on advertising:

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Hate just means ‘strong emotion’. And the irony:

We can hate those whom we love the most.

Thus to me, hate and love is the same thing — simply two different sides of the same coin.

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Or in other words:

Buy my product and you will have *LESS* depression, *LESS* anxiety, and be *LESS* miserable with your life.

Consumerism and fashion — only works on individuals with low self esteem. And what do you do if the individual has high self esteem? Simple — use marketing and advertising to make themselves feel shittier about themselves. Marketing and advertising (in the mainstream sense) as tools to lower our self esteem. And buying a product or a service is the panacea (solution) to our (manufactured) problems!

In praise of shooting more ‘random’ photos. RICOH GR III photos shot without looking through the viewfinder at very bizarre angles. No thought on composition or framing while walking. Shooting a bunch of JPEG photos (small size) to experiment with uncommon and unorthodox framing.

Randomness in framing is good to pave new grounds in composition!

An unsavory thought:

Perhaps those individuals with very high self esteem should NOT associate themselves with individuals with low self esteem.

Why? Individuals with low self esteem tend to be ‘energy vampires‘ and steal energy from those with high self confidence.

Nietzsche-vibes on a more elitist society (his notion of ‘pathos of distance’ — that ironically the strong should be shielded from the weak).

A thought:

Is it the duty of individuals with high self esteem to help those with low self esteem?

Some of my frank thoughts:

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A realization:

Those with an inferiority complex can never understand those with a superiority complex. Why? The individual with an inferiority complex will always see those with a superiority complex with suspicious eyes. And the individual with a superiority complex doesn’t even care or notice for the petty envious individual with the inferiority complex.

I think this is why people see Trump as such a bizarre individual. Most journalists, intellectuals, scholars and professors have an inferiority complex (they were bullied as children or ostracized by society) and tend to see Trump as pseudo-Hitler 2.0 (obviously not as evil, but almost as bad).

If you dig deeply enough into artists, you will be able to put them in two buckets. And if an individual has been raised and bred with an inferiority complex, he will never be able to transform himself into an individual with a superiority complex, no matter how hard he tries.

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Let us not be fooled. The point and telos of photography isn’t to make “great” or “good” photos… it is to make new photos. Some thoughts:

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In praise of brutal honesty and uncensored honesty:

A simple technique and approach which is very good for blogging and website building:

Add as many deep links to your site or blog as possible.

This means:

When you write anything hyperlink and link back to old things you have written and also as you write create *NEW* blog posts which iterate on your idea (a ‘recursive‘ approach).

What is the internet? Hyperlinks. No links, no internet.

Advertise means to warn, to notify, to steer, and to direct. Adverto in Latin. “Wert-” in Proto Indo European means “to turn, to rotate”.

Therefore if we take the poetic interpretation of this notion of ‘advertising’ perhaps we should see advertising not as just people trying to sell you stuff, but people who are trying to influence, persuade or direct you a certain way.

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Propaganda by itself … this term isn’t evil. To propaganda simply means to propagate. To spread. In this regard almost every form of communication can be seen as propaganda:

1. Religion
2. Spirituality
3. Philosophy
4. Marketing and advertising
5. Music
6. Videos movies and films-cinema
7. Podcasts
8. Cultural norms and values
9. Governmental or political messages

Thus from a very basic perspective don’t fear propaganda. Just realize that every message we consume (audio, visual, haptic) will somehow change and influence you.

What is the most robust form of ownership? Not ownership of your home or physical possessions. The most important form of ownership is over yourself. Your thoughts. Your speaking. Your actions or inactions. Thus it seems from a pragmatic perspective the goal then is:

First gain ownership over your self finances. This means become a self employed entrepreneur and self owned sole proprietor.

Also

Refuse to be put in a position where you require the approval of others to do something (or NOT do something).

Also

Have the courage to do certain things or NOT do certain things which may not (yet) have a precedence.

This is true courage and innovation! Self innovation!

ERIC

Pseudo means “fake” or “lying” or “to deceive”. The problem with modern day consumerism is this:

We are pseudo-unique and pseudo-individual.

We think that our “taste” (which is superimposed on us by others) distinguishes our uniqueness, individuality and greatness. This is false. We just become marketing and billboards for external brands, rather than promoting ourselves and our own brand (your first and last name).

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Let us not be fooled. Capitalism only works via injustice, inequality and war. Also, capitalism cannot exist or endure without inequality and without elitism in society. And all things considered, I am far more pro-capitalism than I am for communism. I think I tend to think of a hybrid between capitalism and the socialism of Sweden. Yet still the problem —

If we want truly great individuals and human beings we actually must widen the gap between the “haves” and “have nots”.

And the sad truth:

As capitalism, consumerism and digital technology continues to advance, there will be a death of the photographic middle class. Only the low class Instagram photographers and the high class elite Leica-Bugatti-Lamborghini photographers will persist.

What is the future of photography and capitalism? My thoughts:

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To generate: to beget, to give birth, to produce, to make, to create. Similar to the word “generous” or “genus” (family, genetics, etc). Generative philosophers include Nassim Taleb, Nietzsche. Generative entrepreneurs include Jay Z, Kanye West, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel.

Degenerate: to suck out and kill life. To energy vampire. Typical degenerate philosophers and thinkers include Karl Marx, Spinoza, and (most) notable philosophers.

Thus when it comes to you or others ask yourself:

Is this person a generate (someone who promotes and encourages life and growth) or a degenerate (someone who wants to see all life die and perish?)

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ENERGY VAMPIRES: people who TAKE and sap away more energy than they give you.

Let us not be fooled: our energy (and life) is limited. Therefore be very very very very very choosy on who you decide to give your energy to (or not):

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The most effective ways to destroy your wealth:

1. Gambling
2. Alcohol
3. Weed
4. Cocaine
5. Addiction to new technology products
6. Addiction to eating out and take out delivery food
7. Addiction for new toys (new cars)
8. Addiction for new fashion and fashion objects

As a guideline, you don’t need to share *all* your photos. Just share the ones you love and care for!

What do we want as artists? Creative empowerment. To have the inspiration motivation and energy to create (new) art works. But what holds us back? Self-doubt. Self-pity. Too much concern how others judge us … too little concern how we judge ourselves.

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Towards a philosophy on money and photography:

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Money is simply codified human trust bonds.

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We all love money. So why not just photograph it?

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Question:

Is college “worth it” and in today’s brave new COVID world, is it even worth going to college?

Depends. This is my thought:

1. Don’t go to college if you’re gonna go into (any) debt.
2. Go to college if you’re in poverty and want to climb the socio-economic ladder (study computer science).

But the most important question:

Why college? What do I personally want from it? Job training? Wisdom augmentation? Meeting new people? Expanding my mind and social network? A future mate?

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A simple and good way to live life:

Only do that and only pursue what you are personally interested and vested in.

And,

Don’t do anything which doesn’t interest you and don’t do anything which doesn’t interest you.

Uber simple yet difficult and requires much courage to actually integrate in your real, everyday life.

If you go to the home page of DXOMARK.COM, you will see all of the top smartphone cameras are Chinese. For example the top camera for smartphone is the Xiaomi 10 Ultra. I’ve tested the Xiaomi phone camera in the past and it is insanely good. The reason I’m so interested in the future of photography and cameras:

Cameras and phones and communication is starting to become a hybrid-synthesis of both technology and society.

Furthermore, the camera and photography and visual-video is becoming the behemoth and giant of self expression, self augmentation, self presentation and your ego and sense of self confidence, self pride, and “selfness”. Thus photography interests me from both a sociological angle (what cameras and photography and social media are doing to society and to us as individuals) and also the technology art side of things.

Photography— the gift that keeps on giving!

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Why have I never met a self-confident photographer with high self-esteem? My thoughts:

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The world is your visual oyster:

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An individualistic economics perspective:

Don’t worry about world global and macro economics. Focus on your individual economics.

Let us remember the first notion of “economics” is actually regarding home economics (Aristotle on Home Economics [Greek is Οἰκονομικά and Latin is Oeconomica]). “Oikos” as referring to “home”.

Also Hesiod on home economics (Works and Days, and his theories on household management— like starting your own farm, getting a woman maid, getting an ox, etc).

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A life without photography ain’t a life worth living.

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Just experiment and have fun:

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I think I got it figured out: it ain’t about the country life *VS* the city life … instead, it is about a ‘virtuous cycle’ between the both. Harnessing the barbell of both the loud and noisy city life *AND* the peaceful and quiet “country” life. My thoughts:

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According to the Ancient Greeks of the high period, they didn’t believe in “sin”. However they did believe in folly, foolishness and cowardice. Therefore in life don’t worry about becoming more “virtuous” or “good”. Instead focus on this:

Just don’t get suckered and duped by others!

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Super simple:

Just don’t do anything in life which bores you.

Is such a life possible? Of course!

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The new digital caste system:

1. The elite tech folks on top who ironically use almost no technology. No Google account or Gmail. No Facebook, Instagram or What’s App. Preference for hiking and doing outdoorsy stuff. Distrust of Google or Google Chromebooks for their kids.
2. The digital “untouchable”class addicted to cheap free entertainment on YouTube, advertising backed spammy click and tap/idle based smartphone games, addiction to mind numbing advertising. Too much of their self esteem in social media, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

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An essay on Millenials.

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Simple:

1. Become self employed (you are the sole proprietor of your business). In praise of solo entrepreneurship.
2. Don’t desire to buy stuff … desire to make, design and create stuff! In praise of design and designer thinking.
3. Don’t buy anything. Either get it for free or insanely cheap. Note— I was able to buy a brand new Android Motorola smartphone for only $150!!! And whenever possible buy used or refurbished.
4. Don’t desire to travel. Travel desire or the desire for the exotic as a form of escapism, or perhaps the new Millennial form of consumerism.

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My photos are my photos. Your photos are your photos. Then the goal:

Keep shooting (more of) your own photos!

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As long as you got a boss, you’re not economically independent. As long as you got a mortgage, you are not economically independent. As long as you desire to buy a house, buy a car, or buy x, y, z … you will never become economically independent.

If you’re indefinitely on welfare, a universal basic income, on unemployment etc … you’ll always be economically dependent.

For me, I prize my own economic independence above all. And the easiest way to do it … opt for this Stoic-Spartan-Ascetic lifestyle. I prefer a life of poverty and extreme freedom than a life of uber-extravagance and wealth and economic dependence.

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The best life is mostly “via negativa”. For example to become happier subtract more bullshit from your life. The best life is the life with the least amount of bullshit, unnecessary stress, cares, worries, or negative people and ideas. This means keel subtracting bullshit and only focus on that which you truly care for and love.

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The natural world is soooo insanely beautiful!

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