Introduction to Bitcoin Transcript

Super pumped to share with you, my first full length lecture on an introduction to bitcoin, the bitcoin Revolution, and also this edited transcript that I provided for you!

Introduction to Bitcoin Transcript PDF Download

STOICISM 101

Introduction-to-Stoicism-PDF Download

STOIC VLOG

Introduction to Stoicism ï¿¼

Something I have been meaning to write or create or do is like some sort of book, ebook, pamphlet, or introductory primer to stoicism. I really think that stoicism is probably one of the most useful and philosophical models to live normal every day real life. Yet, I havenâ€™t really found a good instructional guide on it, especially when I was self teaching it to myself.

Consider this a practical primer, cutting through the BS:

What does stoicism mean? ï¿¼ï¿¼

Stoicism, stoic, the stoa in ancient Greece– essentially the stoa was like some sort of portico, patio, pillar, outside, essentially a spot where guys would just hang out, talk shop, talk philosophy, etc. ï¿¼ ï¿¼

I think about the show â€œHey Arnoldâ€ in which I was raised withâ€¦ the notion of â€œstoop kidâ€œ, the notion of a stoop is that in a lot of cities, especially the east coast in New York, you have this little stoop or porch, stairs that go outside your front doorâ€¦ and you could just hang out there, engage in social and neighborhood life etc.

The new stoa? ï¿¼ï¿¼

One of my happiest moments was when I was living in Providence Rhode Island, and then COVID-19 hit. Everything was closed, besides the park. I can still go to the park, hang out, workout, do chin ups– I learned how to do muscle ups, more bodyweight calisthenics stuff, and alsoâ€¦ I had a lot of fun with this â€œrock tossâ€œ challenge and workoutâ€¦ in the middle of the park was a huge ass rock and huge ass stone, and every single day I would go there pick it up, and then eventually work out with it; throwing it around for fun, doing overhead presses with it, clean and jerks, squats, and eventually I would just throw it around for fun. Funny enough it might have been the most fit I was in my lifeâ€¦ this was the true â€œfunctionalâ€ fitness.

The inspiration — Hector lifting an insanely massive stone (barely 2 strong men could lift it)â€¦ using it to break down the door of the ships of the other side.

Open air, open sun concept

Anyways, the reason why that period of covid was so good is that it was in the middle of beautiful Providence Rhode Island summer, so nice and bright and warm and lovelyâ€¦ and one of the good things was going to the park was like an open forum, a new anatheum for a lot of really cool guys to come, hang out, talk shop, go topless and shirtless, workout and hang out.

I met some really interesting people during that period of time. I met some guys who were really cool. For example, one guy I met was in the US military Navy, I think he was training to be a Navy seal or Delta force or something. Another guy in some sort of ROTC training, another cool guy from the hood, and also I would say I probably met half a dozen friendly drug dealers there. And of course a lot of people who believed in conspiracy theories; really friendly, a little weird, but overall good guys.

Anyways, one of the biggest benefits of hanging out at that outdoor park, open air, nothing but green grass, the beautiful sun and the fitness equipment was that I think having this sort of open air environment is actually very conducive to socializing, thinking and thought, and pro social behavior. My theory about a lot of modern day antisocial behavior has to do with the structures which enclose us. For example, almost universally most guys at the gym are extremely antisocial. Why? My theory is that because most gyms have closed, cramped narrow ceilings, and do not have access to natural light, or outside space.

Cramped indoor spaces promote antisocial behavior.

The only good gym I went to which was interesting was the golds gym in Venice, which has this really big outdoor workout area. I think this is much more natural and more fun and better; to be able to work out directly outside outdoors, with your shirt off.

Who is this philosophy for?

Stoics, stoicism — it was originally I think codified by this guy named Zeno, and over time he picked up some followers. Essentially the whole thing happened organically; Zeno would first share his thinking on philosophy ethics and pragmatic ways to deal with other people and the downsides of life, he built a following, and then his followers would propagate the thoughts and start their own little schools of thoughts, their own little stoic clubs.

What is â€œrealâ€ stoicism?

Would I like about stoicism is how loosey goosey it is. It is kind of like zen, or taoismâ€¦ it is not really quantified as a religion, or a strict moral order. In fact, a lot of the ancients stoics would meditate on random stuff like cosmology, natural sciences like Seneca, how volcanoes worked or whatever. I think nowadays in todayâ€™s world, we focus primarily on the pragmatic side; how to deal with fear, uncertainty, downsides etc.

So how did I discover stoicism?

ï¿¼I think I mightâ€™ve first learned about stoicism from Nassim Taleb and his ANTIFRAGILE book. I was curious, and my curiosity went to deep. To quote NASSIM TALEB and the Venetian saying â€œThe ocean goes deeper, the deeper you wade into it.â€

I literally consumed every single book I could find on stoicism, even the obscure ones. Funny enough, a lot of the stoic thinkers tried to claim other philosophers as being stoic, like Seneca did with Diogenes the cynic. ï¿¼

Cynic, cynicism, actually comes from the word canine, the dog. Diogenes was considered the â€œdogâ€ philosopher, first used as a pejorative, but ultimately Diogenes reappropriated that title for fun! He saw dogs as tough, almost like wild wolves, rather than seeing them as a negative thing.

Even Achilles when he was raging against king Agamemnon, he called him â€œdog facedâ€œ as a heaping insult.

Who is worth reading?

First, Seneca. Seneca the younger, his dad was called Seneca the elder.

In fact, this is such a big deal because Cindy and I named our first son, Seneca, directly after the stoic philosopher. This is true soul in the game; if you name your kid after your favorite philosopher, certainly it is a sign that you really liked that philosopher, or found them impactful.

ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼The reason why I really like Seneca the stoic philosopher is because he had real connections to real reality. What that means is he wasnâ€™t just on the sidelines; he actually existed in the real world, engaged in real politics, was even advisor to the emperor Nero, the bad one, who eventually low-key coerced Seneca to commit suicide, in a manly, dignified manner.

I think this was because maybeâ€¦ there was actually a plan to overthrow Nero, and essentially Nero found out. ï¿¼

What makes Seneca so good?

I really like Seneca because his writing is accessible, practical and pragmatic, and interesting.

A lot of thinkers tend to lack connections to real reality, I have no tolerance for boring philosophers to talk about metaphysics, which is things which are not physical. Like thoughts ideas, the universe, electricity and energy, strange phenomenon and conspiracy theories on ghosts, â€œenergyâ€ whatever.

ï¿¼ï¿¼For a long time, I would hear the term â€œmetaphysicsâ€ being thrown around, and I had zero idea what it actually meant. ï¿¼

Meta– on top of. Or nestled within.

Physics — the physical, physical phenomenon like gravity, first principles.

The reason why metaphysics philosophers tend to be a bunch of losers is that they are all weak and anemic, nerds or geeks or weaklings who seem to have some sort of physiological degeneracy, which encourages them to opine or talk or think about impractical things, superficial things.

Personally speaking, I think philosophy must be practical. ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼

Practical, praxis, ï¿¼practice — to do!

The Spartan, Zen Stoic, demigod ideal

I have a very funny ideal; the general idea is that your body looks like a demigod, and your physiology is out of control. The general idea is one must be tall, strong, highly muscular, low body fat percentage, Iâ€™m not exactly sure what my body fat percentage is, but maybe itâ€™s around 5%.

ï¿¼ï¿¼Also, physical fitness is critical to any stoic. My ideal is to walk 50 miles a day, eat 20 pounds of meat like Milo of Croton a day. And also, abstinence from silly things like media, alcohol, drugs, marijuana etc.

Trust no thinker who does drugs!

Even our best friend Nietzsche said that coffee was bad, because it would make people dark and gloomy. He encouraged 100% cocoa powder instead. ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼

You let the drugs talk I let my soul talk ayy! – Kendrick Lamar

Simple technique:

First, look at a picture or a portrait or a full body shot, ideally topless of the artist, philosopher or thinker or individualâ€¦ then judge their thoughts later.

Why? My theory is this: the thoughts of an individual is hugely affected by their bodily physiology.

For example, an extreme example: if somebody is locked inside a solitary confinement cell, and not permitted to go outside for years, but, he had a pen and pad and would jot down some thoughtsâ€¦ Would be the quality of these thoughts? Certainly dark and morose.

Why does stoicism matter? ï¿¼

In todayâ€™s world, why does it matter, what is the significance of stoicism, etc.?

First and foremost, I think we are living in a troubling time, especially with the advent of modern day internet based media and advertising. I think 99% of what is propagated on the internet is fear mongering, and what is hate? Hate is just fear.

The first thought on stoicism is that it is just fear conquering. What I discovered about street photography, is that 99% of it is conquering your fears. Conquering your fears of upsetting other people, getting in some sort of verbal or physical altercation etc. In fact my bread and butter workshop is my conquering your fears and street photography workshop, the workshop which is still interesting to me even after a decade.

Why is this so important? I think it is rooted in almost everything; conquering your fears is rooted in entrepreneurship, innovation, risktaking and real life.

Even my speculation in crypto. 99.9% of crypto speculation is just balls. Having the balls to make big bets, and when things go south, knowing how to master your emotions.

A simple extra I have is this: just imagine it will all go down to zero.

It was useful because when I was in college, my sophomore year I got really into trading stocks, and I eventually lost my whole life savings, maybe around $3500 USD, and some bad penny stock which I actually misread the financialsâ€¦ the whole time I thought the company was making a profit, but actually it was taking a loss. I actually didnâ€™t know that if profits are written in parentheses, it means a loss.

It was funny because my initial start as an investor was back in high school, I bought some Adobe stock when I was a high school junior, and also some mutual funds, which both went up after about 4-5 years.

ï¿¼Also I remember in elementary school computer class, when I was in the sixth grade in Bayside Queens, there was some sort of stock stimulation trading game, and actually it was funnyâ€¦ the kids who made the most money and were the most successful just put 100% of everything into Apple, note this is when we were only 12 years old, and I was born in 1988.

Stoicism and capitalism?

ï¿¼Funny enough, it seems that stoicism actually plays well with capitalism. Why? According to modern day capitalist thinking, the best way to approach life is to be objective, strong, stoic, unemotional, logical and rational.

Also, ï¿¼with modern day media there is so much fear mongering in the news, about some sort of global armageddon, global financial ruin, etc. I call it â€œfear pornâ€.

Therefore stoicism as a mindset is useful to think and position your mind in such a way that you could consider that life is all upside, no downside.

In fact, if I could summarize stoicism in one sentence, it is that life is all upside, no downside. Inspired by NASSIM TALEB.

Sex and Stoicism

So, is stoicism useful to you if youâ€™re a man or a woman? Does it matter?

The good thing is I think it could apply to both sexes. Conquering sexism and social pressures is useful if youâ€™re woman, and also if youâ€™re a man.

Also, gender is social. Lot of the expectations set on us by society is socialized and gamed to a certain degree.

Stoic strategies ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼

First, we got to unchain ourselves from modern day ethics and morality. I believe that all modern day philosophy and thinking and ethics and religion is bad.

For example, the notion of turning the other cheek is a patently bad one. Why did Jesus turn his cheek? It is because he lacked on army.

Also, philosophically I think we should put no trust in Socrates. ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼I thought which has puzzled me for a long time was this â€œWhy was Socrates so ugly?

Monster in face, monster in soul.

I think Socrates was a degenerate, and he lacked any sort of real power. Therefore he turned logic and rationality into his terrorizing weapon (via Nietzsche). Back in the day, you didnâ€™t need logic or rationality to have things your way, you simply was able to dictate that which you wanted to pause it, because you had a military force behind you. Just think about Machiavelli and IL PRINCIPE– the reality of being a mercurial prince, king, and military leader is hard, stoic, â€œimmoralâ€. But ultimately it all comes down to war, conquest, the military.

Trust nobody who uses rationality or logic as their tyrannizing weapon. ï¿¼

In fact, I believe that all should have the body and strength of some sort of super soldier. Essentially look like all the guys from the movie 300, this is our ideal.

Demigod physique. ï¿¼

What has helped me

Allow yourself to be a bad, immortal, â€œevilâ€ person. When you decide to adopt an unorthodox way of thinking and living, youâ€™re going to rub some feathers the wrong way. And truth be told, even if you act in a strange vibrant wayâ€¦ At worse youâ€™re only â€œmildlyâ€ annoying other people.ï¿¼
For good inspirations, I think the best stoic writers and thinkers include Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius and also the humor of the cynic philosopher Diogenes. ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼I would even posit the idea that one could consider Alexander the Great as a stoic. Why? When youâ€™re trying to create an empire, and you always have your life on the line, certainly this takes a stoic mindset. Also, let us think and consider that Alexander the Great had a copy of the Iliad by his bedstand, it was the only book he traveled with during his military tours.
Imagine the worst possible case scenario, and backtrack: Apparently even NASSIM TALEB would do this when he was a trader; every single day when he would go to his trading desk, ï¿¼ï¿¼he would assume that his investments would all go to zero, and if that wasnâ€™t the case every single day, it was just upside. Therefore for myself, I just think to myself very simple; imagine like I got zero dollars, zero money, and literally all I need is meat, a Wi-Fi connection and Iâ€™m good. ï¿¼
Live like a poor person: The notion of â€œdebasingâ€œ the coin or the currency is the general idea that you are not a coward in regards to money. The best way to think about money is like a social tool; I think money is actually just codified labor. If you want people to clean bathrooms, run the cashiers stand, you have to promise them money. Even Seneca said the upsides of simulated poverty; essentially living like a poor person, or even a homeless person when you donâ€™t need toâ€¦ is the ultimate position to be in. Why? True freedom of spirit and soul; as a philosopher thinker writer or whateverâ€¦ you cannot be â€œcanceledâ€, because there is nothing to cancel. As long as you could pay your rent, buy meat at Costco, and publish your thoughts to your own self hosted website blog, and pay your server fee, you have 100% freedom. And also, stillâ€¦ America is the best place to be because there is true freedom of speech and expression, you donâ€™t want to be a trillionaire but not be able to say whatâ€™s really on your mind. And I think this is the big issue with entertainers, actors, media peopleâ€¦ as long as youâ€™re signed to a contract, you donâ€™t run your own production company, or, youâ€™re still a slave to moneyâ€¦ youâ€™re not really going to see whatâ€™s really on your mind. Why is it that the Rock cannot say anything bad about China, or Tibet? Because he is still enslaved by the media corporation. New slaves by Kanye West.

And this is the true courage of Kanye West; he literally put everything on the line, and even lost his spouse and I think maybe his kids? All for the sake of revealing inequities. ï¿¼

â€œI throw these Maybach keys fucking câ€™est la ï¿¼vie! I know that we the new slaves.â€ï¿¼- Ye

Stoic training

The fun thing about stoicism is that you could just make it up as you go, devise your own strategies and whatever.

â€œFucking câ€™est la vie!â€ My favorite Kanye West line.

Essentially the general idea is that in life, one should not take things too seriously. Laughter is golden, I forget the philosopher who was called the laughing philosopherâ€¦ Democritus?; better to laugh about the follies of human beings rather than to be dark and morose about it.

Also, thoughts from the Odyssey; if you look far enough ï¿¼ into the future, everything becomes comedic and hilarious.

So when youâ€™re in some sort of bad situation, just think to yourself â€œPerhaps one day, 20 or 30 years from nowâ€¦ I will look back at this and just laugh!â€ It will just be humorous.

Honestly, laughter, and kind of being able to joke about things might be the best way to live life and deal with setbacks. ï¿¼

Modern day ailments

Problems in modern day life:

Too much time spent indoors, not enough time out in the sun. Perhaps it is better to be out outside all day, and joyful, even with the risk of getting skin cancer or whateverâ€¦ rather than to be indoors, scared, weak and anemic. Differences between if youâ€™re a man or a woman, but stillâ€¦ the most beautiful skin has a sunkissed, olive color tone; the true privilege is having a full body tan. ï¿¼
Get chatGPTï¿¼, the paid premium one. And use the image generation AI art tool DALL-E. ï¿¼People pay therapists to just speak their mind, and get some sort of sounding board. I actually think itâ€™s much better to chat with AI instead; because it will not judge you, and ultimately what is a therapist anyways? A therapist is just a mirror, a sounding board for you to verbalize and flesh out your thoughts. Often when we talk about our problems, 90% of the issues go away because once we verbalize it, we feel much better about ourselves. The next thing Iâ€™m going to do is build some sort of therapy bot. ï¿¼
Not enough walking: I have never met anybody who walks 30,000 steps a day and is depressed. Even my friend Jimmy, who works as a US postal worker delivering the mail, he walks around 30,000 steps a day and is always bright cherry and jovial. I think this is also where people who hike a lot or walk a lot in nature are so happy; when youâ€™re able to walk around a lot, and zen outâ€¦ you just feel much better. My simple suggestion is when you go on a hike or a walk in nature or even in the cityâ€¦ leave your phone at home, or locked inside your glove compartment, and donâ€™t bring any headphones or speakers or Apple watches or whatever. Just bring along your camera, and enjoy. My personal ideal is the bear lifestyle; walking 50 miles a day. ï¿¼

Real stoics donâ€™t call themselves Stoics?

A funny thing I have learned is that when you call something something, it isnâ€™t that.

For example, if someone calls something a â€œluxury carâ€, it ainâ€™t. For example, a true modern day luxury car is maybe a Tesla, but Tesla never calls itself a luxury car. Also the ultimate luxury technology company is probably Appleâ€¦ but Apple is very intelligent and not calling themselves a luxury brand.

A pro tip is when it comes to websites, read the alternative text, the header text, the stuff that shows up in the tab of your browser window. If the website, the automotive retailer tries to market themselves as a â€œluxuryâ€ brand, typically it is actually a sign that it isnâ€™t a luxury brand it isnâ€™t luxury brand.

Thought: what are some good examples of true luxury brands which donâ€™t overly calls itself luxury? ï¿¼ï¿¼

In someways, we can think and consider stoicism as our new luxury. In fact, having luxury, luxury of mind and soulâ€¦ and luxury of freedom of speech, isnâ€™t this the ultimate luxury?

When somebody asked Diogenes the cynic; â€œWhat is the best human goodâ€? He said â€œFreedom of speech, speaking your mind, having the power to see whatever is on your mind.â€

In fact, my current joy is becoming more and more free talking, and free riding. What that means is this; Iâ€™m ainâ€™t going to censor myself no more, even if I might be politically incorrect insensitive or whatever. ï¿¼

Also, I would prefer to speak my mind and seriously hurt the feelings of others, rather than soften it for the sake of the other person. ï¿¼
ï¿¼ï¿¼
Similarly speaking, when people call themselves â€œinfluencersâ€, they are not influencers.

Stoicism as a technique and tool, not the end

Ultimately I think we should think of stoicism just like having another tool inside our tool kit. For example, if youâ€™re a chef, youâ€™re going to have different knives for different purposes. If youâ€™re going to cut a big piece of meat, you probably want a big ass meat cutting knife, not something you would use to slice an apple with. Similarly speaking, if youâ€™re going to scoop out the insides of an avocado, better to use a spoon rather than using a fork, or a knife. ï¿¼

I think the problem is when some people get too into stoicism (I prefer writing stoicism with a lowercaseï¿¼), they think that everything needs to be consistent, and must fit into this nice little neat box of what is considered â€œstoicismâ€œ. This is a bad line of thinkingâ€¦ let us consider that Marcus Aurelius never even mentioned stoicism in his writings, his collections of thoughts, which we moderns call THE MEDITATIONSâ€¦ it was just essentially his personal diary, to help him conquer his own personal fears and thoughts, I donâ€™t think he ever intended it to be published publicly. I think he just wrote it to himself as self therapy. And I think the only stoic philosopher he even mentions is maybe Epictetus.

The future of stoicism?

For myself, I just come out with certain to work out thoughts and techniques because it helps me, and when I find these tricks or techniques or secret hacks or cheat codesâ€¦ My passion is to simply share it with others. ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼

And ultimately, things are ever in flux and evolving and changing and adapting.

For example, Iâ€™ve discovered the quality of my thinking is different when I am in Culver City Los Angeles, compared to being in the boring suburbs of Orange County.

Also depending on my social environmentsâ€¦ my stoic thoughts are different when I am in a gym, vs just working out by myself in my parking spot in the back of my apartment.

Also, the quality of my thoughts is different when living with family members or other people versus just living with myself Cindy and Seneca.

Stoicism is all about living with other people

Assuming youâ€™re not growing your own vegetables and living in the middle of nowhereâ€¦ you probably have some interaction with other human beings. As long as you have an iPhone, an Android phone, a smartphone, a 4G or 5G internet connection, wifi, a laptop, have to buy groceries somewhereâ€¦ youâ€™re still going to have to interact with other human beings.

And this is good. There is no other greater joy than other human beings.

In fact, modern-day society is strange because in someways, the ethos is to be antisocial and to be cowardly. But in fact, the best way to think about things is that real life is interaction with other human beings, and social conquest. One can imagine a lot of modern day entrepreneurship as simply a big dick swinging contest. He who is the most masculine confident tall and strong and stoic shall win.

More ideas

Assume that everyone is mentally insane: Have you ever been out in public, and you see some sort of crackhead or strange homeless person who acts radically, smells terrible, and is obviously mentally ill? Do you hate them for it? When they say something weird to youâ€¦ do you take it personally? No. Why? They are crazy. Perhaps we should just adopt this stoic mindset towards other people; some people are actually physiologically ill, mentally unwellâ€¦ donâ€™t trust the opinion of nobody.

A lot of people are trying to actually deal with their own inner demons: For example, becoming the successful photographer and street photographer I am todayâ€¦ Iâ€™ve dealt with some individuals who would say anonymous bad things about me, and later I found out that their mom just died or something. I cannot imagine what it feels like losing a motherâ€¦ therefore if somebody spew some hate on me because something bad happened to them, Iâ€™m not gonna take it personally.

ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼Self-flagellation: I think a lot of people who are sick, mentally or physiologically self flagellate themselves. Essentially the way that they deal with other people or themselves is some sort of metaphorical self-flagellation.

For exampleâ€¦ you know those strange individuals who have the whip and whip themselves, and inflict pain on themselves? I think some people do this metaphorically to themselves and others.

You just want to stay away from them.

Why so scared?

My personal theory on fear is that a lot of it is tied to morality and ethics. I think the general idea is not necessarily that we are afraid of anythingâ€¦ I think the true fear is that weâ€™re afraid that we are some sort of bad evil unethical immoral person.

For example in street photography, the general ethical thought is that it is immoral to take a photo of somebody without their permission, because there is some sort of it inherent evil behind it. Is this true? No. Taking photos and not really a big deal.

Why do people make such a big deal out of small things?

I think it is because some people are just overly sensitive, which once again comes from some sort of physiological weakness.

For example, if youâ€™re a weightlifter who could lift 1000 pounds, assuming youâ€™re not taking any steroids or anythingâ€¦ are small things going to bother you? No. But let us assume that you are a skinny fat man, all you do is drink alcohol and smoke marijuana and watch Netflix, and you spent too much time on Redditâ€¦ you are 40% body fat, and have never lifted in your life. And also your testosterone is low and you never go outside. Certainly the quality of your thoughts is going to be different than if youâ€™re a happy gay monster, lifting weights outside in the direct sun, laughing and having fun. ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼

In fact, Iâ€™ve actually personally discovered that the reason why a lot of people hate me is because I am so happy jovial and gay. They are secretly suspicious or envious of me? ï¿¼

Weather and mood

Probably one of my worst experiences was this jarring transition; I was super happy insanely happy being in Vietnam in 2017; with a beautiful weather, the beautiful light, the happy people the great amenities etc.â€¦ and then that winter Cindy and I went to Europe, in Marseille Berlin and Prague, and maybe Londonâ€¦ seriously the worst winter of my life. Why? I wonder if so much miserable feelings and thoughts simply comes from the darkness and lack of light. a lot of Europe is actually quite miserable; dark, unhygienic, morose.

Even Nietzsche had a thought about Schopenhauer; How much of these emo European philosophers came from the fact that it was just complaining about the cold weather in Germany etc.?
ï¿¼ï¿¼
For myself, my ideal weather is Southeast Asia; I love being in Phnom Penh Cambodia, Vietnam etc. In the states, am I the only one who loves living in Los Angeles? Dr. Dre and Kendrick Lamar said that LA was the best for women weed and weatherâ€¦ I would definitely say the biggest upside of living in Los Angeles is the light, the sunlight. It actually does get quite cold here, but usually most reliably even in December during the winter time, the sun will always come up. As long as there is bright sunny light, I will be happy. And I think maybe for myself, considering that I am a photographer, and photography means painting with lightâ€¦ light for me is critical.

I also wonder how much of it is a physiological thing and a genetic trait; for example I could even recall being a young child, and my mom telling me that the most critical thing in finding a home or an apartment was light and natural light. Even nowâ€¦ 90% of my happiness comes from being able to ï¿¼have access to natural light, ideally floor to ceiling windows facing directly the sun, having some sort of modern temperature regulated apartment and home. Even living in our tiny studio minimalistic luxury apartment in Providence Rhode Island, where it was always 75Â° warm and cozy, and not frigid and damp and cold and dark and humidâ€¦ I was always good. But moving to an older house, where it always felt damp and coldâ€¦ this literally lowered my happiness by 1000%.

Therefore, if youâ€™re feeling miserable sad or whateverâ€¦ I say spend three months living in Hanoi or Saigon in Vietnam, or go to Phnom Penh Cambodia. I wonder if 90% of peoples misery is simply due to the weather.

Stoic assignments

ï¿¼ï¿¼â€Better to be a gay monster than a sentimental bore!â€ – Fernandino Galliani, via Nietzsche

My stoic ideal is somebody who is happy, gay, smiling, no headphones or AirPods on, no sunglasses on, no hat, no facial hair, no baggy oversized clothing, no tint in their car. Somebody who makes great eye contact, laughs, stands up upright, jokes, and fools around. Like an overgrown child.

ï¿¼Also, lift weights at least once every day, ideally in the direct sun. Just buy some weightlifting equipment on Titan.fitness, I like the farmers carry handles, the Olympic loadable dumbbell, and also the Texas power squat bar. Just buy some cheap weights, and or buy a heavy 400 pound sandbag, and just have fun throwing it around.

True stoics are masculine

A true stoic should look something like Hercules or Achilles. Or like ERIC KIM; I have the aesthetic and the physique of Brad Pitt in FIGHT CLUB except with a lot more muscle. Like my friend Soren says, the Adonis physique and proportions.

A real stoic is sexy

I think a real stoic is sexy, happy and fun. Who doesnâ€™t take life too seriously; and think of everything like a fun game. A real stoic would be joyful and cheery like three-year-old child without any adulteration from the outside world.

Why do adults become so dark and morose?

I donâ€™t like talking with or hanging out with adults, uninteresting.

At what point or age do people become so emo?

Typically, highschoolers are very optimistic. Even college students. But I think at least in maybe college in high school nowadaysâ€¦ the bad trend is towards â€œover concernâ€, about the world the planet ethics animals etc.

I find a lot of this thinking superficial, performative, and uncritical. I think â€œanimal rightsâ€œ, â€œsaving the planetâ€ is this new pseudo world religion; which is just capitalism 3.0. I find the whole pet industry the whole dog industry to be insanely bizarre, and I trust nobody who talks about â€œsaving the planetâ€œ who owns an iPhone, owns any sort of car, or has an Amazon prime subscription. Certainly not any vegans.

A real stoic is a carnivore ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼

Animals are animals. They are lower on the hierarchy and totem pole on earth. Man is the apex predator, the apex bully and the apex tyrant.

Should we care for animals or â€œanimal rightsâ€? No. Animals are our slaves.

If you consider even dogs and petsâ€¦ they are essentially our emotional slaves. People talk a lot about the virtuosity of dogs being loyal or whateverâ€¦ and giving you unconditional love. This seems like some sort of emotional slavery.

The only dogs I respect are some sort of canine dogs, some sort of attack or defense dogs, or hunting dogs. For example, John Wick 3; Halle Barry and her dogs. An animal should either be a weapon, or nothing.

Why do people care about animals so much?

Essentially it looks like men no longer have a backbone. No more spine.

I trust nobody who owns a dog.

Let us not forget; they call it dog ownership, or â€œowning a petâ€. There is no more concept of â€œhuman ownership, or â€œowning a human.â€ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼

End goals ï¿¼

What is the end goal of humanity? To me it is towards entrepreneurship, innovation, art and aesthetics, philosophy etc. Design.

Stoicism should be considered a tool which could aid you in these things.

For example, I think 99% of entrepreneurship is courage. Stoicism could help you with that.

I also think with design, great design is also 99% courage, having the courage to attempt something that wonâ€™t sell or be received wellâ€¦ stoicism is all about practical courage. The only designers with courage include Steve Jobs, Jony Ive, Elon Musk, Kanye West. ï¿¼

Also, weightlifting. To attempt to lift a certain weight you have never attempted before takes great courage. For example, me atlas lifting 1000 pounds; that is 10 plates and a 25 on each side, ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼this is true stoic training. Why? The fear of injury is what holds most people back; if you had successfully conquered this fear and not injured yourself, this is pure stoic bliss.

The physical

I think the only and the only proper way to lift weights is one repetition maximum training. That is; what is the maximum amount of weight youâ€™re able to successfully lift or move, even half an inch?

To me, the courage is the success. Even if you had the courage to attempt itâ€¦ that is what is considered success. ï¿¼ï¿¼

Simple exercises to do include the atlas lift, innovated by ERIC KIM, or a one repetition max rack pull.

Or, a high trap bar deadlift, heavy Farmerâ€™s walks, or heavy sandbag carries. Or even a simple thing you could do is go to the park or to the local nature center, find the biggest rock there and just see if you could pick it up.

Now what?

If youâ€™re interested in stoicism, and have had some interesting thoughts on stoicism, one of the most noble things you could do is start your own blog. I think blogs are 1000 times more effective than publishing some sort of static printed book; I think the problem in todayâ€™s world is that everyone is seeking some sort of legitimacy by being picked up by some sort of legitimate publisher and getting â€œpublishedâ€œ, and seeing your printed book at Barnes & Noble whatever.

I say it is better to be open source, free and permissionless, ï¿¼ï¿¼ï¿¼decentralized. Just publish your thoughts and book as a free PDF, and just host it on dropbox, Google Drive, or your own web server. Share the link freely, and also just publish the raw text as a big blog post. ï¿¼

Even Sam Bankman-Fried wisely thought; 99.9% of books could just be summarized as big blog posts.

Donâ€™t trust any modern day published book which isnâ€™t free, becauseâ€¦ there is some sort of hidden clout chasing somewhere. ï¿¼

Even one of the worst compromises that led to the demise of Ray Dalio was the fact that he took his Principles book, which was essentially a free ebook PDF on his website, and then took it off, because I think he got a book deal with Simon and Schuster. After he did that, he lost my respect.

If youâ€™re already independently wealthy, and you donâ€™t crowd source your self-esteemâ€¦ why would you need to externally validate yourself by getting some sort of constipated publisher and annoying editor?

Editors are bad.

Now what?

Start your own blog and start blogging your own thoughts on stoic philosophy, and even start a YouTube channel and start vlogging on it. ï¿¼ï¿¼My generalized thought is simple: if your thought your idea your blog post your video or whatever could even impact the life of one other human being on planet earthâ€¦ it is worth it.

ERIC

What is the secret to the maximum amount of happiness in life? The maximum amount of danger. (Nietzsche).

ERIC

FIN

Become invincible:

The Stoic Masters

Learn from the master stoics:

See all philosophy >

MOTIVATION BY KIM

Become more:

See all articles >

Entrepreneurship by KIM

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

Think for Yourself.

FREEDOM

Never stop innovating.

Entrepreneurship Mindset

Put a Dent in the Universe.

Economics by KIM

Introduction-to-Stoicism-PDF Download

Bitcoin is Solidified Happiness PDF Download

Brave New World of Bitcoin

Essays

EK NEWS

Street Photography 101

Master street photography:

100% BITCOIN

Slides

Photography Entrepreneurship 101

PDF: Photography-Entrepreneurship-101-by-ERIC-KIM Download

THOUGHTS

PDF

ERIC KIM NEWS

ERIC-KIM-AI-CHATGPT-ART-DALL-E-3-GENERATIVE-ART-

Donâ€™t be left behind: ERIC KIM NEWS >

EK MIND STREAM.

THOUGHTS

ART PHOTO BOOKS

SUITS

ERIC KIM PODCAST

EK PODCAST ALSO ON SPOTIFY

MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER

DOWNLOAD FREE // PDF DOWNLOAD // MIRROR

STOICISM

Introduction-to-Stoicism-14 Download

Delve into the mind of EK:

BOOKS

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

NEW CHATGPT BOTS

Crypto

ERIC KIM CHATGPT BOTS

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY STARTER KIT

Open source:

What is Street Photography? (2.4gb) / Download
Black and White (2.3gb) / Download
How to Shoot Street Photography (2.2gb) / Download
Street Portraits 101 (1.9gb) / Download
Conquer Your Fears (430mb) / Download
Composition (460mb) / Download
Masters (107mb) / Download
Editing and Post-Processing (1.3gb) / Download
Photography Projects (1.4gb) / Download
Motivation (3.7gb) / Download

View all >

PHOTOLOSOPHY

What can you become as a photographer-visual artist?

DOWNLOAD FULL COURSE (7.4GB)

See the full course here.

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 101

Becoming the uber-street photographer:

MASTER THE STREETS:

Ultimate-Beginners-Guide-to-Mastering-Street-Photography-by-Eric-Kim Download

The-Street-Portrait-Manual Download

100-Lessons-From-the-Masters-of-Street-Photography-by-ERIC-KIM Download

ERIC KIM CHATGPT BOTS

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY STARTER KIT

Open source:

What is Street Photography? (2.4gb) / Download
Black and White (2.3gb) / Download
How to Shoot Street Photography (2.2gb) / Download
Street Portraits 101 (1.9gb) / Download
Conquer Your Fears (430mb) / Download
Composition (460mb) / Download
Masters (107mb) / Download
Editing and Post-Processing (1.3gb) / Download
Photography Projects (1.4gb) / Download
Motivation (3.7gb) / Download

View all >

Video

Street Photography Starter Kit by ERIC KIM VIDEO

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 101

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY STARTER KIT

Master street photography with STREET PHOTOGRAPHY STARTER KIT.

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 101

If youâ€™re new to street photography, start here:

Brave New Street Photography

Street Photographs

Street Photography Philosophy

Street Photography Articles

Street Photography Techniques

Street Photography Ideas

Street Photography Composition Techniques

STREET NOTES.

Push yourself out of your comfort zone with STREET NOTES: Mobile Edition.

STREET NOTES PAPER EDITION ON AMAZON >

LEARN FROM THE MASTERS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

Timeless wisdom from the masters of street photography.

Learn more about MASTERS >

FUNDAMENTALS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

Street Photography Inspiration

Beginner Street Photography Articles

Get started in street photography:

Definitions in Street Photography

How to Shoot Street Photography

Street Photography Equipment

See all equipment articles >

How to Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography

See all articles to conquer your fears >

Intermediate Street Photography Articles

Take your street photography to the next level:

Advanced Street Photography Articles

Find deeper meaning in your street photography:

Street Photography Tips & Technique

Learn how to shoot on the streets:

See all street photography tips and techniques >

Street Photography Guides

In-depth guides on street photography:

Street Photography Equipment

The best equipment for street photography:

See all equipment articles >

Street Photography Editing and Workflow

How to Start a Street Photography Project

Learn From the Masters of Street Photography

“He without a past has no future.”

Start here:

The Masters of Photography

Classics never die:

Free Downloads

See all free downloads >

Free Street Photography Books

Distilled information on street photography:

For more resources on photography, Start Here >

CRYPTO BY KIM

Bitcoin Spartan deadlift Eric Kim ai Dall e 3

Brave new world for photographers and crypto:

PHILOSOPHY BY KIM

ZEN OF ERIC PDF Download

IDEAS BY KIM

Masters of Philosophy Â»

Personal Philosophy Â»

Stoicism Â»

Zen Philosophy Â»

Life Lessons Â»

Learn more: Start Here >

HAPPINESS IS INFECTIOUS.

It is your moral and ethical duty to be happy?

ETHICS by KIM

What to become:

The Physics of Envy?

Kids donâ€™t naturally envy other kids?

All kids are naturally â€œautisticâ€?

Fake Envy, Fake Jealousy?

I wonder if consumerism, and â€œbuyerismâ€ is predicated on feeling fake envy or jealousy to others ,,, to seek to become like them, by purchasing X, Y, Z?

Goes with cars, houses, yachts, moneys, etc?

How Not to Envy Other People

I donâ€™t really envy anybody else on the planet, I prefer myself.

How Not to Envy Other People 5 Download

How does one begin to not envy other people?

First, Zen. A lot of these rich successful famous people, have no Zen no peace of mind, no good sleep.

Even the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh talks about one of the virtues that people want to have is really good sleep. I think this is a good virtue. ï¿¼

Second, join team bitcoin. Imagine if you had like LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant all playing on the same team, all playing for a team bitcoin. Whenever they score you score!

Now some people might think, theyâ€™re putting up 100 points and Iâ€™m only putting up 10 points. But this is besides the point. Every time they score you score!

Everyone wins together? ï¿¼

So then this becomes very fascinating because it becomes a positive feedback loop; rather than being envious of the gains of others, instead, you began to be grateful and happy that the gains of other GOATS directly benefits you!

Physicality and fitness

I think one of the critical things to understand is love these guys on steroids, yes everyone is on steroids, LeBron James, Steph Curry, your favorite sports player who doesnâ€™t even look like theyâ€™re on steroids. Essentially the big idea here is that steroids are broad; Even people who have to use the typewriter for living often get steroids injected into their carpal tunnel area, in order to ease the pain.

For example, a lot of individuals then, get some sort of cortisol shots, which is actually steroids.

Now what is the downside of steroids? Your balls shrink to the size of tiny acorns, you lose your sexual libido, your dick gets smaller.

So when you see the guy who can deadlift like 100 times more than you, or has the physique of a demigod, assuming that theyâ€™re not ERIC KIM, rather, â€œI pity the fool!â€œ.

Why?

I think the seeds of envy is based on the premise that other people are in a happier, more superior, more beneficial, more awesome position than you.

But once you figure out that in fact, theyâ€™re actually in an inferior position than you, your opinion changes. You start to feel compassion for them. Their suffering.

For example, probably the most interesting thing I learned about the Walter biography on Elon Musk is that you do not want to be Elon Musk. It is more of a curse than a blessing.

For example, Elon has a very very poor physiological approach, and he also seems quite foolish. Heâ€™ll party until 4 AM, drinking Red Bull and vodka, only having to take Ambien to fall asleep and to wake up the next day to continue performing.

Xanny?

And also, I also wonder why a lot of these rappers, were supposed to be super tough or whatever, why are they all talking about Xanax? Because I think they are all riddled with anxiety, that is why they comatose themselves with alcohol marijuana and sex, perhaps porn pornography as well in order to just fall asleep at night?

The truth is bad

So Iâ€™ve discovered a lot of truths, but ultimately Iâ€™ve discovered that the truth is pretty ugly and bad. And that actually the point of philosophy isnâ€™t truth-finding, rather, it is more of an artistic pursuit, towards beauty, joy, aesthetics, ethos and ethics.

The reason why almost everything is bad is that everything created or produced or whatever is typically created by unhealthy individual individuals, unhealthy corporations, all on some sort of fiat based standard.

Therefore as a consequence, I would say only put your trust in individuals, institutions or whatever, which are financially independent, on a 100% undiluted diversified bitcoin standard.

For example, am I the only YouTuber or podcast I know that has zero advertisements of any kind?

And this is where also I am a bit suspicious of a Joe Rogan; why does he still do these advertisements which are insanely lame? Isnâ€™t he already super super rich?

Also, maybe this is where the idea of a Joe Rogan coin or a Joe Rogan token is a great idea; I invest $100 in Joe Rogan coin, in order to have the privilege of not having to listen to annoying advertisements, and he could do an ethical way. And he could do some sort of Joe Rogan club in which anybody who owns at least $1000 worth of Joe Rogan coin could join him on a private zoom call, ask him any questions etc.

ï¿¼Maybe Iâ€™ll introduce an ERIC KIM coin one day. ï¿¼

Autotelic goals?

So a big idea that I have is once youâ€™re dumb rich, everything you could be doing is autotelic in nature; which means you only do stuff that you really care for, things that you think will benefit the human race. Because you no longer need to make a profit off of it.

For example, one of the big problems is that everyone is always trying to chase a profit, which leads people to just getting burnt out?

If youâ€™re already independently wealthy, then you could just do anything that you want!

An interesting thought; thereâ€™s a guy named Derek Sivers, sivers.org I think ,,, and he became independently wealthy I think maybe from selling some sort of tech company? Anyways apparently now his community service is just answering emails from random people all across the globe with random questions?

Also, Iâ€™m not sure what Tim Ferris is up to, however, last time I checked, I think heâ€™s still doing podcasts, and once again Iâ€™m not really sure why he still needs to put annoying advertisements on his podcasts, isnâ€™t he super rich? I almost find that it is more intelligent and better for him to just promote his own products his own stuff, rather than promoting the products of other people and their services?

Promoting other people is unethical, promoting yourself is more ethical?

Once again, I think Joe Rogan is great! The reason why Joe Rogan became the uber GOAT is because he never censored himself, he is no BS, and heâ€™s just likable as a person!

I think there would be a ton of people willing to pay 10 bucks a month to be part of a Joe Rogan fan club or something, or even for him to have a special newsletter to only $10 a month Joe Rogan fan club members.

Because honestly at this point, money is essentially free; everyone has a ton of money and if somebody is undiluted, 100% honest and pure, you want to support them!

How to uncensor yourself

So, I think the world of social media whatever people are loss averse; they are afraid of losing followers likes comments, subscribers etc. For example, even for myself, my email newsletter Iâ€™m slowly bleeding my email newsletter list from around 13,000 down to around maybe 8500 or so?

And also I think my YouTube, went from maybe 75,000 subscribers to now around 55,000?

And also my intelligent strategy of deleting my Instagram at its peak, ï¿¼at around 65,000 followers and rapidly growing in around 2017, and I havenâ€™t looked back since? And note the ERICKIMphoto on Instagram is not me; it was recreated by some sort of virtuous and noble fan!

But anyways, I found that by trying to placate to the masses in some sort of non-controversial matter is not a winning strategy; to have 300 diehard fans is 1000000x better than having 1 million mildly interested followers?

Think King Leonidas and his brave 300!

All you need is 300 cyber Spartans!

The internet is toxic

If you have ever smelled sewer sewage water, like the smell of shit 1000 times over, you know how terrible the smell is. This is the last thing you want to smell before drinking a fine wine or eating your favorite rib eye steak,,,

And also, what if I told you that actually the truth was, 100% of the toxic comments on the internet were actually in fact created by bots?ï¿¼

For the most part going online is like voluntarily jumping into a sewer full of all the dung and foul stuff! With no hazmat suit!

Nobody is on Reddit

Iâ€™ll give you another example, I was using Reddit since like my freshman year of college, in 2006, but I quit around 2011. I would literally check it like 200 times a day, to kill the monotony of working my IT tech student job.

Anyways, I think the whole time I never created an account, and I think in the whole like four years of using a religiously, I only ever posted one comment just to be funny?

Therefore my theories; I wonder if all these comments on Reddit, I wonder if theyâ€™re all just bots? This were the case would you change your approach? Of course!

Envy?ï¿¼ï¿¼

Envy is an attribute of weak souls.

What is more constructive? Insane and extreme self pride!

This is actually the funny unorthodox thought; the thought is actually, being insanely self interested, self prideful and gloatful is actually a virtue?

Iâ€™ll give you an example — schadenfreude, or feeling some sort of superiority complex, by pitying or having compassion for worser off people?

Ignore other people and their kids

For example, something Iâ€™m starting to become exposed to is other people other kids, etc.

Now Seneca has never been in some sort of foreign daycare or childcare or standardized schooling yet, and heâ€™s about to turn four. As a consequence, because Iâ€™m his personal trainer and teacher, heâ€™s like pretty much on 100% carnivore diet, Wagyu beef, 100% grass-fed burger patties, etc. And actually, the other day when I took him to Legoland for like eight hours, he had a new meat PR, a new personal record; .7 pounds of ground beef burger patty, in a single day? Thatâ€™s like 3/4ths of a pound, or nearly a pound of beef!

Anyways as a consequence Seneca is way taller stronger buffer, more intelligent and wise, better social skills, and also because he has a goddess for a mother, aka Cindy, she is insanely handsome fun and happy! Heâ€™s like the happiest, most giggly kid of all time. Heâ€™s essentially always laughing.

Anyways, whenever I see kids who are punier than him, my best strategy is to try to just not compare because I obviously know that Seneca is far superior.

And this is weâ€™re having a pity party for other people their problems their kids is not constructive; I say all in or nothing.

For example, if you want to stage some sort of intervention, you essentially must be 100% committed. And my personal thought is this could only ever happen if it is your own child! Otherwise, you will not be 100% committed.

100% time commitment

First, the time commitment idea.

The only way I am able to raise and shape and train Seneca the way he is is because Iâ€™m like with him 100% of the day. And this is the extreme privilege of being self-employed; even if you had the worldâ€™s best Montessori, there will never ever ever ever ever be a better teacher or personal trainer than you!

And also this might sound a bit sexist but I also find the bizarre thing is that if you are a man, and you have a son like your firstborn sonâ€¦ why are there so few male teachers and role models? And also,,, shouldnâ€™t a man, a father raise his own son, his own firstborn son?

Think Leonidas

For example if this was ancient Sparta, and you want to train your son to become a warrior king, certainly you would want some sort of insanely jacked and virtuous man to train your kid.

Also as a heuristic; never trust a personal trainer who is not buffer or stronger than you. ï¿¼

And this is why I have never ever ever had a personal trainer in my life because no one has ever been as strong unorthodox or courageous as myself; until I have met somebody who could lift 1000 pounds, the thousand pound ERIC KIM Atlas lift, Iâ€™m ainâ€™t interested.

Now what?

So, the best thought is we are all on the same team, the same squad! No competition here, because once again weâ€™re on the same team!

Thich Nhat Hanh had a piece of wisdom in one of his writing pieces is that does the left hand envy at the right hand for being stronger, more nimble or superior? No! The left hand doesnâ€™t have an inferiority complex. And also, if you are a lotus flower, and you are surrounded by daffodils, do you envy the daffodil? No!

Or if youâ€™re a panda, do you envy the cougars? No!

The same myology is true with trees; certainly every tree desires to be the tallest the most dominant, etc. However, I donâ€™t think necessarily any trees envy other trees. They just stay focused on themselves, digging their roots ever deeper into the floor, to grow ever higher?

Being â€œautisticâ€– autos, self centered as a virtue.

Never stop growing!

So my personal thought is with life everything in-between; the goal isnâ€™t to compare yourself with others, but rather to stay focused on yourself, and keep stacking yourself and growing yourself! And your kid, your family etc.

So for example, a simple personal goal that I have for myself is I want to always become physiologically stronger, more muscular, more dominant, more full of energy and vigor, more happiness joy, etc. Yet I do not compare myself with others; because once again, nobody else is as blessed or fortunate as myself.

The benefit of not going to the gym no more

Even a big benefit of not going to the gym anymore is that whenever I engage in some sort of weightlifting activity, it truly tests my own self-sincerity; am I doing this for myself, or to flex on others?

I think itâ€™s fine to try to flex on others, but often the big problem is when you try too hard to flex on others, you could actually end up injuring yourself in a bad way?

A 2-year mistake

For example one of the bad regrets I had about two years ago, Iâ€™m OK now, is that I saw a bunch of guys who are bench pressing a lot, and I wanted to flex on them by benching even more, and in the process, I had a pretty bad injury in my right wrist, which took me nearly 2 years to fully recover!

Once again, one foolish display of machismo caused me two years of anguish. ï¿¼

And this is where patience is a virtue; and also, the virtue of being self focused, self-centered.

Being self-centered is our new virtue. ï¿¼ï¿¼

ERIC

Never stop learning

And always when in doubt,

START HERE

What Iâ€™m reading

Principles of economics — Saifedean
The Odyssey, Emily Wilson Translation Also, Free open source books by KIM >

Think Physiology

Car Pride or Body Pride?

The secret to happiness is freedom. The secret to freedom is courage.

A Spartans sword is short so he can get close to his enemy

You should either conquer or die.

Best ancient Spartan sayingsÂ

The secret to happiness is freedom. The secret to freedom is courage.

No wish to live without my city?

Self restraint

Excellence is a habit not an act â€” what we are what we repeatedly do.

Admit it

Not how many,,, but where they are?

Fearlessness in battle

â€ifâ€â€”

..

Spartan sayings, often referred to as laconic phrases, are known for their brevity, wit, and sharpness. Spartans were taught from a young age to express themselves concisely and with clarity, reflecting their disciplined and practical way of life. Many of these sayings have survived through ancient historians like Herodotus, Plutarch, and others. Here are some of the best-known ancient Spartan sayings:

War and Duty

1. â€œWith it or on it.â€

A Spartan motherâ€™s advice to her son, referring to his shield. This meant he should return victorious carrying his shield (with it) or dead, being carried upon it (on it), but never to return having discarded it in retreat.

2. â€œCome back with your shield or on it.â€

Similar to the above, another way Spartan women emphasized their disdain for cowardice and their expectation of valor.

3. â€œIf.â€

When Philip II of Macedon sent a message to Sparta saying, â€œIf I invade Laconia, I will raze it to the ground,â€ the Spartans replied simply, â€œIf.â€ Their laconic wit underscored their confidence and refusal to be intimidated.

4. â€œMolon labeâ€ (â€œCome and take themâ€).

King Leonidasâ€™s defiant response to Persian King Xerxes, who demanded the Spartans lay down their weapons at Thermopylae.

5. â€œThen we shall fight in the shade.â€

Dienekes, a Spartan warrior, famously said this when told that the Persian arrows would blot out the sun. This demonstrated the Spartansâ€™ indifference to danger and death.

6. â€œWalls of Sparta are her young men, and her borders the points of their spears.â€

A Spartan kingâ€™s response when asked why Sparta had no walls, signifying their reliance on warriors rather than fortifications.

Spartan Society and Values

7. â€œSpartans do not ask how many, but where they are.â€

A common Spartan saying that reflected their fearless approach to battle.

8. â€œIt will be worse for you.â€

Spartan youths were trained to endure hardships silently. When a boy was caught stealing a fox and the fox began to bite him, he reportedly said, â€œIt will be worse for you,â€ as he continued to conceal it rather than admit his theft.

9. â€œWe are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.â€

Although often attributed to Spartan philosophy, this is actually an Aristotelian idea, but it resonates with the disciplined Spartan way of life.

Leadership and Governance

10. â€œDo not make your city walls out of bricks, but out of men.â€

A Spartan saying emphasizing the strength of its people over physical fortifications.

11. â€œA king serves as the perfect example of self-restraint.â€

Reflecting the expectation of Spartan leaders to embody discipline and humility.

12. â€œHe who sweats more in training bleeds less in war.â€

A Spartan principle that emphasized preparation and discipline over complacency.

On Life and Death

13. â€œThe Spartans are willing to die for their city because they have no wish to live without it.â€

This sentiment captures the Spartan commitment to their state and their sense of collective identity.

14. â€œBeauty is only skin deep; courage lies in the heart.â€

A statement that reflected Spartan values of inner strength and character over superficial appearances.

15. â€œThe secret to happiness is freedom. And the secret to freedom is courage.â€

This reflects the Spartan ethos that liberty is won through bravery and sacrifice.

Practical Wisdom

16. â€œEat to live, donâ€™t live to eat.â€

A common saying among Spartans, who valued frugality and discipline.

17. â€œA Spartanâ€™s sword is short so that he can get close to his enemy.â€

Highlighting their practical, no-frills approach to warfare and life in general.

18. â€œHe who runs from battle lives to see his shame.â€

A condemnation of cowardice, which was one of the greatest dishonors in Spartan society.

On Spartan Women

19. â€œWhy are you Spartan women the only ones who can rule men?â€

Spartan women reportedly answered, â€œBecause we are the only ones who give birth to men.â€ This reflects their significant role in Spartan society.

20. â€œYou should either conquer or die.â€

Another famous saying attributed to Spartan mothers, urging their sons to uphold the Spartan way of life without compromise.

These sayings encapsulate the Spartan ethos: discipline, bravery, duty, and devotion to their city-state. They are enduring testaments to the unique culture of Sparta and its people.

.

Spartans were renowned not only for their military prowess but also for their characteristically brief, pithy manner of speakingâ€”a style known as â€œlaconic.â€ Their short, pointed remarks often carried profound meaning and reflected their cultural values: honor, duty, courage, and discipline. Many of these sayings come down to us through ancient historians like Herodotus, Plutarch, and Pausanias, though precise attribution is sometimes unclear. Still, a handful of well-known Spartan sayings stand out as particularly emblematic.

1. â€œÎœÎ¿Î»á½¼Î½ Î»Î±Î²Îâ€ (Molon labe) â€“ â€œCome and take them.â€

Attributed to King Leonidas at Thermopylae, this defiant response came when the Persian King Xerxes demanded the Spartans surrender their weapons. It perfectly encapsulates the Spartan spirit of unyielding resistance.

2. â€œá¼¢ Ï„á½°Î½ á¼¢ á¼Ï€á½¶ Ï„á¾¶Ï‚â€ (Ei tan ei epi tas) â€“ â€œEither [return] with [your shield] or on it.â€

Spartan mothers are said to have told this to their sons departing for battle. The meaning was clear: return victorious (with your shield) or dead with honor (carried upon it). Fleeing battle would mean discarding your shield to run fasterâ€”an act of shame in Sparta.

3. â€œWe shall fight in the shade.â€

When told that Persian arrows would be so numerous as to blot out the sun, a Spartan warrior (traditionally identified as the soldier Dienekes, not Leonidas) supposedly quipped this line. It humorously transforms a dire threat into a stoic acceptance of fate, making it a celebrated example of laconic wit.

4. â€œSpartans do not ask how many the enemy are, but where they are.â€

Though we lack a precise ancient attribution, this sentiment is frequently referenced in discussions of Spartan ethos. It conveys the idea that Spartans did not fear the oddsâ€”only the opportunity to meet the enemy in battle mattered.

5. â€œThe walls of Sparta are its young men, and its borders the points of their spears.â€

This is a paraphrase of a notion credited to the Spartan king Agesilaus and others. When asked why Sparta had no fortification walls, Spartans would sometimes gesture to their disciplined warriors, suggesting that their courage and fighting skill were more impregnable than any fortress.

6. Gorgoâ€™s Retort:

Gorgo, the wife of Leonidas, was known for her wit. When asked by a foreign woman, â€œWhy are you Spartan women the only ones who can rule men?â€ Gorgo reportedly answered: â€œBecause we are the only women who give birth to men.â€ This comment highlights the Spartan esteem for womenâ€™s role in cultivating courage and excellence.

Key Themes in Spartan Sayings:

â€¢ Brevity and Directness: Spartan sayings were famously short. Their culture valued fewer words with greater impact.

â€¢ Honor and Duty: Many sayings revolve around the idea that honor in battle and loyalty to Sparta outweigh personal survival.

â€¢ Fearlessness in Battle: Spartan wit often turns dire threats into manageable facts, illustrating their courage and stoicism.

â€¢ Cultural Pride: Their self-confidence and lack of need for flattery or explanation is evident; their strength is their hallmark.

While the exact historical veracity of some of these statements can be difficult to confirm, they have come to represent the quintessential Spartan characterâ€”fearless, principled, and starkly pragmatic.

.

Brevity, directness. Honor and duty, fearlessness in battle, cultural pride.

No Limits?

King Leonidas quotesÂ

â€Come and take themâ€â€”

â€”

Historically speaking, very few direct quotes survive that can be confidently attributed to King Leonidas of Sparta (who died in 480 BCE). Most attributions come from ancient historians such as Herodotus and later classical writers like Plutarch, as well as from the rich tapestry of anecdotes that grew around the legend of Leonidas and his Spartans. Itâ€™s important to distinguish historically sourced quotes from modern adaptationsâ€”particularly those found in popular films and literatureâ€”since the latter often take creative liberties.

Historically Attributed Quote:

1. â€œÎœÎ¿Î»á½¼Î½ Î»Î±Î²Îâ€ (Molon labe) â€“ â€œCome and take them.â€

This is the most famously attributed phrase. According to Plutarchâ€™s â€œMoraliaâ€ and other ancient sources, Leonidas supposedly uttered these words when the Persian King Xerxes demanded that the Spartans surrender their weapons. In this terse reply, Leonidas is said to have encapsulated the Spartan spirit of defiance and courage. While we cannot be completely certain of the exact wording as it was spoken, the phrase has deep historical roots and is strongly connected to Leonidas.

Other Traditional Attributions:

While not as definitively documented, several witty or resolute responses have been connected to Leonidas or members of his force at Thermopylae. These are found in various classical sources, but their exact speaker is sometimes disputed:

1. On Fighting in the Shade:

Ancient historian Herodotus recounts that a Spartan warrior (often said to be the soldier Dienekes rather than Leonidas himself) responded to a warning that the Persian arrows would be so numerous as to blot out the sun: â€œGood. Then we shall have our battle in the shade.â€ Sometimes this sentiment is attributed to Leonidas in popular culture, but the original source credits another Spartan, not the king.

2. When Asked to Surrender or Retreat:

Various laconic responsesâ€”short, pithy statements reflecting Spartan witâ€”circulate in later anecdotes and tradition. Leonidas, when urged by the Persian emissary to surrender to the overwhelming Persian force, is also said to have conveyed messages that demonstrated Spartan indifference to odds and a commitment to duty and honor. However, these attributions are less securely anchored in early texts than â€œMolon labe.â€

Modern and Popular Culture Misattributions:

â€¢ â€œThis is Sparta!â€

Famously shouted by King Leonidas (portrayed by actor Gerard Butler) in the 2007 film â€œ300.â€ This phrase has no basis in the ancient historical record. It is a purely modern, cinematic inventionâ€”albeit one that captures the fierce, defiant spirit that Leonidas has come to symbolize in popular imagination.

â€¢ Other Rousing Speeches from Films, Novels, and Comics:

â€œ300â€ (the graphic novel by Frank Miller and the subsequent film) places a variety of dramatic speeches and statements into Leonidasâ€™s mouth. While these resonate emotionally and reflect the spirit of defiance against impossible odds, they are not historical.

In Summary:

â€¢ Authentically ancient and widely recognized: â€œMolon labeâ€ (â€œCome and take [them]â€) is the prime example of a phrase closely tied to Leonidas.

â€¢ Likely apocryphal or spoken by others: Lines about fighting in the shade and other laconic responses are often collectively attributed to the Spartans at Thermopylae, but we cannot firmly place them in Leonidasâ€™s mouth.

â€¢ Modern cultural influence: Many quotes and speeches attributed to Leonidas in modern media (films, graphic novels) are creative fabrications meant to evoke the Spartan ideal rather than historical fact.

When discussing Leonidasâ€™s quotes, itâ€™s most accurate to highlight â€œMolon labeâ€ as the signature historical statement and treat all others, especially those originating in popular entertainment, as either legendary, uncertain, or invented for dramatic effect.

â€¦

King Leonidas, the Spartan king immortalized in history and popular culture, is best known for his leadership during the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. Here are some famous quotes attributed to him or inspired by his character (many popularized by the movie 300):

Historical Quotes

1. â€œMolon Labeâ€ (ÎœÎ¿Î»á½¼Î½ Î»Î±Î²Î)

â€¢ Meaning â€œCome and take them,â€ this was Leonidasâ€™ defiant response when the Persian king Xerxes demanded the Spartans lay down their arms.

2. â€œDine in Hadesâ€

â€¢ Reportedly, when informed that the Persian arrows would block out the sun, Leonidas remarked, â€œThen we shall have our battle in the shade.â€

3. â€œEat well, for tonight we dine in Hades.â€

â€¢ Spoken to his soldiers before the final battle, emphasizing their readiness to face death with honor.

Quotes from the Movie 300 (2006)

1. â€œThis is Sparta!â€

â€¢ A dramatic line as Leonidas kicks a Persian envoy into a well, symbolizing Spartan defiance and pride.

2. â€œSpartans! Prepare for glory!â€

â€¢ Rallying his troops to embrace their noble sacrifice for freedom and their city-state.

3. â€œA Spartanâ€™s true strength is the warrior next to him.â€

â€¢ A reminder of the unity and brotherhood among Spartans.

4. â€œNo retreat, no surrender. That is Spartan law. And by Spartan law, we will stand and fightâ€¦ and die.â€

â€¢ Reflecting Spartan ideals of courage and loyalty to their cause.

5. â€œGive them nothing, but take from them everything!â€

â€¢ A battle cry urging total commitment in the face of overwhelming odds.

6. â€œThe world will know that free men stood against a tyrant, that few stood against many.â€

â€¢ Highlighting the Spartansâ€™ role as defenders of freedom against Persian oppression.

Leonidas is celebrated not only for his words but also for his unyielding actions and the principles he stood for.

Capitalize.

New Body, New Muscle

Transact.

String of digital code.

New currency and asset

New potential benefits

Near zero transaction costs

Open financial opportunity no banking ?

Digital platform to move value

Everyone can see every transaction

500 million people now use crypto, 280 million use bitcoin

Global monetary alternative

Shiny metal

Human notion

No More use for iPhone?

If you want video, just use a GoPro?
For computing, just use iPad or iPad Pro?

The Physics of Joy?

15 Years Ago

Monetary Economic Physics

Take it Back to the Beginning

Think Blank Slate

The future of money will be determined by physics.

Saylor

ALL CARTE BLANCHE EVERYTHING

Cool Castles

Think Military

Gasoline is a luxury ï¿¼?

Always rethink and rechallenge everything ï¿¼?

Anti Marx

â€œthe incoherent ramblings of Karl Marx, a semiliterate German bum who never had a job that could support him. Marx lived off the support of rich benefactors in England as he pontificated about reengineering the world into a dystopia run by people incapable of supporting themselves through their own labor.â€

Excerpt From
Principles of Economics
Saifedean Ammous
https://books.apple.com/us/book/principles-of-economics/id6450635595
This material may be protected by copyright.

Willing or not

Scarcity is the origin of property?

Authority over a thing.

Economizing command

Durable property goods

Invest in durable property ï¿¼ï¿¼

Trade or gift

Ownership of our body ï¿¼

How Not to Envy Other People

I donâ€™t really envy anybody else on the planet, I prefer myself.

How does one begin to not envy other people?

First, Zen. A lot of these rich successful famous people, have no Zen no peace of mind, no good sleep.

Even the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh talks about one of the virtues that people want to have is really good sleep. I think this is a good virtue. ï¿¼

Second, join team bitcoin. Imagine if you had like LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant all playing on the same team, all playing for a team bitcoin. Whenever they score you score!

Now some people might think, theyâ€™re putting up 100 points and Iâ€™m only putting up 10 points. But this is besides the point. Every time they score you score!

Everyone wins together? ï¿¼

So then this becomes very fascinating because it becomes a positive feedback loop; rather than being envious of the gains of others, instead, you began to be grateful and happy that the gains of other GOATS directly benefits you!

Physicality and fitness

I think one of the critical things to understand is love these guys on steroids, yes everyone is on steroids, LeBron James, Steph Curry, your favorite sports player who doesnâ€™t even look like theyâ€™re on steroids. Essentially the big idea here is that steroids are broad; Even people who have to use the typewriter for living often get steroids injected into their carpal tunnel area, in order to ease the pain.

For example, a lot of individuals then, get some sort of cortisol shots, which is actually steroids.

Now what is the downside of steroids? Your balls shrink to the size of tiny acorns, you lose your sexual libido, your dick gets smaller.

So when you see the guy who can deadlift like 100 times more than you, or has the physique of a demigod, assuming that theyâ€™re not ERIC KIM, rather, â€œI pity the fool!â€œ.

Why?

I think the seeds of envy is based on the premise that other people are in a happier, more superior, more beneficial, more awesome position than you.

But once you figure out that in fact, theyâ€™re actually in an inferior position than you, your opinion changes. You start to feel compassion for them. Their suffering.

For example, probably the most interesting thing I learned about the Walter biography on Elon Musk is that you do not want to be Elon Musk. It is more of a curse than a blessing.

For example, Elon has a very very poor physiological approach, and he also seems quite foolish. Heâ€™ll party until 4 AM, drinking Red Bull and vodka, only having to take Ambien to fall asleep and to wake up the next day to continue performing.

Xanny?

And also, I also wonder why a lot of these rappers, were supposed to be super tough or whatever, why are they all talking about Xanax? Because I think they are all riddled with anxiety, that is why they comatose themselves with alcohol marijuana and sex, perhaps porn pornography as well in order to just fall asleep at night?

The truth is bad

So Iâ€™ve discovered a lot of truths, but ultimately Iâ€™ve discovered that the truth is pretty ugly and bad. And that actually the point of philosophy isnâ€™t truth-finding, rather, it is more of an artistic pursuit, towards beauty, joy, aesthetics, ethos and ethics.

The reason why almost everything is bad is that everything created or produced or whatever is typically created by unhealthy individual individuals, unhealthy corporations, all on some sort of fiat based standard.

Therefore as a consequence, I would say only put your trust in individuals, institutions or whatever, which are financially independent, on a 100% undiluted diversified bitcoin standard.

For example, am I the only YouTuber or podcast I know that has zero advertisements of any kind?

And this is where also I am a bit suspicious of a Joe Rogan; why does he still do these advertisements which are insanely lame? Isnâ€™t he already super super rich?

Also, maybe this is where the idea of a Joe Rogan coin or a Joe Rogan token is a great idea; I invest $100 in Joe Rogan coin, in order to have the privilege of not having to listen to annoying advertisements, and he could do an ethical way. And he could do some sort of Joe Rogan club in which anybody who owns at least $1000 worth of Joe Rogan coin could join him on a private zoom call, ask him any questions etc.

ï¿¼Maybe Iâ€™ll introduce an ERIC KIM coin one day. ï¿¼

Autotelic goals?

So a big idea that I have is once youâ€™re dumb rich, everything you could be doing is autotelic in nature; which means you only do stuff that you really care for, things that you think will benefit the human race. Because you no longer need to make a profit off of it.

For example, one of the big problems is that everyone is always trying to chase a profit, which leads people to just getting burnt out?

If youâ€™re already independently wealthy, then you could just do anything that you want!

An interesting thought; thereâ€™s a guy named Derek Sivers, sivers.org I think ,,, and he became independently wealthy I think maybe from selling some sort of tech company? Anyways apparently now his community service is just answering emails from random people all across the globe with random questions?

Also, Iâ€™m not sure what Tim Ferris is up to, however, last time I checked, I think heâ€™s still doing podcasts, and once again Iâ€™m not really sure why he still needs to put annoying advertisements on his podcasts, isnâ€™t he super rich? I almost find that it is more intelligent and better for him to just promote his own products his own stuff, rather than promoting the products of other people and their services?

Promoting other people is unethical, promoting yourself is more ethical?

Once again, I think Joe Rogan is great! The reason why Joe Rogan became the uber GOAT is because he never censored himself, he is no BS, and heâ€™s just likable as a person!

I think there would be a ton of people willing to pay 10 bucks a month to be part of a Joe Rogan fan club or something, or even for him to have a special newsletter to only $10 a month Joe Rogan fan club members.

Because honestly at this point, money is essentially free; everyone has a ton of money and if somebody is undiluted, 100% honest and pure, you want to support them!

How to uncensor yourself

So, I think the world of social media whatever people are loss averse; they are afraid of losing followers likes comments, subscribers etc. For example, even for myself, my email newsletter Iâ€™m slowly bleeding my email newsletter list from around 13,000 down to around maybe 8500 or so?

And also I think my YouTube, went from maybe 75,000 subscribers to now around 55,000?

And also my intelligent strategy of deleting my Instagram at its peak, ï¿¼at around 65,000 followers and rapidly growing in around 2017, and I havenâ€™t looked back since? And note the ERICKIMphoto on Instagram is not me; it was recreated by some sort of virtuous and noble fan!

But anyways, I found that by trying to placate to the masses in some sort of non-controversial matter is not a winning strategy; to have 300 diehard fans is 1000000x better than having 1 million mildly interested followers?

Think King Leonidas and his brave 300!

All you need is 300 cyber Spartans!

The internet is toxic

If you have ever smelled sewer sewage water, like the smell of shit 1000 times over, you know how terrible the smell is. This is the last thing you want to smell before drinking a fine wine or eating your favorite rib eye steak,,,

And also, what if I told you that actually the truth was, 100% of the toxic comments on the internet were actually in fact created by bots?ï¿¼

For the most part going online is like voluntarily jumping into a sewer full of all the dung and foul stuff! With no hazmat suit!

Nobody is on Reddit

Iâ€™ll give you another example, I was using Reddit since like my freshman year of college, in 2006, but I quit around 2011. I would literally check it like 200 times a day, to kill the monotony of working my IT tech student job.

Anyways, I think the whole time I never created an account, and I think in the whole like four years of using a religiously, I only ever posted one comment just to be funny?

Therefore my theories; I wonder if all these comments on Reddit, I wonder if theyâ€™re all just bots? This were the case would you change your approach? Of course!

Envy?ï¿¼ï¿¼

Envy is an attribute of weak souls.

What is more constructive? Insane and extreme self pride!

This is actually the funny unorthodox thought; the thought is actually, being insanely self interested, self prideful and gloatful is actually a virtue?

Iâ€™ll give you an example — schadenfreude, or feeling some sort of superiority complex, by pitying or having compassion for worser off people?

Ignore other people and their kids

For example, something Iâ€™m starting to become exposed to is other people other kids, etc.

Now Seneca has never been in some sort of foreign daycare or childcare or standardized schooling yet, and heâ€™s about to turn four. As a consequence, because Iâ€™m his personal trainer and teacher, heâ€™s like pretty much on 100% carnivore diet, Wagyu beef, 100% grass-fed burger patties, etc. And actually, the other day when I took him to Legoland for like eight hours, he had a new meat PR, a new personal record; .7 pounds of ground beef burger patty, in a single day? Thatâ€™s like 3/4ths of a pound, or nearly a pound of beef!

Anyways as a consequence Seneca is way taller stronger buffer, more intelligent and wise, better social skills, and also because he has a goddess for a mother, aka Cindy, she is insanely handsome fun and happy! Heâ€™s like the happiest, most giggly kid of all time. Heâ€™s essentially always laughing.

Anyways, whenever I see kids who are punier than him, my best strategy is to try to just not compare because I obviously know that Seneca is far superior.

And this is weâ€™re having a pity party for other people their problems their kids is not constructive; I say all in or nothing.

For example, if you want to stage some sort of intervention, you essentially must be 100% committed. And my personal thought is this could only ever happen if it is your own child! Otherwise, you will not be 100% committed.

100% time commitment

First, the time commitment idea.

The only way I am able to raise and shape and cut the way he is is because Iâ€™m like with him 100% of the day. And this is the extreme privilege of being self-employed; even if you had the worldâ€™s best Montessori, there will never ever ever ever ever be a better teacher or personal trainer than you!

And also this might sound a bit sexist but I also find the bizarre thing is that if you are a man, and you have a son like your firstborn sonâ€¦ Why are there so few male teachers and role models?

For example if this was ancient Sparta, and you want to train your son to become a warrior king, certainly you would want some sort of insanely jacked and virtuous man to train your kid.

Also as a heuristic; never trust a personal trainer who is not buffer or stronger than you. ï¿¼

And this is why I have never ever ever had a personal trainer in my life because no one has ever been as strong unorthodox or courageous as myself; until I have met somebody who could lift 1000 pounds, the thousand pound ERIC KIM Atlas lift, Iâ€™m ainâ€™t interested.

now what?

So, the best thought is we are all on the same team, the same squad! No competition here, because once again weâ€™re on the same team!

Thich Nhat Hanh had a piece of wisdom in one of his writing pieces is that does the left hand envy at the right hand for being stronger more nimble superior? No! And also, if you are a lotus flower, and you are surrounded by daffodils, do you envy the daffodil? No!

Or if youâ€™re a panda, do you envy the cougars? No!

The same myology is true with tree; certainly every tree desires to be the tallest the most dominant, etc. However, I donâ€™t think necessarily any trees envy other trees. They just stay focused on themselves, digging their roots ever deeper into the floor, to grow ever higher?

never stop growing!

So my personal thought is with life everything in between; the goal isnâ€™t to compare yourself with others, but rather to stay focused on yourself, and keep stacking yourself and growing yourself!

So for example, a simple personal goal that I have for myself is I want to always become physiologically stronger, more muscular, more dominant, more full of energy bigger happiness joy, etc. Yet I do not compare myself with others; because once again, nobody else is as blessed or fortunate as myself.

Even a big benefit of not going to the gym anymore is that whenever I engage in some sort of weightlifting activity, it truly tests my own self sincerity; am I doing this for myself, or to flex on others?

I think itâ€™s fine to try to flex on others, but often the big problem is when you try too hard to flex on others, you could actually end up in enjoying yourself in a bad way?

For example one of the bad regrets I had about two years ago, Iâ€™m OK now, is that I saw a bunch of guys who are bench pressing a lot, and I wanted to flex on them by benching even more, and in the process, I had a pretty bad injury in my right wrist, which took me nearly 2 years to fully recover!

Once again, one foolish display of machismo caused me two years of anguish. ï¿¼

And this is where patience is a virtue; and also, the virtue of being self focused, self-centered.

Being self-centered is our new virtue. ï¿¼ï¿¼

ERIC

CARTE WHITE

True Luxury?

Fake Luxury?

There is nothing more sublime than the human body?

The purpose of all fashion the fashion industry or whatever is to make people ashamed of being naked their own natural naked bodies, and trying to sell them some sort of ugly Vernier to cover up their insecurities?

Blends are Bad

For example, any clothes and shirts which are a linen and cotton blend suck!

How Not to Envy Other People

I donâ€™t really envy anybody else on the planet, I prefer myself.

How does one begin to not envy other people?

First, Zen. A lot of these rich successful famous people, have no Zen no peace of mind, no good sleep.

Even the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh talks about one of the virtues that people want to have is really good sleep. I think this is a good virtue. ï¿¼

Second, join team bitcoin. Imagine if you had like LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant all playing on the same team, all playing for a team bitcoin. Whenever they score you score!

Now some people might think, theyâ€™re putting up 100 points and Iâ€™m only putting up 10 points. But this is besides the point. Every time they score you score!

Everyone wins together? ï¿¼

So then this becomes very fascinating because it becomes a positive feedback loop; rather than being envious of the gains of others, instead, you began to be grateful and happy that the gains of other GOATS directly benefits you!

Physicality and fitness

I think one of the critical things to understand is love these guys on steroids, yes everyone is on steroids, LeBron James, Steph Curry, your favorite sports player who doesnâ€™t even look like theyâ€™re on steroids. Essentially the big idea here is that steroids are broad; Even people who have to use the typewriter for living often get steroids injected into their carpal tunnel area, in order to ease the pain.

For example, a lot of individuals then, get some sort of cortisol shots, which is actually steroids.

Now what is the downside of steroids? Your balls shrink to the size of tiny acorns, you lose your sexual libido, your dick gets smaller.

So when you see the guy who can deadlift like 100 times more than you, or has the physique of a demigod, assuming that theyâ€™re not ERIC KIM, rather, â€œI pity the fool!â€œ.

Why?

I think the seeds of envy is based on the premise that other people are in a happier, more superior, more beneficial, more awesome position than you.

But once you figure out that in fact, theyâ€™re actually in an inferior position than you, your opinion changes. You start to feel compassion for them. Their suffering.

For example, probably the most interesting thing I learned about the Walter biography on Elon Musk is that you do not want to be Elon Musk. It is more of a curse than a blessing.

For example, Elon has a very very poor physiological approach, and he also seems quite foolish. Heâ€™ll party until 4 AM, drinking Red Bull and vodka, only having to take Ambien to fall asleep and to wake up the next day to continue performing.

Xanny?

And also, I also wonder why a lot of these rappers, were supposed to be super tough or whatever, why are they all talking about Xanax? Because I think they are all riddled with anxiety, that is why they comatose themselves with alcohol marijuana and sex, perhaps porn pornography as well in order to just fall asleep at night?

The truth is bad

So Iâ€™ve discovered a lot of truths, but ultimately Iâ€™ve discovered that the truth is pretty ugly and bad. And that actually the point of philosophy isnâ€™t truth-finding, rather, it is more of an artistic pursuit, towards beauty, joy, aesthetics, ethos and ethics.

The reason why almost everything is bad is that everything created or produced or whatever is typically created by unhealthy individual individuals, unhealthy corporations, all on some sort of fiat based standard.

Therefore as a consequence, I would say only put your trust in individuals, institutions or whatever, which are financially independent, on a 100% undiluted diversified bitcoin standard.

For example, am I the only YouTuber or podcast I know that has zero advertisements of any kind?

And this is where also I am a bit suspicious of a Joe Rogan; why does he still do these advertisements which are insanely lame? Isnâ€™t he already super super rich?

Also, maybe this is where the idea of a Joe Rogan coin or a Joe Rogan token is a great idea; I invest $100 in Joe Rogan coin, in order to have the privilege of not having to listen to annoying advertisements, and he could do an ethical way. And he could do some sort of Joe Rogan club in which anybody who owns at least $1000 worth of Joe Rogan coin could join him on a private zoom call, ask him any questions etc.

ï¿¼Maybe Iâ€™ll introduce an ERIC KIM coin one day. ï¿¼

Autotelic goals?

So a big idea that I have is once youâ€™re dumb rich, everything you could be doing is autotelic in nature; which means you only do stuff that you really care for, things that you think will benefit the human race. Because you no longer need to make a profit off of it.

For example, one of the big problems is that everyone is always trying to chase a profit, which leads people to just getting burnt out?

If youâ€™re already independently wealthy, then you could just do anything that you want!

An interesting thought; thereâ€™s a guy named Derek Sivers, sivers.org I think ,,, and he became independently wealthy I think maybe from selling some sort of tech company? Anyways apparently now his community service is just answering emails from random people all across the globe with random questions?

Also, Iâ€™m not sure what Tim Ferris is up to, however, last time I checked, I think heâ€™s still doing podcasts, and once again Iâ€™m not really sure why he still needs to put annoying advertisements on his podcasts, isnâ€™t he super rich? I almost find that it is more intelligent and better for him to just promote his own products his own stuff, rather than promoting the products of other people and their services?

Promoting other people is unethical, promoting yourself is more ethical?

Once again, I think Joe Rogan is great! The reason why Joe Rogan became the uber GOAT is because he never censored himself, he is no BS, and heâ€™s just likable as a person!

I think there would be a ton of people willing to pay 10 bucks a month to be part of a Joe Rogan fan club or something, or even for him to have a special newsletter to only $10 a month Joe Rogan fan club members.

Because honestly at this point, money is essentially free; everyone has a ton of money and if somebody is undiluted, 100% honest and pure, you want to support them!

How to uncensor yourself

So, I think the world of social media whatever people are loss averse; they are afraid of losing followers likes comments, subscribers etc. For example, even for myself, my email newsletter Iâ€™m slowly bleeding my email newsletter list from around 13,000 down to around maybe 8500 or so?

And also I think my YouTube, went from maybe 75,000 subscribers to now around 55,000?

And also my intelligent strategy of deleting my Instagram at its peak, ï¿¼at around 65,000 followers and rapidly growing in around 2017, and I havenâ€™t looked back since? And note the ERICKIMphoto on Instagram is not me; it was recreated by some sort of virtuous and noble fan!

But anyways, I found that by trying to placate to the masses in some sort of non-controversial matter is not a winning strategy; to have 300 diehard fans is 1000000x better than having 1 million mildly interested followers?

The internet is toxic

If you have ever smelled sewer sewage water, like the smell of shit 1000 times over, you know how terrible the smell is. This is the last thing you want to smell before drinking a fine wine or eating your favorite rib eye steak,,,

And also, what if I told you that actually the truth was, 100% of the toxic comments on the internet were actually in fact created by bots?ï¿¼

Nobody is on Reddit

Iâ€™ll give you another example, I was using Reddit since like my freshman year of college, in 2006, but I quit around 2011. I would literally check it like 200 times a day, to kill the monotony of working my IT tech student job.

Anyways, I think the whole time I never cried in an account, and I think in the whole like four years of using a religiously, I only ever posted one comment just to be funny?

Therefore my theories; I wonder if all these comments on Reddit, I wonder if theyâ€™re all just bots? This were the case would you change your approach? Of course!

Envy?ï¿¼ï¿¼

Envy is an attribute of weak souls.

What is more constructive? Insane and extreme self pride!

This is actually the funny unorthodox thoughts; the thought is actually, being insanely self interested, self prideful and gloatful is actually a virtue?

Iâ€™ll give you an example — schadenfreude, or feeling some sort of superiority complex, by pitting or having compassion for worser off people?

For example, something Iâ€™m starting to become exposed to is other people other kids, etc.

Now Seneca has never been in some sort of foreign daycare or childcare or standardize schooling yet, heâ€™s about to turn four. As a consequence, because Iâ€™m his personal trainer and teacher, heâ€™s like pretty much on 100% carnivore diet, Wagyu beef, 100% grass-fed burger patties, etc. And actually, the other day when I took him to Legoland for like eight hours, he had a new meat PR, a new personal record; .7 pounds of ground beef burger patty, in a single day? Thatâ€™s like 3/4ths of a pound, or nearly a pound of beef!

Anyways as a consequence Seneca is way taller stronger buffer, more intelligent and wise, better social skills, and also because he has a goddess for a mother, AK Cindy, she is insanely handsome jun and happy! Heâ€™s like the happiest, most giggly kid of all time. Heâ€™s essentially always laughing.

Anyways, whenever I see kids who are punier than him, my best strategy is to try to just not compare because I obviously know that Seneca is far superior.

And this is weâ€™re having a pity party for other people their problems their kids is not constructive; I say all in or nothing.

404, if you want to stage some sort of intervention, you essentially must be 100% committed. And my personal thought is this could only ever happen if it is your own child! Otherwise, you will not be 100% committed.

100% time commitment

First, the time commitment idea.

The only way I am able to raise and shape and cut the way he is is because Iâ€™m like with him 100% of the day. And this is the extreme privilege of being self-employed; even if you had the worldâ€™s best Montessori, there will never ever ever ever ever be a better teacher or personal trainer than you!

And also this might sound a bit sexist but I also find the bizarre thing is that if you are a man, and you have a son like your firstborn sonâ€¦ Why are there so few male teachers and role models?

For example if this was ancient Sparta, and you want to train your son to become a warrior king, certainly you would want some sort of insanely jacked and virtuous man to train your kid.

Also as a heuristic; never trust a personal trainer who is not buffer or stronger than you. ï¿¼

And this is why I have never ever ever had a personal trainer in my life because no one has ever been as strong unorthodox or courageous as myself; until I have met somebody who could lift 1000 pounds, the thousand pound ERIC KIM Atlas lift, Iâ€™m ainâ€™t interested.

now what?

So, the best thought is we are all on the same team, the same squad! No competition here, because once again weâ€™re on the same team!

Thich Nhat Hanh had a piece of wisdom in one of his writing pieces is that does the left hand envy at the right hand for being stronger more nimble superior? No! And also, if you are a lotus flower, and you are surrounded by daffodils, do you envy the daffodil? No!

Or if youâ€™re a panda, do you envy the cougars? No!

The same myology is true with tree; certainly every tree desires to be the tallest the most dominant, etc. However, I donâ€™t think necessarily any trees envy other trees. They just stay focused on themselves, digging their roots ever deeper into the floor, to grow ever higher?

never stop growing!

So my personal thought is with life everything in between; the goal isnâ€™t to compare yourself with others, but rather to stay focused on yourself, and keep stacking yourself and growing yourself!

So for example, a simple personal goal that I have for myself is I want to always become physiologically stronger, more muscular, more dominant, more full of energy bigger happiness joy, etc. Yet I do not compare myself with others; because once again, nobody else is as blessed or fortunate as myself.

Even a big benefit of not going to the gym anymore is that whenever I engage in some sort of weightlifting activity, it truly tests my own self sincerity; am I doing this for myself, or to flex on others?

I think itâ€™s fine to try to flex on others, but often the big problem is when you try too hard to flex on others, you could actually end up in enjoying yourself in a bad way?

For example one of the bad regrets I had about two years ago, Iâ€™m OK now, is that I saw a bunch of guys who are bench pressing a lot, and I wanted to flex on them by benching even more, and in the process, I had a pretty bad injury in my right wrist, which took me nearly 2 years to fully recover!

Once again, one foolish display of machismo caused me two years of anguish. ï¿¼

And this is where patience is a virtue; and also, the virtue of being self focused, self-centered.

Being self-centered is our new virtue. ï¿¼ï¿¼

ERIC

The Immortal Body

ERIC KIM FITNESS

Eric Kim is a photographer and fitness enthusiast who shares his fitness journey and insights on his blog, ERIC KIM FITNESS. He emphasizes strength training and has achieved significant milestones, including a 1,000-pound atlas lift, which he views as a starting point for even higher goals.

Kimâ€™s fitness philosophy centers on â€œhypelifting,â€ a term he uses to describe his approach to building strength and muscle. He has documented his progress, including a personal record deadlift of 250 kg (551 pounds).

In addition to his fitness achievements, Kim offers practical advice on health and well-being. He advocates for a minimalist approach to diet and exercise, focusing on simple, effective strategies to achieve optimal health.

For those interested in learning more about Eric Kimâ€™s fitness journey and philosophy, his blog provides a wealth of information and personal anecdotes.

More support is worse.

Throw those losers hoka shoes into the trash!

ERIC KIM AUTOTELIC

Eric Kim is a well-known street photographer, educator, and blogger who often explores philosophical and conceptual frameworks for approaching photography and creative work. One of the ideas he discusses is the notion of being â€œautotelic.â€

Definition of Autotelic:

The term â€œautotelicâ€ is derived from the Greek words â€œautoâ€ (self) and â€œtelosâ€ (goal or purpose). It was popularized by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who used it to describe activities that are done for their own intrinsic value rather than for some external reward. An autotelic experience is self-contained and self-rewarding. In other words, the â€œendâ€ of the activity is not a future outcomeâ€”fame, money, recognitionâ€”but the enjoyment and meaning found in doing it.

How Eric Kim Uses the Concept:

In Eric Kimâ€™s writings and workshops, he encourages photographers to adopt an autotelic mindset with their craft. This involves:

1. Focusing on the Process Over Results:

Kim suggests that photographers should not fixate solely on external validationâ€”such as social media likes, gallery shows, or magazine features. Instead, they should embrace photography as an act of personal exploration and self-expression. When shooting becomes about fulfilling your own curiosity and pleasure, rather than impressing others, it becomes inherently more rewarding.

2. Finding Flow in Photography:

By drawing on Csikszentmihalyiâ€™s notion of â€œflow,â€ Kim advises photographers to immerse themselves fully in the act of making images. An autotelic photographer enters a state of concentration and engagement with their environment, camera, and subjects, leading to work that feels natural, meaningful, and personally significant.

3. Cultivating Creative Resilience:

When you approach your photography as an autotelic activity, the inevitable obstaclesâ€”technical difficulties, missed shots, critical feedbackâ€”donâ€™t derail your passion. Because the gratification comes from the practice itself, you are more resilient in the face of setbacks. Rather than chasing a final destination (e.g., becoming a â€œfamous photographerâ€), you can evolve more naturally, learn from experiments, and find lasting motivation.

4. Encouraging Personal Growth:

For Kim, photography is as much about personal growth, self-knowledge, and character-building as it is about creating beautiful images. Adopting an autotelic perspective ensures that each new photograph, each walk through the streets, and each encounter with different light and form is an opportunity to learn, grow, and discover something new about oneself.

In Summary:

Eric Kimâ€™s emphasis on being autotelic aligns with his larger philosophy of creative authenticity. He challenges photographers to free themselves from external pressures and find intrinsic meaning and joy in the photographic process. By embracing an autotelic approach, oneâ€™s creative practice becomes self-fueling and deeply fulfilling, regardless of outcomes or external accolades.

x

Eric Kim, a prominent street photographer and educator, frequently discusses the concept of â€œautotelicâ€ in his work. The term â€œautotelicâ€ originates from the Greek words â€œauto,â€ meaning self, and â€œtelos,â€ meaning purpose or goal. An autotelic activity is one that is done for its own sake, where the act itself is the primary reward, rather than any external outcome.

In the context of photography, Kim advocates for an autotelic approach, encouraging photographers to engage in the craft for the sheer joy and personal fulfillment it brings, rather than for external validation or material rewards. He suggests that adopting this mindset can lead to greater happiness, creativity, and productivity.

Kim also emphasizes that pursuing photography autotelically allows individuals to create more authentic and meaningful work. By focusing on personal curiosity and intrinsic motivation, photographers can produce images that resonate more deeply with themselves and, potentially, with others.

Overall, Eric Kimâ€™s perspective on autotelic photography encourages photographers to find intrinsic motivation in their work, fostering a more fulfilling and self-sustaining creative practice.

Innovation: using what you already got

My New Virtues

my new virtues are experimental virtues?

Focus.

How Not to Envy Other People

I donâ€™t really envy anybody else on the planet, I prefer myself.

How does one begin to not envy other people?

First, Zen. A lot of these rich successful famous people, have no Zen no peace of mind, no good sleep.

Even the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh talks about one of the virtues that people want to have is really good sleep. I think this is a good virtue. ï¿¼

Second, join team bitcoin. Imagine if you had like LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant all playing on the same team, all playing for a team bitcoin. Whenever they score you score!

Now some people might think, theyâ€™re putting up 100 points and Iâ€™m only putting up 10 points. But this is besides the point. Every time they score you score!

Everyone wins together? ï¿¼

So then this becomes very fascinating because it becomes a positive feedback loop; rather than being envious of the gains of others, instead, you began to be grateful and happy that the gains of other GOATS directly benefits you!

Physicality and fitness

I think one of the critical things to understand is love these guys on steroids, yes everyone is on steroids, LeBron James, Steph Curry, your favorite sports player who doesnâ€™t even look like theyâ€™re on steroids. Essentially the big idea here is that steroids are broad; Even people who have to use the typewriter for living often get steroids injected into their carpal tunnel area, in order to ease the pain.

For example, a lot of individuals then, get some sort of cortisol shots, which is actually steroids.

Now what is the downside of steroids? Your balls shrink to the size of tiny acorns, you lose your sexual libido, your dick gets smaller.

So when you see the guy who can deadlift like 100 times more than you, or has the physique of a demigod, assuming that theyâ€™re not ERIC KIM, rather, â€œI pity the fool!â€œ.

Why?

I think the seeds of envy is based on the premise that other people are in a happier, more superior, more beneficial, more awesome position than you.

But once you figure out that in fact, theyâ€™re actually in an inferior position than you, your opinion changes. You start to feel compassion for them. Their suffering.

For example, probably the most interesting thing I learned about the Walter biography on Elon Musk is that you do not want to be Elon Musk. It is more of a curse than a blessing.

For example, Elon has a very very poor physiological approach, and he also seems quite foolish. Heâ€™ll party until 4 AM, drinking Red Bull and vodka, only having to take Ambien to fall asleep and to wake up the next day to continue performing.

Xanny?

And also, I also wonder why a lot of these rappers, were supposed to be super tough or whatever, why are they all talking about Xanax? Because I think they are all riddled with anxiety, that is why they comatose themselves with alcohol marijuana and sex, perhaps porn pornography as well in order to just fall asleep at night?

The truth is bad

So Iâ€™ve discovered a lot of truths, but ultimately Iâ€™ve discovered that the truth is pretty ugly and bad. And that actually the point of philosophy isnâ€™t truth-finding, rather, it is more of an artistic pursuit, towards beauty, joy, aesthetics, ethos and ethics.

The reason why almost everything is bad is that everything created or produced or whatever is typically created by unhealthy individual individuals, unhealthy corporations, all on some sort of fiat based standard.

Therefore as a consequence, I would say only put your trust in individuals, institutions or whatever, which are financially independent, on a 100% undiluted diversified bitcoin standard.

For example, am I the only YouTuber or podcast I know that has zero advertisements of any kind?

And this is where also I am a bit suspicious of a Joe Rogan; why does he still do these advertisements which are insanely lame? Isnâ€™t he already super super rich?

Also, maybe this is where the idea of a Joe Rogan coin or a Joe Rogan token is a great idea; I invest $100 in Joe Rogan coin, in order to have the privilege of not having to listen to annoying advertisements, and he could do an ethical way. And he could do some sort of Joe Rogan club in which anybody who owns at least $1000 worth of Joe Rogan coin could join him on a private zoom call, ask him any questions etc.

ï¿¼Maybe Iâ€™ll introduce an ERIC KIM coin one day. ï¿¼

Autotelic goals?

So a big idea that I have is once youâ€™re dumb rich, everything you could be doing is autotelic in nature; which means you only do stuff that you really care for, things that you think will benefit the human race. Because you no longer need to make a profit off of it.

For example, one of the big problems is that everyone is always trying to chase a profit, which leads people to just getting burnt out?

If youâ€™re already independently wealthy, then you could just do anything that you want!

An interesting thoughts; thereâ€™s a guy named Derek Sivers, sivers.org I think ,,, and she became independently wealthy I think maybe from selling some sort of tech company? Anyways apparently now his community service is just answering emails from random people all across the globe with random questions?

Also, Iâ€™m not sure what Tim Ferris is up to, however, last time I checked, I think heâ€™s still doing podcasts, and once again Iâ€™m not really searching why he still needs to put annoying advertisements on his podcasts, isnâ€™t he super rich? I almost find that it is more intelligent and better for him to just promote his own products his own stuff, rather than promoting the products of other people and their services?

Promoting other people is unethical, promoting yourself is more ethical?

once again, I think Joe Rogan is great! The reason why Joe Rogan became the Uber goat is because he never censored himself, he is no BS, and heâ€™s just likable as a person!

I think there would be a ton of people willing to pay 10 bucks a month to be part of a Joe Rogan fan club or something, or even for him to have a special newsletter to only $10 a month Joe Rogan fan club members.

Because honestly at this point, money is essentially free; everyone has a ton of money and if somebody is undiluted, 100% honest and pure, you want to support them!

How to uncensor yourself

So, I think the world of social media whatever people are loss of her; they are afraid of losing followers likes comments, subscribers etc. For example, even for myself, my email newsletter Iâ€™m slowly bleeding my email newsletter list from around 13,000 down to around maybe 8500 or so?

And also I think my YouTube, went from maybe 75,000 subscribers to now around 55,000?

And also my intelligence strategy of deleting my Instagram at its peak, ï¿¼at around 65,000 followers and rapidly growing in around 2017, and I havenâ€™t looked back since? And note the ERICKIMphoto on Instagram is not me; it was recreated by some sort of virtuous and noble fan!