{"id":155933,"date":"2019-07-17T12:46:12","date_gmt":"2019-07-17T19:46:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=155933"},"modified":"2019-07-17T12:57:17","modified_gmt":"2019-07-17T19:57:17","slug":"you-are-the-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2019\/07\/17\/you-are-the-end\/","title":{"rendered":"You are the end."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A thought inspired by Cindy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are the end. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What I mean is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Optimize your life for what is best for you<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps the purpose of your life is to do what is best for you. To best serve yourself. But at the same time, as you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re building yourself up, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re sharing your wisdom, art, and knowledge with others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what if you were the end, not others? Which means helping others (altruism) isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t your ultimate goal. Your goal is to best elevate yourself, and as you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re elevating yourself up, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re also elevating others. But helping others is simply a side-consequence of helping yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Downtown
Downtown LA, 2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In praise of selfishness <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Venice,
Venice, 2011<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For the entire course of the last 2,000 years or so, we have been taught that selfishness is an apex evil. Why? The philosophy of Christianity is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sacrifice yourself for the sake of others. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But what are others to do? Also sacrifice themselves for others? Does this go into ad infinitum<\/em> (unto infinity)? Isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t this infinitely absurd?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new species of human<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If we are not infinitely selfish unto ourselves, how can we evolve into something greater?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My ultimate hope is that 5,000 years from now, we humans will be 1000x more advanced than we are today. How can we create a greater form of human?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I cannot speak for the future, but let me talk about myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Self-formation <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I am experimenting to make myself into a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153super-human\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (Nietzsche\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s notion of the overman, or the uberman). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The basic notion for myself is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can I become the most epic version of myself within my lifetime?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The first step is the physical. Extreme intermittent fasting (no breakfast and lunch). No sugar. No alcohol, no drugs, no intoxicants. Tons of meat, eggs, coffee, water, and powerlifting<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Selfie.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Then is the mental. How can I elevate and strengthen my mind to another level? To a height which hasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t yet been achieved yet?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing my life lessons as I go<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is my personal imperative and self\u00e2\u20ac\u201dimposed duty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Become supremely selfish unto myself, but also to share all of my thoughts and findings with others. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I refuse to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153sacrifice\u00e2\u20ac\u009dmyself to others. I am insane enough to value myself above all. But once again, I have strong altruistic motives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A theory:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to maximize your ability to help others, do you need to also maximize your personal selfishness?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps this is true!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ERIC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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