{"id":660309,"date":"2025-03-01T13:31:25","date_gmt":"2025-03-01T18:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=660309"},"modified":"2025-03-01T13:53:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-01T18:53:30","slug":"outdoor-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2025\/03\/01\/outdoor-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Outdoor Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Outdoor Research\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_4WRp6L2EGc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Outdoor-research-.m4a\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-jetpack-videopress jetpack-videopress-player\" style=\"\" >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\n\n\n\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-jetpack-videopress jetpack-videopress-player\" style=\"\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"jetpack-videopress-player__wrapper\"> <iframe title=\"VideoPress Video Player\" aria-label='VideoPress Video Player' width='500' height='281' src='https:\/\/videopress.com\/embed\/hFkF1oTj?cover=1&amp;autoPlay=0&amp;controls=1&amp;loop=0&amp;muted=0&amp;persistVolume=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;preloadContent=metadata&amp;useAverageColor=1&amp;hd=0' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen data-resize-to-parent=\"true\" allow='clipboard-write'><\/iframe><script src='https:\/\/v0.wordpress.com\/js\/next\/videopress-iframe.js?m=1739540970'><\/script><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/videos.files.wordpress.com\/hFkF1oTj\/gx011671.mp4\">Video<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Outdoor-research-.m4a\">Audio<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Outdoor Research<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So I have a funny theory\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 I think most of our modern day melodies arise from the fact that we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re simply indoors too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing \u00ef\u00bf\u00bc<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My friend Mattias L told me the infamous Swedish saying; \u00e2\u20ac\u0153there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. And this is when we are in Stockholm in the dead of winter, and I still remember us being on a train terminal, him just wearing a light track jacket and trainers, not even wearing a jacket or a hat, or even winter boots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Certainly human desire fairer weather. For\u00ef\u00bf\u00bc example, when we think in consider\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 Why were the ancient Greek so productive? One of the theories is that the Mediterranean climate is actually very very conducive to leisure and thinking! It does get cold, but not that cold. Not like Detroit cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a consequence, I think this encourages more people to be outdoors more often, which might be better for thinking, philosophizing, even military exercises? \u00ef\u00bf\u00bc<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The secret of Napoleon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the things that Nietzsche talked a lot about was his admiration for Napoleon, and on describing how Napoleon was able to remain so productive healthy and strong, continual marches through the winter all year long, a life outdoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">spend more money on your clothes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So once again\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 Then seems that the optimal strategy is if you want to spend maximum time outdoors, and train your body (askesis, body strengthening in Ancient Greek)&#8211; to become more spendthrift with your clothing seems like a good idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typically the best fabrics include down, Merino Wool, alpaca, leather, &#8212; typically animal fabrics seem to work the best. Why? If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to be butt naked in the middle of the winter, at night, perhaps having a mink fur is a good idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">for the sake of what?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So first and foremost, I think a simple thought is our prime joy is thinking, being active, the feeling of strength. As a consequence, more time outdoors is more better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, information density. Assuming that we are photographers and visually gifted and visually hungry, what that means is more information visuals the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whenever I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m just walking around town, and looking at all the different skyscrapers, hotels, metros, cars etc.\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 People etc., the information density that you get is like at least 100,000 times \u00ef\u00bf\u00bc\u00ef\u00bf\u00bc\u00ef\u00bf\u00bc\u00ef\u00bf\u00bc greater than if you were just stuck at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a consequence, I think there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s also connection between visual, visual information, being in the real world and having to exercise depth perception, as a connection to being awake, being alive?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">military training<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So for a long time, I think my overall fitness ethos was towards powerlifting, one rep Max lifting etc. But now, I feel a slight change of heart, maybe a new echo is towards some sort of military training?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Kid fitness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was lifting weights the other day, and had my barbell adjusted a notch too high, which I think put too much strain on my right knee, which caused me to kind of tweak it. As a consequence I was super annoyed for the rest of the day because as I am carrying glorious baby Seneca, Who is like 41 pounds now, \u00ef\u00bf\u00bc\u00ef\u00bf\u00bc I felt this annoying pain for the whole day. On my right knee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, I think it is hard to think about once you have a kid, it is like 100% paradigm shift. All this nonsense they used to have before your kid was born, is no longer. ERIC KIM before the birth of Seneca no longer exists anymore&#8211; I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m something new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Becoming something new<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So this is an interesting idea\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 We are all seeking newness people we want growth development and newness\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 I think actually the reason why we desire to purchase new clothes new cars new accessories new phone etc. is that we ourselves desire to <em>become<\/em> new. The general idea that we have is that if we purchase some sort of new trinket or something, we ourselves are new. \u00ef\u00bf\u00bc<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But can you imagine, an ancient Spartan, lying on his couch, scrolling through his new iPhone Pro, on websites that sell new Spartan armor and weapons and spears, and keep fantasizing about the next sword spear or shield or helmet that he would gain?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">spartan military discipline<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The secret to happiness is discipline freedom, independence\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 asceticism. Askesis &#8212; training. <strong>The secret to happiness is training<\/strong>! \u00ef\u00bf\u00bc\u00ef\u00bf\u00bc Also the secret to happiness is hard, hardness, durable, durability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">anti fragile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typically most fitness buffs &#8212; we all know, we have a single fragile point. It may be our knees are hips are back our lower back, our feet, something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And it seems that what a lot of people try to do is hide their weak part. But I think actually\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 The number one goal we should have is to strengthen the weak part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example whenever you watch any sort of boxing animes like HAJIME NO IPPO &#8212; typically a boxer always has a weaker side, like some sort of weak point, and if the other boxer opponent discovers this weakness, will spend their whole time trying to exploit this week spot whether it be their left side, their kidney whatever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And as a consequence, I almost feel like the secret of becoming impregnable, invincible is to simply strengthen your weak point, or the surrounding areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, when we think that we have a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153bad knee\u00e2\u20ac\u0153, it is actually not our knee\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 It is the fact that we have weak hips, tight hips, tight lower backs etc. <strong>Even foot problems like plantar fasciitis can easily be resolved by buying a pair of five finger shoes, and just spending a lot of time stretching your calves, hips and knees<\/strong>. \u00ef\u00bf\u00bc<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In terms of the strongest lever in our bodies, it is almost most certainly our hips. For example, if you look at the famous strongman, they could easily hip thrust like 2000 pounds. Good luck trying to overhead press or bench press 2000 pounds. Or even squat 2000 pounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a random aside, one of the most interesting exercise tools and equipment right now looks like this Titan.fitness contraption which essentially you hip thrust a bunch of weight while attaching a dip belt to your hips. It seems to make a lot of sense. The only reason I think that more people don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do it is because it is not \u00e2\u20ac\u0153canonical\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153standard\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00ef\u00bf\u00bc in terms of fitness. Or competition. For example if you could like hip thrust 10,000 pounds, it wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t help you in a powerlifting competition and <strong>assuming that social media is just soul prostitution<\/strong> \u00ef\u00bf\u00bcand competition, \u00ef\u00bf\u00bc what that then means is that people are incentivized and doing things which are competitive rather than doing just what makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">a world <em>beyond<\/em> competition? \u00ef\u00bf\u00bc<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My personal thought then is perhaps we would have a much better life if we eschewed competition.\u00ef\u00bf\u00bc That <strong>we no longer cared to compete with anything anybody, not even ourselves?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reason why I think this is such a radical idea is that previously I thought self competition was a good idea ,,, now no longer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">is you dumb?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you could impute all the money you wasted on your car into your body by buying beef liver beef ribs, bone marrow\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 The holy trifecta, and you use that money on weightlifting equipment at home\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 Or at least the gym membership\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 What could you become?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why cars make no sense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think the biggest issue is that we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been brainwashed into thinking that somehow\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 Obtaining and owning some sort of high-end car or vehicle or something will somehow add power and happiness to our lives?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But what if instead\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 The most supreme happy life is via negativa; \u00ef\u00bf\u00bc\u00ef\u00bf\u00bc that the best life is subtracting nonsense?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example if you really thought about it\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 The most successful rich smart intelligent person would not own a car not own a home, not own anything, besides himself and his bitcoin?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Self independence is key<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">assuming that freedom independence is happiness\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 Then what we should be striving towards is furthering our self independence and our self freedom?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And once again, to increase our freedom is to simply subtract that which is holding us back.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Video Audio Outdoor Research So I have a funny theory\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 I think most of our modern day melodies arise from the fact that we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re simply indoors too much. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing \u00ef\u00bf\u00bc My friend Mattias L told me the infamous Swedish saying; \u00e2\u20ac\u0153there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no such thing as bad [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-660309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-posts"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/660309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=660309"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/660309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":660329,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/660309\/revisions\/660329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=660309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=660309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=660309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}