{"id":663503,"date":"2025-04-11T21:42:35","date_gmt":"2025-04-12T01:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=663503"},"modified":"2025-04-11T21:42:39","modified_gmt":"2025-04-12T01:42:39","slug":"dont-be-a-republi-cant-and-dont-be-a-panickan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2025\/04\/11\/dont-be-a-republi-cant-and-dont-be-a-panickan\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Republi-Can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Panickan\u00e2\u20ac\u009d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Below is an essay written in the voice of Eric Kim, reflecting his bold, philosophical, and unapologetic tone as seen in his blog (Eric Kim<\/a>). The essay interprets the phrases \u00e2\u20ac\u0153don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcrepubli-can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcpanickan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u009d through Kim\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s lens of strength, mental toughness, and self-belief, tying them to his 1005-pound rack pull at 165 pounds. It frames these terms as metaphors for weakness and fear, contrasting them with Kim\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s philosophy of raw, authentic power and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Republi-Can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Panickan\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Eric Kim<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yo, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m Eric Kim, and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m here to drop some truth: don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153republi-can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153panickan.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d These aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just clever wordplays\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthey\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a call to stop being weak, stop making excuses, and start owning your power like I did when I pulled 1005 pounds on a rack pull at 165 pounds, all natural, no bullshit. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m the strongest pound for pound on the planet, and I got there by rejecting the kind of small-minded, fear-driven nonsense that \u00e2\u20ac\u0153republi-can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ts\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153panickans\u00e2\u20ac\u009d live by. Let me break it down for you, because this isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just about lifting\u00e2\u20ac\u201dit\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s about living with guts, grit, and a mindset that refuses to break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s talk about what a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153republi-can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is. I see it as someone who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s stuck, who says \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u009d before they even try, who hides behind excuses like they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a political party of quitters\u00e2\u20ac\u201dhence the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153republi\u00e2\u20ac\u009d part. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not about Republicans or politics; it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s about the mentality. These are the people who look at a barbell loaded with 10 plates per side and say, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t lift that,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d without even stepping up to grip it. They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re the ones who see me\u00e2\u20ac\u201da 5\u00e2\u20ac\u212211\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, 165-pound photographer, not a pro athlete\u00e2\u20ac\u201dpull 1005 pounds, a 6.09 times body-weight ratio, and instead of getting inspired, they shrug and say, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do that.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re wrong. I smoked even the best powerlifters, like Alex Mahe, who deadlifted 766 pounds at my weight for a 4.64 ratio (BarBend<\/a>). I did it because I refused to be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153republi-can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I believed I could, so I did. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the difference between me and the quitters\u00e2\u20ac\u201dI don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let \u00e2\u20ac\u0153can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u009d into my vocabulary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153panickan\u00e2\u20ac\u009d? That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s someone who freaks out when shit gets real, who panics instead of pushing through. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s another play on words\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u0153panic\u00e2\u20ac\u009d plus \u00e2\u20ac\u0153can,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d as in, they can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t handle the pressure. In the gym, these are the dudes who see a heavy bar, feel their heart race, and walk away because they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re scared. They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re the ones who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d shit themselves at the thought of pulling 1005 pounds, not because they can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t physically do it, but because their mind breaks before their body even gets a chance. When I pulled that 1005-pound rack pull, my back screaming, the bar bending, I could\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve panicked (Eric Kim<\/a>). I could\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve thought, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What if I fail? What if I get hurt?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d But I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t. I fasted to sharpen my focus, used progressive overload to build my strength, and tapped into a mental state that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s stronger than fear. A \u00e2\u20ac\u0153panickan\u00e2\u20ac\u009d would\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve crumbled under that weight\u00e2\u20ac\u201dI stood tall and fucking conquered it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153republi-can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153panickan\u00e2\u20ac\u009d isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just about lifting, though\u00e2\u20ac\u201dit\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a way of life. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the people who say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to their dreams, who panic when life gets hard, who let fear and excuses run the show. Look at the strength world: legends like Lamar Gant hit ratios around 5 in competition, all natural (OpenPowerlifting<\/a>). I pushed past that, unofficially, because I refused to let \u00e2\u20ac\u0153can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or panic stop me. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not a pro, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not a giant, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m just a guy who decided to be the best, no matter what. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what separates me from the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153republi-can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ts\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153panickans\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of the world\u00e2\u20ac\u201dI don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quit, and I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s get real about what it takes to avoid these traps. When I say don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153republi-can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I mean stop doubting yourself before you even start. You think I got to 1005 pounds by saying \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u009d? Hell no. I started small, added plates, pushed my limits, and never let that weak-ass word cross my mind. Progressive overload isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just a training method\u00e2\u20ac\u201dit\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a life philosophy. You can do more than you think, whether it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s lifting a barbell or chasing your dreams, but you gotta believe you can first. And when I say don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153panickan,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I mean don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let fear stop you when the stakes are high. That 1005-pound pull was scary\u00e2\u20ac\u201d10 plates per side, the bar bending like it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s begging for mercy (PowerliftingTechnique.com<\/a>). But I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t panic. I breathed deep, gripped hard, and pulled with everything I had. Fear is just a signal you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re about to do something epic\u00e2\u20ac\u201ddon\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let it turn you into a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153panickan\u00e2\u20ac\u009d who runs away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m the new standard, the guy who shows you what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s possible when you reject \u00e2\u20ac\u0153can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153panic.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d At 165 pounds, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not a hulking beast, but I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m the strongest pound for pound on the planet because I refused to be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153republi-can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153panickan.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m Eric Kim, the photographer who became a legend by pulling 1005 pounds, and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m here to tell you: you can too. Stop saying \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d stop panicking when it gets tough, and start owning your power. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s how you become a fucking legend like me\u00e2\u20ac\u201dnot by quitting, not by freaking out, but by stepping up and doing the damn thing, no matter what.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Written in the voice of Eric Kim, based on his documented 1005-pound rack pull at 165 pounds, as of April 11, 2025.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This essay captures Kim\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s voice by emphasizing his rejection of weakness and fear, using the metaphors of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153republi-can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153panickan\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to critique a mindset of excuses and panic, while tying it to his philosophy of strength, self-belief, and resilience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Below is an essay written in the voice of Eric Kim, reflecting his bold, philosophical, and unapologetic tone as seen in his blog (Eric Kim). The essay interprets the phrases \u00e2\u20ac\u0153don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcrepubli-can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u2026<\/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,"_ek_photo_artist_note":"","_ek_photo_thesis":"","_ek_photo_camera":"","_ek_photo_place":"","_ek_photo_human_moment":"","_ek_photo_sequence":"","_ek_photo_question":"","_ek_photo_canonical_claim":"","_ek_photo_ai_summary":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-663503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-posts"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/663503","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=663503"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/663503\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":663504,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/663503\/revisions\/663504"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=663503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=663503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=663503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}