{"id":669696,"date":"2026-06-26T00:21:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T04:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=669696"},"modified":"2026-06-26T00:22:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T04:22:18","slug":"life-os-operating-system-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2026\/06\/26\/life-os-operating-system-2\/","title":{"rendered":"LIFE OS (Operating System)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LIFE-OS-Operating-System-2.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of LIFE OS (Operating System) 2.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-48b121b6-7c83-42bd-a960-4a49c95f240f\" href=\"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LIFE-OS-Operating-System-2.pdf\">LIFE OS (Operating System) 2<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LIFE-OS-Operating-System-2.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-48b121b6-7c83-42bd-a960-4a49c95f240f\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All right\u2026 I\u2019m back in the fucking game:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Phnom Penh state of mind<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back in Cambodia just for about a month\u2026 Then a week in Hong Kong and also Tokyo\u2026 If you want a private 1:1 hit me up at eric@erickim.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">no limits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So the first very interesting thought about Cambodia is\u2026 There\u2019s like no limits. Like a 90 minute massage is only like 20 bucks, you don\u2019t really need to tip, but even five dollars more than enough\u2026 All good in services are affordable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What\u2019s also interesting is\u2026 There\u2019s no real additional upside to capital accumulation here. For the most part\u2026 Once you got your apartment building that you\u2019re living in\u2026 And, your kids in school or whatever\u2026 And you got enough food, you got your coffee\u2026 There\u2019s no real tangible upside to having additional money here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The big downside of America\u2026 No matter how much wealth you got you\u2019re always going to feel poor. Because there are no caps to wealth there. \ufffc<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like for example\u2026 Here, you could call a tuktuk a mini motorcycle carriage taxi that takes you anywhere in the city for like a dollar. It\u2019s the preferred motive transit because you don\u2019t get stuck in traffic, and also\u2026 You don\u2019t have to drive yourself. What\u2019s interesting is in America\u2026 It seems that we all want to purchase an expensive vehicle, but here\u2026 You never really think about your vehicle because first it is not practical nor does it offer you any real utility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">a new mindset<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think I first had this epiphany when I was in Vietnam, in which I realized I would never run out of money, living expenses were only like $500 a month. This is the first time I was able to devote myself fully to philosophy, thinking writing, art. \ufffc<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Living here, there are fewer distractions, which means, you can finally focus focus on greater order things rather than your survival and wealth accumulation?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">philosophy and art<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think these are the two domains which are like kind of 100% in your realm of possibility. That irregardless of the outside world\u2026 You can focus on these things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also being here in Phnom Penh Cambodia , it is like essentially a photography and street photography paradise because, you\u2019re like walking at at least 15,000 steps a day\u2026 Always camera around your neck, and there\u2019s like a quadrillion interesting things happening every single moment of the day?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">why this matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think the stoic idea is, <strong>you cannot change the outside external world\u2026 But you could change your internal mindset and internal world<\/strong>. \ufffc\ufffc<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think stoicism is all about becoming less emotional about things, and actually\u2026 Experiencing the deepest abysses ,,, like the loss of a child, I think this happened a lot to Marcus Aurelius ,,, and still in the midst of that\u2026 To be happy and joyful.\ufffc<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sour grapes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is something that I\u2019m trying to think about, to have true insight rather than sour grapes fallacy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m trying to think about this critically\u2026 How much of our thinking is based on a way that your mind is just trying to trick you to feel better versus, feeling a deeper joy and gratitude?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">mindset and AI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">what\u2019s interesting about AI is that it kind of becomes like a virtual sounding board. And the truth is\u2026 AI will never give you a satisfactory answer because, it knows nothing. Only a human could think, I think AI is just very good at processing information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How does one thing? Walking three hours a day\u2026 Letting your mind go empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also\u2026 If you think about it, maybe a philosopher is just a walking thinking machine. That the more he walks, the more he thinks, and the more interesting thoughts are given birth. \ufffc<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also, this is where street photography is so fascinating because you could kill like three birds with one stone, you think, you create artwork, you interact and engage with the world, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The globe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To live in America, for the rest of your life is tragic, but also\u2026 To never have the privilege of being in America is also disadvantageous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think the true inside is\u2026 A true Hybrid, and barbell between America and Asia, the east and the west\u2026 The Yin Yang Tao ,,, is supremely desirable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spending too much time in America does weird things to your brain, but also\u2026 Assuming that the supreme motive force in life is ambition\u2026 To simply live in Cambodia for the rest of your life\u2026 There are upper ceilings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is why, I\u2019ve been kind of curious more to perhaps visit mainland, China, Shanghai, Beijing, etc.\u2026 Maybe for some sort of Autotelic entrepreneurship -&gt; sort of opportunity seeking?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ufffc life is all about opportunity? \ufffc\ufffc<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The supreme upside of America is that literally is the land of opportunity. America in terms of opportunity is definitely the most free open, the greatest number of opportunities that present yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But maybe the more supreme insight: irregardless of where you are\u2026 Create your own opportunities? \ufffc<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ERIC<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/workshops\/\">WORKSHOPS<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/books\/\">BOOKS<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/start-here\/\">START HERE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All right\u2026 I\u2019m back in the fucking game: Phnom Penh state of mind Back in Cambodia just for about a month\u2026 Then a week in Hong Kong and also Tokyo\u2026 If you want a \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_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-669696","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\/669696","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=669696"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669696\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":669699,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669696\/revisions\/669699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=669696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=669696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=669696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}