Street Photography by Eric Kim
- Summary: A free “e-book” style guide in letter form distilling Kim’s ten years of street-photography experience. He writes it as a personal message (“Dear friend, I am writing you this book…”) and shares every lesson he’s learned about shooting candid moments and embedding soul in photos .
- Key themes: Street photography techniques; spontaneity and empathy; finding personal meaning in everyday scenes.
- Why impactful: This comprehensive guide is often cited as his core photography essay. Research notes it is “likely his most compelling essay, offering a detailed guide on capturing candid moments” and reflecting his decade of experience . It has been widely shared among photographers as a modern street-photography manifesto.
- Link: Street Photography by Eric Kim
The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Personal Photography
- Summary: In this motivational essay, Kim introduces the concept of “personal photography”. He urges beginners to stop chasing external approval and instead “photograph what is internal,” i.e. make images that bring themselves satisfaction . The guide mixes personal anecdotes (jealousy of others, social-media stress) with concrete advice to shoot for you, not for Instagram.
- Key themes: Authenticity and self-expression; freeing oneself from the “rules” of others; creativity as self-discovery. (“Personal photography… is exactly that — personal. When you make personal photos, there are no ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’ .”)
- Why impactful: This essay resonated strongly with beginners and hobbyists. It reframed photography as an inward, liberating practice, and has been widely cited in his community. By coining “personal photography,” Kim gave followers a memorable philosophy that encourages confidence and long-term growth in art.
- Link: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Personal Photography
Introduction to Stoicism
- Summary: Kim’s long essay on Stoicism frames the ancient philosophy as a practical model for modern life. He explains Stoic concepts (virtue, control vs. influence, living by nature) through personal stories and analogies. For example, he describes how Marcus Aurelius wrote Meditations as self-therapy, and how Stoic practice shifted in different environments (gym vs. family life) . Overall, he presents Stoicism as a tool that helped him cope with fears and build discipline.
- Key themes: Stoic philosophy and self-improvement; discipline and resilience; living with others (he argues “the best way to think about things is with other human beings” ); mindfulness and acceptance.
- Why impactful: This essay makes deep philosophy accessible to his readers. Kim explicitly says Stoicism is “probably one of the most useful philosophical models to live a normal, everyday real life” , highlighting its personal importance. The piece has been shared among his audience for its motivational blend of ancient wisdom and modern lifestyle tips.
- Link: Introduction to Stoicism
The Philosophy of Volatility
- Summary: In this finance-meets-philosophy essay, Kim explores market volatility (especially Bitcoin’s swings) as something to embrace, not fear. He opens with Michael Saylor’s dictum “volatility is vitality,” and reframes ups-and-downs as chances to grow. He writes that while most see volatility as “almost unpredictably, chaotically” bad, he now treats downturns like mosquito bites – annoying but harmless and fading . The essay mixes investment anecdotes with metaphors (e.g. nuclear power, chaos vs. growth).
- Key themes: Embracing uncertainty; financial/Bitcoin mindset; antifragility and resilience (drawing implicitly on Taleb’s ideas); discipline under chaos.
- Why impactful: It bridges his philosophical outlook with his entrepreneurial/crypto interests. By addressing Bitcoin and markets philosophically, it reached both his photography fans and the crypto community. It reinforced his image as a multifaceted thinker. As one analysis notes, this essay “delves into financial concepts, particularly Bitcoin, aligning with his recent interests” and showcases how he applies stoic ideas to investing.
- Link: The Philosophy of Volatility
7 Lessons Elon Musk Has Taught Me
- Summary: After reading Isaacson’s Musk biography, Kim distills seven entrepreneurial lessons. He opens with the counterintuitive advice “You don’t want to be Elon Musk — better to be yourself” , emphasizing sacrifice and individuality. He goes on to highlight audacious vision (“only limits… are the limits of physics” ), frugality (“cost cutting”), design passion, etc. The tone is direct and personal – he admires Musk’s ambition but warns against blind imitation.
- Key themes: Entrepreneurship and innovation; first-principles thinking; bold vision; frugality/scrappiness; authenticity (drawn from Musk’s life story).
- Why impactful: By leveraging a popular figure, Kim engages the entrepreneurial crowd. This essay is frequently shared among startup and crypto enthusiasts. It exemplifies his style of blending bold self-help with practical tech/business insights. A site analyzing his work even notes this piece “blends entrepreneurship with his photography philosophy, showing his multifaceted approach” . Its virality stems from Musk’s fame and Kim’s blunt, motivational spin.
- Link: 7 Lessons Elon Musk Has Taught Me
How I Became
So
Antifragile
- Summary: In this enthusiastic, fitness-themed essay, Kim applies the concept of antifragility (gaining from stress) to personal growth. He presents himself as a “tendon-steel” philosopher, writing things like “I don’t bounce back — I bounce forward. Break me and I multiply.” (a motto he places prominently) . The essay lays out a “Daily Dose” regimen: embracing cold calls, micro-failures, and heavy fasted training as supplements to immunity. For example, he boasts “18-hour fast → adrenaline surge → bar levitation” and even writes “Belts and straps are training wheels for the timid” when discussing lifting without safety gear .
- Key themes: Resilience through hardship; antifragility (growing stronger with challenges); disciplined self-improvement; a Nietzschean/stoic attitude (e.g. “Dance on Vesuvius; ash is anabolic.” ).
- Why impactful: Though framed around gym training, the essay’s radical philosophy and catchy slogans made it popular beyond fitness circles. It showcases Kim’s motivational style – he uses extreme imagery and practical tips to inspire readers to “delete safety nets” and embrace risk . The essay circulated widely on social media and among his fans as a viral piece of “digital scripture,” reflecting his unique blend of self-help, philosophy, and bravado.
- Link: How I Became So Antifragile
Sources: Each essay summary and analysis draws from Eric Kim’s official blog posts and related content , as well as commentary and metadata on his site. Exact quotes and key points are cited from these pages.