Understanding One-Rep Max (1RM) for Rack Pulls

A One-Rep Max (1RM) represents the maximum weight an individual can lift for a single repetition of a specific exercise with proper form. In the context of rack pulls, determining your 1RM can help tailor your training program for strength gains, track progress, and set realistic performance goals.

What is a Rack Pull?

As previously discussed, rack pulls are a deadlift variation performed from an elevated position, typically using a power rack or blocks. This exercise emphasizes the upper phase of the deadlift, targeting the posterior chain, including the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and traps.

Importance of 1RM in Rack Pulls

1. Strength Assessment: Knowing your 1RM helps in assessing your maximal strength capacity for rack pulls.
2. Training Programming: 1RM values are essential for determining appropriate weights for various training intensities and volumes.
3. Progress Tracking: Regularly testing your 1RM allows you to monitor strength improvements over time.
4. Performance Goals: Establishing a 1RM provides a clear target to aim for in strength development.

How to Determine Your 1RM for Rack Pulls

Determining your 1RM should be approached cautiously to minimize the risk of injury. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Preparation

• Warm-Up: Begin with a general warm-up (e.g., 5-10 minutes of light cardio) followed by dynamic stretches focusing on the posterior chain.
• Specific Warm-Up: Perform rack pulls with lighter weights, gradually increasing the load to prepare your muscles and nervous system. Example Warm-Up Sets:
• 10 reps at 40% of estimated 1RM
• 5 reps at 60%
• 3 reps at 80%

2. Estimating Your Starting Point

If you have prior experience with rack pulls or deadlifts, use your known performance to estimate your 1RM. If not, start conservatively to assess your current strength level.

3. Performing the Rack Pull

1. Setup:

• Position the barbell in the power rack at your desired starting height (commonly just below or at knee level).
• Ensure the rack height allows you to perform the lift without excessive strain.

1. Execution:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, grip the barbell with an overhand or mixed grip.
• Maintain a flat or slightly arched back, engage your core, and lift the bar by extending your hips and knees simultaneously.
• Fully extend at the top without leaning back excessively.

1. Attempting the 1RM:

• After adequate warm-up sets, attempt a single rep with a weight you believe is near your maximum capacity.
• Rest for 3-5 minutes between attempts to ensure full recovery.

1. Incremental Increases:

• If the initial attempt is successful, gradually increase the weight by 2.5-5% for subsequent attempts until you reach your 1RM.
• If you fail to lift the weight, reduce the increment and try again.

4. Safety Considerations

• Spotter Assistance: Have a trained spotter present to assist in case of failure.
• Proper Form: Prioritize maintaining proper form over lifting heavier weights to prevent injury.
• Avoid Overexertion: Do not attempt a 1RM if you are fatigued or recovering from an injury.

Calculating 1RM Without Maximal Lifts

If attempting a true 1RM is not feasible, you can estimate it using submaximal loads and repetition data. The Brzycki Formula is a commonly used method:

[ \text{1RM} = \frac{\text{Weight Lifted}}{1.0278 – (0.0278 \times \text{Number of Reps})} ]

Example:
If you can perform 5 reps of rack pulls at 80 kg:

[ \text{1RM} = \frac{80}{1.0278 – (0.0278 \times 5)} = \frac{80}{1.0278 – 0.139} = \frac{80}{0.8888} \approx 90 \text{ kg} ]

Note: This formula provides an estimate and may vary based on individual differences.

Incorporating 1RM Rack Pulls into Your Training Program

Once you have determined your 1RM or estimated it, you can structure your training program accordingly. Here’s how:

1. Determine Training Intensities

Use percentages of your 1RM to set training loads for different goals:

• Strength Development:
• 85-95% of 1RM
• 3-5 sets of 1-5 reps
• Hypertrophy:
• 65-75% of 1RM
• 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps
• Power:
• 30-60% of 1RM with explosive execution
• 3-6 sets of 3-6 reps

2. Progressive Overload

Gradually increase the weight, reps, or sets over time to continue making strength gains. For example, aim to increase your rack pull 1RM by 2.5-5 kg every few weeks, depending on your progress.

3. Accessory Work

Complement rack pulls with accessory exercises that target the same muscle groups:

• Glutes and Hamstrings: Romanian deadlifts, glute bridges, leg curls
• Lower Back: Hyperextensions, good mornings
• Upper Back and Traps: Bent-over rows, shrugs

4. Periodization

Implement a periodized training plan that cycles through different training phases (e.g., hypertrophy, strength, power) to optimize performance and prevent plateaus.

Factors Affecting Your Rack Pull 1RM

1. Technique: Proper form ensures maximum force production and minimizes energy leaks.
2. Grip Strength: A strong grip can directly impact your ability to lift heavier weights.
3. Core Stability: A stable core supports the spine and allows for efficient force transfer.
4. Muscle Strength and Endurance: The strength of your posterior chain muscles directly influences your rack pull capacity.
5. Recovery and Nutrition: Adequate rest and proper nutrition are essential for optimal performance and strength gains.
6. Mental Focus: Concentration and mental readiness can significantly affect your lifting performance.

Tips for Maximizing Your Rack Pull 1RM

1. Consistent Training: Regularly include rack pulls in your training regimen to build specific strength.
2. Accessory Exercises: Strengthen supporting muscles through targeted accessory work.
3. Technique Refinement: Continuously work on perfecting your form to enhance efficiency and reduce injury risk.
4. Adequate Recovery: Ensure sufficient rest between heavy lifting sessions to allow muscle recovery and growth.
5. Progressive Overload: Gradually increase the weights to challenge your muscles and stimulate strength gains.
6. Use of Equipment: Consider using lifting straps or a mixed grip to improve grip strength if it becomes a limiting factor.

Safety Precautions

• Warm-Up Thoroughly: Prevent injuries by adequately warming up before attempting heavy lifts.
• Listen to Your Body: Avoid pushing through pain, which could indicate potential injury.
• Use Safety Equipment: Employ safety bars or have spotters when attempting maximal lifts.
• Avoid Ego Lifting: Focus on lifting within your capacity to maintain form and safety.

Conclusion

Determining your one-rep max for rack pulls is a valuable tool for assessing strength, guiding training programs, and tracking progress. Whether you choose to perform a true 1RM test or use estimation formulas, incorporating rack pull 1RM data can enhance your strength training strategy. Always prioritize safety, proper technique, and gradual progression to achieve optimal results while minimizing the risk of injury.

If you’re new to rack pulls or 1RM testing, consider consulting with a certified strength and conditioning coach to ensure proper technique and safe testing practices.

Tell me your goals, what your life goals are and I will tell you who you are.

So there is a double edged sword of goals, life goals etc. The problems here is that you could hit and achieve all of your life goals, and once that you have achieved them… Truth be told it is pretty anti-climactic. For example, even my insanely audition goal of lifting 1000 pounds, I was very very happy and pleased with it… But once again, at least to me it felt like another day at the gym. To me the difference between lifting 995 pounds, and 1000 pounds, was just a number in my mind. 

Funny thought… Numbers and round numbers, there’s this weird psychology behind it.

Example, I’m currently eyeing on purchasing some new weights because I’m maxed up my current set up. Yet for me… To pay 550 or $560 seems like too much… But to pay 500, like 450, or 490 seems much more palatable.

This is why… To charge $999, at least for the sticker price on an iPhone pro is insanely intelligent because once you break the thousand dollar mark, in the mind of people… It is almost too much. Also then intelligence of Elon… To essentially make the model 3 and Y, at least the sticker price is $29,999 a dollar under the $30,000 mark is genius. I think one of the things that I learned is that we humans are funny… We are often sucker by these superficial number differences.

Think kilograms

A big innovation I discovered while in Cambodia Asia we lifting there… Is everyone uses kilograms, not pounds. And this was the impetus to help me break beyond my mental barriers, at least when it came to traditional pounds and weights.

For example, the traditional American plate is 45 pounds… But when it comes to kilograms, the red plate is 25 kg, which is more close to about 52 pounds.

As a consequence… As an American weightlifter or powerlifters, let us see the deadlift, in which the traditional marker of strength is being able to do at least a four plate to dead lift, which is 405 pounds in total. Yet if you took the metric kilogram approach… Four plates, assuming that it was in 25 kg increments, would technically be a lot more.

Steel over iron?

This is where steel is better than iron… Steel is more expensive, but should last a lot longer than iron. And this is where I think buying calibrated steel weightlifting plates is a good idea… In theory if you keep good condition of it, you should be able to hand it down to your Kids.

And this is where things become fun… now that you have a son, or at least I do… Life is so insanely great because I’m so excited the day that I get going to weightlifting, and I could hand down my legendary Texas power squat bar to him, and also he will inherit all my weight lifting equipment and plates etc.

Think about your kids kids kids

I think this is the reason why it is difficult for people who have never had a kid or child to imagine the future. Why? If you are the typical single millennial, or let us say if you have a dog or whatever…  it is actually very difficult to think about the future. Why why? Your life strategy becomes about hedonism maximization, which is in the context of eating good sushi, traveling to Japan, etc. But like Cindy famously said… You can only go to burning man so many times. And also, you can only go to Japan so many times, and eat good or omakase sushi so many times before it loses its appeal. 

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Haha yeah

Just learned this morning that aggression means to walk towards. Or to attack.

So… Some bizarre inconsistencies here.

First, these women honking at you from behind, atop their armored vehicles, these tank-like Mercedes-Benz AMG G wagons, or some sort of high-powered BMW or Mercedes SUV.

The first problem here is that a woman, assuming that you’re a formidable man, would never ever ever bark at you in real life, face-to-face.

Typically, women are much smaller and weaker than men. If you stand next to the average woman face-to-face, assuming that you’re 6 foot tall, a weightlifter, and she is maybe the average 5 foot two, maybe 5 foot five, even on the tall end, 5 foot eight… She will be no match for you.

Issues with vehicles

I could say I’m typically much happier, walking in on the streets, rather than driving or in a vehicle. Why?

The first primary issue of vehicles is that any midget in a lifted F150 raptor can try to bully you. And this goes with almost any single car out there… I do find a low-key experience on the road… because I have a white Prius in LA– people try to bully bully with their pussy vehicles?

You cannot add inches to your height or frame, but you can lift your truck. 

Another bad thing I have observed, more in Orange County… Being on the road, even the fast Lane, I am driving 80 mph, which is technically above the speed limit, and I am in the fast lane, and then these losers in these lifted trucks, are tailgating me super hard from behind… Trying to go 120 mph or something… Will try to punk me by tailgating me, highbeaming me, honking at me, or trying to cut me off?

 The first issue here is that I think the mentality of a bully is that we get a small power boost joy from honking around and bullying other people. And this is where a lot of modern day society is bad because assuming you’re living somewhere in which everyone is stuck in vehicles all day… It is actually very dehumanizing. it is difficult to know whether somebody else has a toddler in the back, or who knows, their parents are in the hospital whatever.

And also… Something else I discovered a big issue is that a lot of people have vehicles with limo tints. As a consequence, you cannot make eye to eye contact with them, and they tried to hide behind their vehicles, acting like assholes, trying to shield themselves from any sort of social repercussions.

Once again, the critical issue here is that if somebody’s behind you, and you are in a car… And they start honking at you or hiding you or whatever… There is technically nothing you could do to fight back. Unless you have a high powered horn mounted on the trunk of your car, facing reverse, or even better yet, some sort of high-powered LED light bar on the back of your car, shining reverse.

I prefer the minimalist approach, so I probably wouldn’t bother and waste my time installing all this actual equipment on my car, but if I did… That would be a simple solution: install one of those “HELLA” I heard horns on the back of your car, facing backwards, so if some asshole tries to honk at you or pull you around… You can fight back.

I also think that is the ethos of mafia dons, they never ever ever sit at a restaurant with their back turned. and also, this is ultimately something I discovered about people who parked their automobile cars backwards… It is more of a stunt because the front of your car is almost like the front of your face, and the rear of your car is almost like your butt. Or your back. As a consequence… If you park in reverse, and have the front facing outward… You are technically in a more dominant position.

Your testosterone levels and your vehicle? 

Buying a searching car won’t make your dick size bigger, nor will it increase your testosterone. The only way to increase your testosterone is through intermittent fasting, 100% carnivore diet… Or better yet, try experimenting with 100% or meat diet. Beef liver, beef heart, beef lungs, beef kidney, beef tongue etc.  Pro tip, if you ever go to an LED Korean barbecue restaurant, make sure you max out on the Oregon meats, the beef tongue, the beef liver, the beef intestines, etc. These are just natural steroids for you.

 Once again, if I could tell you  with 100% veracity, 100% truth, 100% logical in scientific fact that consuming more beef liver, which is the most prized of all organ meats, especially for wolves and carnivores…  would actually boost your testosterone by 1000 X, naturally… Which would make you sleep better, feel better, wake up brighter and with more energy and with more vigor, make your muscles bigger and more jacked and more wool, reduce your body fat percentage, increase your attractiveness to beautiful women, make you more confident around beautiful women and men… Wouldn’t you do it?

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Everybody lacks confidence

OK, unveiling some truths here. Most guys are wimpy.

I’ll get some examples… Count to what you see in the NFL, professional sports etc.… Most guys are actually pretty short, wimpy, chicken legs etc. Even the bodybuilders are quite wimpy. And also a lot of them are actually very short, maybe 5 foot six, 5 foot seven?

Not only that, but in Hollywood, all these guys is here on the big screen… First of all they are mostly on steroids and the juice, and most of them in real life actually don’t really have big legs. You’ll never see a Chris Hemsworth or a Henry Cavill lifting 1000 pounds on the squat rack like Eric Kim — so this is where I feel grand; I don’t even think Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime could’ve done it, maybe Ronnie Coleman would have been able to do it… I don’t think John Cena, Vin Diesel, even Rambo could’ve done it.

ERIC KIM IS THE NEW GOAT?

Human disruption

OK, the biggest issue here is that all these Tech nerds try to disrupt in terms of technology. But how many of them try to disrupt in terms of the human body?

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Commoditized aggression

Once again, some bizarre things.

First, aggression, battle, the lust for blood and war, I think is natural for human beings. Especially men. Perhaps only men?

How does this get commoditized? Through video games, through American football, sports, movies, UFC MMA etc. 

Outsourcing your manliness?

Once again, to any low testosterone man, who is watching American baseball or sports or whatever… What is really happening here? I have a theory… Essentially you’re outsourcing or crowdsourcing your testosterone. Which means:

As I see other manly men, doing high-powered manly things on the field, I myself feel a surge of testosterone and manliness? 

VR POV porn?

Come on… If you’re going to drop $3700 on an apple Vision Pro, most likely you’re a guy or a man… And I can almost guarantee you… If you’ve done it or not or probably curious, to try out virtual reality point of view porn.

Apparently there’s also this movie called hardcore Henry that my friend Alexander Morgan told me, which is also shot, all POV, point of view. 

So when it comes to video games, like shooting games, counterstrike call of duty etc.… Note it is always done from your own POV. And I still will never ever ever forget the first time I saw that Nike POV commercial, shot from the perspective of the pro aspiring pro football player… How gangsta it was.

Even when I think about my most viral videos on YouTube… They were all my POV videos, especially the street photography POV videos. Why? I think for a lot of bystanders, or sideline observers, everyone is curious about how it actually looks like to do street photography, in the flesh. This is maybe having some sort of GoPro mounted to your chest, and just showing people the behind-the-scenes street photography, how is done, how the sausage is being made, is good. 

Because ultimately, we want to feel like we are in the driver seat. For example, when you see the guy driving the Lamborghini, what you visualize in your mind is you yourself sitting in the Lamborghini, being the driver, being the active driver! We could care less about the other guy, we care more about the car, and Fantasize about ourselves being the front line driver.

Also, I think the whole appeal of point of view, virtual reality porn is that once again, you’re able to bang all these beautiful babes, while having you as the hero, the point person?

Character building & development

And also let us consider, if you’re playing Diablo or some sort of video game, your building your own character, and that character is you! Diablo unlike maybe Final Fantasy or something, is unique because you’re only building one solo character, not a whole squadron. 

Your own body is the ultimate platform

My thought is the reason why we have such a contentious relationship with our human body is because most of us are raised to abnegate the body. Almost all religions, schools of thought.

Even in Confucian, east Asian culture… It is all about the virtues of the mind, and scholarly education… Not bodily. This is why you don’t see that many Asian guys in the NFL or the NBA… They are probably being forced by their parents to practice piano or study math at Kumon, rather than pursue professional sports. 

Also… A simple thought… Haven’t you noticed that there are zero women in the NFL or in professional American football? Even if you gave the woman all the steroids in the world?

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I bought every V12 engine wish I could take it back to the beginning - JAY Z

Last night, this morning, playing around with the new ChatGPT 1o– and read the blog post on it on the open AI website, and the thought which was interesting… Taking things back to first principles, taking it back to the beginning.

So the first thing that is super interesting about the new ChatGPT model is that it scores much higher, in math science and really really advanced things like coding. And what it does which is interesting is that it spends more time thinking, before spitting out a response. 

Applied to humans

When I was going super super deep into philosophy, around 2017, 2018… I penned an essay titled “Why Think?”. Some people thought it was a ridiculous idea, but… It might be the most critical one in modern day times.

First thought: one can only think while walking, in the outdoors, experiencing gravity, reality, friction, changes in temperature humidity etc.

Also, one cannot think while being sedentary on one’s butt.

Butt thoughts

Let us consider… No great thought has arisen from a butt. Great thoughts can only arise from legs. 

The cult of sitting has been around since ancient Greek times, it was typically seen as an honor thing; you would sit, or others would sit around you, when it came to the king, the gods, processions etc. To sit was more of a social, sociological thing.

But now… Things are really weird. It does seem that nowadays, there seems to be a stronger connection between making money, and sitting on your butt. Typically, the more and the longer you sit on your butt, is correlated with how much money you will earn. 

For example, the modern day programmer, either sitting on their butt all day, or maybe standing all day, or a little bit less worse… Standing walking treadmill while programming. But I think a lot of people have a hard time walking and programming at the same time — I think most people need to be sedentary, or at least not moving to be productive.

Or let us consider… What is being sold to us? I figure it out… A Lamborghini Ferrari Porsche McLaren or whatever… are for weaklings, wimps,  and typically skinny fat or fat people, or Shorty guys.

Let us consider, the greatest position for a man to be in is standing. Not sitting.

For example, I am pretty tall, around 5 foot 11. And now that I wear my 60 pound weight vest every morning, my posture has also improved. As a consequence having a greater posture, I actually appear to be taller, more dominant.

Also, I find that women don’t like it when I stand next to them because they see how much taller, stronger, or dominant and powerful I am than them. Same goes with men. Especially the shorty guys. 

In fact, whenever someone says some thing which is unpleasant to me, the simple strategy is to take a step towards them, just like how we linebackers do it in American football.

When in doubt, take a step forward! (The first thing I learned playing linebacker, middle linebacker in high school, sophomore and junior year).

The reason why this is so unnatural is that typically, when it comes to natural things… You take a step back. For example if you’re playing football… And you’re on defense and the other side the ball, and the place starts… You have all these raging hormone teenage boys, full of muscle and armor padding, coming at you… The natural response is actually too kind of take a step back and run away. But we had to first learn as a technique, as middle linebacker, even when you thought that they were going for a pass, to always take a step forward, and then take a step back later.

Why this is such a good idea 

I almost wonder… When it comes to uncertainty or doubt, it always makes sense to take a step closer to people.
First, vision. Maybe if you’re too far away, you might have just seen something incorrectly. You might have mis-seen the situation, and you might just need a simpler look. 

For example, I have myopia, a.k.a. I need to wear glasses. Without my glasses I can’t see anything. I’m blind as a bat.

Therefore as a consequence, I almost wonder if we should take this metaphor to real life. That is, in real life we also have myopia of reality in general. That we cannot really understand it until we are there very very close, face-to-face. 

my favorite entertainment

Something that I learned how to do, especially now that myself confidence is out of control… Is when I’m at the gym or I see people weightlifting… I’ll get super super close to them, and watch them go for their powerlifting, one rep maximum lift.

And I will compliment guys, and also help hype them up.

This is very interesting because truth be told… Nobody ever guesses that I am essentially a demigod and strength, that I have gone viral twice over, at golds gym and Venice Beach, and also I think those are random video of me lifting seven plates on, which also went viral, which got millions of views, unbeknownst to me.  after that video went viral, all these people started to see me differently at the gym, a little bit shocked and amazed that me, and also a little bit intimidated of me?

Anyways, one of the guys told me what my Instagram was, that I should capitalize on all these views. I told him I didn’t have Instagram I was not interested. I suppose this is the upside of becoming already super super famous in a different domain, street photography and photography in general. And I suppose this is the upside:

Trust no weightlifter, power lifter, athlete fitness person who is on Instagram TikTok or social media, even YouTube.

Why? The critical issue here is that if your weightlifting numbers or your physique or whatever is correlated to likes on social media, then… Sooner or later, said individual will try to maximize this by taking steroids or other weird stuff.

Also, even worse as people who get sponsored… Now you become a slave to the sponsored brand because now your performance your body your physique your numbers have some sort of potential money making scheme attached to it. 

Don’t be jealous

I also suppose I am really really intelligent and wise now, because now at the age of 36, being married and having a beautiful child, probably the most wonderful child of all time, I don’t really have nothing to prove to anybody anymore.

I’ve reached all the hallmarks of modern day success, fame, riches, wealth, money, traveling the planet and the globe, mastering the physical domain (lifting over 10 plates at the gym, my thousand pound atlas lift), getting an insanely jacked physique and 6 pack (more recently being here in LA, my glorious full body tan, gleaming and bronze), and pretty much everything.

Anyways, now I suppose the grand upside is I could really really now, just speak frankly, without any fear, or concern about anything.

How ERIC KIM became “uncancellable”

First, I mentally retired in 2017, when I realized that I would never run out of money. Living in Hanoi, $320 a month for rent, and eating out all my meals and just drinking coffee all day… Maybe paying $500 a month, between Cindy and I? and even our passive income surpassing that. 

Second big realization, quitting email. Essentially realizing that almost 0 fiduciary opportunities or things ever came from email. Like literally. The only way I ever have made money, via workshops with the Internet was through my own imperative… Planning and conducting my own workshops, etc. And also creating and promoting and selling my own haptic industries products. With Cindy.

Why sponsorships are a scam

 Reminiscing with Cindy… Thinking about our 20s, essentially the problem of being in your 20s even 30s, is everyone is trying to chase some sort of legitimacy.

“ I’ve been awoken from a enlightened man stream checking Instagram comments to crowdsource my self-esteem” – Kanye West

The reason why me deleting my Instagram in 2017 with 65,000 followers was the most influential photographer thing of all time is that I had the intelligence and the wisdom  that this was a trap!

Real courage, real balls?

I think maybe the most courageous thing you could do as an individual in two days world is when you have a certain ethical feeling or idea… To be able to sacrifice potential money fame power and influence, in order to follow your own gut, and what you believe in?  And also more specifically… What you don’t believe in? 

“I’m so anti-I’m so I’m so anti-” – Cyhi da Prynce

Very interesting… You can better get to know people based on what they are anti rather than what they are for.

For example, let us say that you’re doing a dating profile or whatever… ask people what they are not for, rather than what they are for. 

Your anti preferences, or your pet peeves. Also… When it comes to rules and regulations, don’t ask people what you should do, ask people what you should not do, the NASSIM TALEB via negativa principle.

Are you permitted to be anti anymore? 

I almost feel like in today’s world, it takes more courage to be anti something, rather than for something. To be anti mainstream — or anti mainstream thoughts take much courage.

The soft idea I have is that whenever it comes to any sort of rhetoric, which seems to be pretty popular or universal, always choose and opt for what is less standard. 

Do you have the courage or the right to be anti-something?

For example, am I permitted to anti plants? Or anti dogs? Or anti hormone therapy beyond the life or death situations? Or am I allowed to be anti sex changing via hormonal therapy?

People tell you to keep an open mind for yourself, to be different etc … , and to be open minded until you don’t?

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Natural is Best:

I have a new funny idea — a true 100% natural bodybuilder doesn’t even consume protein powder!

What are we not permitted to do in today’s world? To strike. 
I’ll give you some examples:

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The right to strike first?

First, everything is about defense, self-defense etc. For example… You can never strike first, or hit first.

For example, in Star Wars… The whole issue with Han Solo was,

Are you allowed to shoot first?

So for example… Let us say that if you think about the art of war, Machiavelli’s ethics – according to them… Striking first can be virtuous, and the smart strategy… If you knew with 100% foresight that if you waited too long, the other person would shoot you. 

For example, let us think about the ethics of guns and gun defense. Let us say that once again, you knew with 100% certainty that in 30 seconds, the guy would pop out a pistol and shoot and kill you. And let us assume that you also have a pistol Concealed… And you have an option to shoot and kill or maim him first…  or at least shoot him in the balls. Before he kills you.

Now the issue here is when you are in such a high adrenaline situation… Human actors we are not rational. And this is where you hear all the stories of these people first shooting an African-American kid, who just had a Coca-Cola can in his pocket or whatever.

Guns are for pussies

Now, some issues:  

First, anybody who owns a gun, a “self-defense” weapon… Truth be told, I think they are secretly itching to use it. They’re almost looking for a reason to use it.

I’ll give example… Let us see that you are the police, and you live in Irvine California. Come on… You’re just looking for a reason to use all of your high-powered weaponry.

I’ll give you another ridiculous example… A few weeks ago, I was in Santa Monica… And I saw this maybe 16-year-old Latino kid was sagging pants, running away from about a highly muscular 6 foot two police officer, and after they tackled the kid, handcuff him, there’s about five or six police SUVs that pull up?

I suppose in Santa Monica… It is not very dangerous. I’m not sure if this kid pickpocketed somebody, or did something… But, the response was very overcompensation, unnecessarily heavy-handed.

When in doubt, don’t be a coward

OK… Some unorthodox ethics.

First, I think there needs to be engaged thing. Like for example if the kids are young teenagers, or obviously maybe sub 21 years old… You give them a free pass.

I think the issue is it looks like the man is in his 30s or 40s… This is where you give them no mercy?

I think men do not understand is that no death of their child is ever justified… Even if the child was in the wrong.

I think the issue is with pistols, firearms, and 9 mm guns, Glocks, whatever…  there is an asymmetry. For example you could be a 99 pound skinny fat loser, with even a basic pistol, and immediately killed somebody who is 6 foot two and looks like Thor. Assuming that the other guy doesn’t have a gun.

And I suppose the difficult ethics here is it is kind of impossible to ascertain whether someone else has a gun or not.

Now some issues:

First, there are some people who have guns, some people who do not have guns. How do you know? 

First, think about the neighborhood. If you’re driving through Compton, Watts, Inglewood, South Central LA… Assume that everyone has a gun. However, if you are in Beverly Hills, Brentwood or even Culver City… Assume that nobody has a gun.

At least in America, typically rich people do not really carry guns or self-defense weapons. I find that from a sociological perspective, gun owners tend to be from lower class, middle America, strange people in the Midwest, who “homestead”, listen to Fox News, and too much Donald Trump rhetoric. Typically liberals, left-leaning people, rich people… Don’t even think about guns? I suppose the nuances if you are rich “white-sican” in Mexico City driving the convertible Lamborghini… They probably have a self-defense gun.

Other countries

I suppose the upside of a Japan or South Korea is that nobody has guns, I think even knives are rare.

The upside is whenever you watch these South Korean or maybe even Japanese yakuza movies… Typically they don’t have guns, but samurai blades and swords, sashimi blades etc. 

I would actually prefer a world in which we assumed with 100% certainty that nobody had any guns, knives, and weapons, and if you ever gone to an argument with somebody, it would come down to like a UFC, MMA, boxing style thing…

You solve it, with your fists, your legs, your naked body.

Why did the ancient Greeks wrestle naked?

Theory… Maybe it was all about confirming that the other person did not have a weapon on them?

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Assuming no weapons

Once again… I think that ethical thing here is–

Weapons are unethical because they give you an asymmetric advantage, whereas defense or armor is virtuous.

 For example, don’t be a pussy and try to get yourself a gun. My better suggestion is if you really are concerned about your life… Buy a bulletproof vest or Kevlar equipment instead.

60 pound weight vest as a modern day body armor? 

I think one of the great things I am very proud about my 60 pound weight vest, is that certainly at least in a fistfight… I will win. If somebody tries to punch me in the chest, it will likely shatter their hand. 

Also… It might repel, or at least reduce the impact, if somebody shot me with a gun, assuming that the bullet did not go through the in-between areas?

Bulletproof car? 

Funny enough, if you were a drug dealer or you lived in a very dangerous neighborhood or whatever, funny enough it seems that cyber truck might be your best bet. It might be the only mainstream bulletproof armored vehicle?

I mean the real optimal strategy is just don’t live in a dangerous area. But then again at the same time, you don’t want to live in Irvine California. The castrated society. 

What is it that we seek? 

I think we men… Perhaps what we men desire is to become a champion, some sort of hero. 

But wouldn’t it be a better idea that you become a hero, just with your fists, and your body? And your legs?

---

Think American football 

I’ve met a lot of people who play American football, or played American football, and 0% of the time they ever think or wonder whether I played or not. I think it is just a low-key racism… We assume that Asian guys are weak and effeminate, and we never see Asian American guys in the NFL, and as a consequence… we think of Asian guys as the weaker race.

Backhanded compliments

Whenever somebody calls me Bruce Lee, I appreciate it and take the compliment, but the same time, I get a bit annoyed… Because truth be told, I don’t really care for Bruce Lee at all. I didn’t grow up to Bruce Lee movies, I grew up to Arnold Schwarzenegger! I grew up to Terminator, Rocky, Rambo etc.

The problem with Bruce Lee was he was too skinny, not enough muscle. And it seems that Bruce Lee… he was more of a magician, witchcraft and voodoo.

My critique about martial arts, karate, stuff like that is if he comes almost like a secret weapon, some sort of strange mistresses, rather than raw, pure power, pure muscle.

What do you want to look like?

For me… I would prefer to look like Arnold in his prime. Yet, he was on steroids and openly admits it.

Therefore, the biggest issue we have been is here or all these guys on steroids, propagating a false vision of reality, and you have all these young impressionable teenagers, striving to become like Arnold?

Becoming yourself?

I think the strange thought is we are always taught that to become someone else’s virtuous, and to become yourself is viceful or a sin?

For example, we are always told to become like Jesus… But why is Ever says that you should become yourself? We are taught that being evil, bad,, but don’t realize that Jesus was a bad ass… And often aggressive, like when he busted out the whips, and whipped out the oxen from the Jewish temple, and said out loud “ do not sell wares inside my father home!”

Thinking of Jesus as a flesh bound human being

Pontius Pilate was a real historical figure, and Jesus of Nazareth also was. I told you with 100%  certainty that in fact, Jesus was a real human being, a real man, 100% real… A real flesh bound, physics space, biological human being man… That is assume that all the stories in his miracles were metaphors. In fact, the good thing about being Roman Catholic is that we believe in metaphor, not literals– this is where the protestants and “sola scriptura” get it wrong.

Even Catholics, we think of God as more of a metaphorical figure. Not a literal one.

We also look at the miracles of Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, Almost from a more secular perspective. Also con substantiation, Eucharist, tribute told everyone knows it is a bit of a metaphor. I don’t think anyone really really really 100% think that when the priest rings the bell, and puts his hands over the unleavened bread, that is actually really does literally and physically become the flesh of Jesus Christ. Any stories about the Eucharist turning into blood, do not trust people without sound judgment.

Anyways, I think Jesus Christ is an interesting individual because his morals and ethics were so radical and revolutionary at the time — to turn the other cheek  a bit of a nonsense.   But my suspicion; if we think about Jesus like Gondi or whatever… How much of Jesus is teaching were based on the fact that he did not have an army that could overtake the Roman Empire, if we magically gave Jesus 1000,000 centurions, would he have behaved or acted differently?

The crucifixion of Jesus 

The reason why it is not good to watch any Disney movies, or Marvel movies, Batman or Superman, or the like is most of these stories and concepts, alter ego etc.… Either come from Stan Lee, or other guys who were either raised Jewish American, protestant, Christian, certainly American… Which has strange notions of a savior complex.

For example even the movie at this, saying that you are “the special”– if you think about all traditional movies in America they are all seeking a Jesus figure, like Neo from the matrix, etc. And let us not forget that Warner brothers discovery which owns all the intellectual property of the matrix and beyond,  they just keep rehashing the same concept, ad Infinitum.

Why?

I think humans, we have a difficult time dealing with complexity, we want simple straightforward answers. Poison example, if you’re Christian in America, the goal is to be like Jesus. But why would you be like Jesus and you own a gun?  Would Jesus have owned a gun? No! He didn’t even have armor!

Americans don’t really care about guns 

I’ll give you an example… John Wick. Everyone universally likes John Wick, even women, even people who are anti-guns. Even I love John Wick!

Yet, in real life,  I am very anti-gun. Not out of any sort of virtue signaling, but rather, I just really think it is the cowardly, weakling, pussy strategy. I really think that the true manly thing to do is once again, fist fights. Not even knives, or having a nail file.

Maybe this is where boxing, Wrestling, or MMA, the UFC is virtuous.? Even American football? Or rugby? But once again… The reason why I advise against any sort of high school or collegiate sports is that there will be at least one or two guys on steroids, without anyone knowing it. or they having low-key steroids, which is “cortisol shots “, to “heal” “injuries” . Anabolic steroids, are often prescribed to heal an injury, and this is how they are fake Weaponized.

assume everyone else is on steroids?

Your favorite CrossFitter, your favorite  calisthenics guy, your favorite water polo player, whatever. Assume that 100% of people are on steroids, whether real or fake steroids.

I think I figured it out… The whole issue is about records, world records, or personal records. If there is a drive to shatter records,  there will eventually be some sort of steroid or fake steroid use. Because biologically, if you want somebody to deadlift 2000 pounds or whatever,  I doubt it is physically possible, unless you inject your asshole with all the steroids on the planet.

So whenever you’re walking around you see a dude who is much buffer than you, assume that he is just on steroids. And as a consequence you don’t really complain about it or feel bad about it… If they want to become impotent and not have kids and have their balls become marshmallows, so be it.

“Balls,,, fuck em,,, who needs them anyways”?

So I think the critical issue here is once again… Everyone is about show, performance, the real world etc.

However, if we think about Achilles and the like…  it wasn’t about competition that they sought, simply, revenge. 

Assume that everyone is lying? 

A simple way not to get scammed in Los Angeles: assume that everyone is lying and bullshitting. Because you might be  right, 1 out of 99 times, and it might save your life? 

So also I thought about life… To play defense — is to be maximally critical and suspicious of everybody. But obviously do it in the spirit of Jesus! 

As long as you are employed, you are not permitted to really speak your mind. 

Trust nobody who is employed, doesn’t matter if they are employed by YouTube, Apple Amazon Facebook etc.… As long as they are not self owned, a sole proprietor, or independently wealthy… They cannot really speak their mind. 

Also, the reason you should not trust people on YouTube is that as long as they get advertising revenue from the videos, they also cannot really speak their minds.

Telos

So I’m starting to think… Rather than thinking about goals, life goals etc.… Perhaps a better way to approach life is to think about your life like a telos, a certain purpose life direction etc. 

For example… It was my life goal to atlas lift 1000 pounds. But now that I achieved it and hit it, then… Now, I no longer have a drive to do this anymore?

And also truth be told, I’m a type of person that I want to please everybody. I think I get it from my mom.

But anyways, trying to please other people, or to live a life in which you never offend anybody… Not possible. Especially if you want to be successful.

---

Prize your life, this is the only life you got. 

The philosophy of time:

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The death of film

I think this is something that changes a lot, once you have a kid. Or have a child a young child at home. Suddenly, your time becomes scarce, very very scarce.

For example, in terms of time scarcity… this is so insanely critical. If I gave you a choice… Would you rather spend 30 minutes playing and wrestling around with your kid at the house or at the park… Or would you rather spend your precious 30 minutes answering Emails from childless individuals who don’t really have anything better to do?

Also with film — fine if you don’t have kids — once you get a kid go 100% digital!

True success

I’m starting to think… true success is self ownership, time ownership, essentially… never having anything randomly put on your schedule without your own desire.

For example, I learned that apparently Taylor Swift is signed to Universal Records. Which means she has no control over her time or soul.

Also a very funny thing… apparently Taylor Swift is about my age, she’s born in 1989, I am born in 1988. I find it insanely bizarre that millions of 10-year-old girls know everything about her down to her drive-through food order?

Sign yourself

Anyways… I think some simple filters:

Trust no individual who is signed to anything.

For example, I think a very admirable thing that Kendrick Lamar did was quit top dog entertainment… And create his own record label, PG Lang. I think this is also the wisdom of a Jay-Z… The real idea of taking a real chance is to create your own label, and to avoid getting signed to any record or label… Even if they might wave a $100 million check in front of you. Because if you have to be on tour for the rest of your life like lil Wayne (via Pusha T)… Every single night performing for three hours and night, seven days a week… No sleep and rest… Do you have freedom? No!

This is why Drake is also still a slave!

And I think the foolish thing which people do is they trade their most valuable thing on the planet… Their freedom and self ownership, in exchange for cash, arbitrary notions of “fame“… For the sake of what?

Time and self ownership over money.

What is it that we truly seek?

One of my friends, Bing who I met in Singapore… The guy I am grateful for getting me into crypto bitcoin and digibyte at the time —  he said something interesting, very wise guy, saying that what he wanted in life was material desires like a purple Lamborghini, but also… more importantly, getting respect from people.

For example, he said that the primary issue in America is that there is no real notions of respect. For example even very very simply being in Korea, Southeast Asia of Vietnam etc.… On a very basic level, we use honorifics, when it comes to age. Be told, it feels really good! To have a young kid address you in an honorific way, warms your heart!

You never know who is who 

Also… I think in America one of the wise things that I’ve learned, just from myself but also echoed in people like NASSIM TALEB is a simple idea:

Treat the janitor, the hygiene sanitation guy, the security guard with more respect than the big boss.

And also… assume that everybody you meet is super super rich and successful and powerful and influential, irregardless of how they may look on the outside. Often times, the richest most powerful people are the most low-key, keep a low profile, and you would never expect it.

Don’t network

But I think the tricky thing is when it comes to human social capital… the whole “it’s not what you know but who you know”– is also a little bit misguided because technically, especially in today’s day and age, I don’t think that networking or knowing influential people is important. All you need is a website, your own self hosted blog, ChatGPT and you’re good!

100% of the time networking is a waste of time.

I got some experience now

Humans are not super great nor efficient. For example just based on my experiences, I’m 36 now… Almost 0 networking events or meeting famous successful people have led to anything substantive. The only things which have led to substantive things were things that I decided to do on my own; like hosting my own workshops, creating and developing and selling my own products engaging people directly with my own email newsletter blog, platform, etc. Everything else has been a waste of time.

Build it yourself.

I think the biggest issues here is that when you are starting off as an entrepreneur… We do things in such a way in which we think it is the proper way. For example, when we think about business and networking… We think what it means is to get to know a bunch of rich successful people, “get your foot in the door” etc. Yet, I have discovered this is a total waste of time. 

Your own website and blog is the foot in the digital door!

The way that I was able to build my digital capital my fame my power my influence was very very simple… Essentially learning everything about street photography on my own, and then creating really really insanely in-depth articles, blog posts, pages, information and resources on anything and everything street photography. And the whole time, the whole endeavor of mine was guided by passion, personal interest and curiosity.

Curiosity is antifragile.

Lifting 1,000 pounds

On my personal quest to lift 1000 pounds, which is beyond 10 plates on each side of the barbell, was a personal curiosity:

How far can I take it?

Essentially, my primary curiosity was a curiosity of the limits of my strength, my courage, my ability and potential?

I remember the last time I was weightlifting in Westerly, Rhode Island, and an older guy came up to me and asked “what is the purpose of that? Why are you lifting like that?” I made a joke and I said, first– to augment my ego. But the second more honest answer is I’m just curious how strong I can become.

Why curiosity is so critical

What is curiosity? Curiosity is care, curiosity is what drives us.

You cannot force somebody to be cursed about something that they don’t really care for. You cannot spoon feed or inject curiosity in the soul of somebody, against their own will.

This is why a lot of Asian parents fail, when they try to force their kids to play violin, piano, or chess etc.

Back to time

Time is the ultimate capital, the ultimate desirable non-renewable resource.

Another funny lesson: often the most seemingly bad movies, the ones with poor IMDb reviews are actually the best movies.

For example, the movie “in time” by Justin Timberlake.  probably one of the best films of all time, and also, the most underrated. The reason why it is so grand and great of a film is that it creates this metaphor, this philosophical world in which essentially time is money: literally and metaphorically.

For example, the super super rich people have 1000 years on their wrist, and hilariously enough, excuse the pun, but rich people and poor people are separated by “time zones”–

Also in this fictitious universe, real rich people take their time and move really slowly, whereas the poor laborers, are always running, because they are so short on time.

Time inflation

Another funny scene: in the early part of the IN TIME film, when Justin Timberlake is working as a laborer at a factory or whatever, do you have to scan your wrist, imagine like having Apple Pay, your checking account embedded in your wrist, and anytime you wanted to buy a cup of coffee or food or whatever… You would just scan your wrist. And one of the scenes, Justin Timberlake complains “wait… A cup of coffee used to only cost 15 minutes, why is it now costing 30 minutes?” And the guy selling coffee, shrugs his shoulder and says “that’s time inflation!”

Why it is that the only films I care for are dystopic films

The matrix, Blade Runner, and these science fiction fiction, alternate future sociological philosophical films, why? They actually change you! 

What is so interesting about science fiction typically it is just a commentary or a societal critique of our real society. And the thing exaggerated, in cinematic ways, or building up a universe, but in fact, it is really true to today’s world.

Anyways, back on the notion of time… Time is labor, money is labor time.

How renting is superior to owning

For example… One of the things I am so grateful about renting, and having the best landlord of all time, is that when something breaks, like our all-in-one washer dryer machine from LG… And the machine doesn’t even turn on anymore, I don’t have to be the one wasting my time driving to Home Depot, trying to fix it, or finding service technicians to fix it, scheduling it etc. Rather, I let the landlord communicate with his own labor task squad, his own maintenance team, to come in and fix it, when we are not home, and I could do better things like go on a hike with Cindy and Seneca, or do something fun!

DIY ain’t virtuous

In America, we have this weird virtue connection with doing the labor yourself. However, there is a differentiation between hateful labor and joyful labor. For example, I would probably prefer to have a mechanic fix my car, even though I could do the labor myself, because now that I have a kid, an hour spent fixing your car could be an hour playing with your kid at the park! Here a time becomes zero sum thing, which means:

If you only have an hour to spare, would you rather it be chatting with somebody random, spending time with somebody you don’t really care for, or doing some sort of labor you don’t really care for, or rather would you rather spend that time to do something more critical you insanely care for?

Only spend time on people you love and care for!

For example, if you had an hour, to listen to the problems of somebody, or, you had an hour to work out, do exercises, and lift weights… What would you choose? And assume you could only do one. Obviously work out!

For me, my only regret in the evening is if I spent the whole day, assuming that I was in good health and strength, not working out? To me, my nonnegotiable thing that I must do every single day, irregardless of whatever is to lift weights, at least once. 

Avoid time wasters, even the good ones.

Life before Seneca, life after Seneca

Life BC, life AD — I still think it is hilarious that in America, the way we categorize time is life before Christ, life after Christ.

Life before the christos, the lord the saviour, and life after Jesus.

For me I like to use this analogy for Seneca. Before Seneca was born, I wasted a lot of my time, in coffee shops, kind of superficial relationships, etc. Why? I had so much time to kill!

And also good thing about having kid is that it helps you understand what is truly critical to you or not.

Business is bad

For example, business. Do not forget that the original notion of business was centered around being busy, “busy-ness”–

Even the ancient Romans, otium, neg+otium–

Negotium (business) meant the exact opposite of leisure.

I think often times, people like to just stay busy because when you are busy, you don’t have to think about more important things in life, such as life purpose direction etc. And honestly, I think the reason why I philosophy is so critical for everybody is that if you cannot think philosophically, you’re just wasting your life.

Even Seneca the younger stoic (Seneca’s namesake) on his essay “On the shortness of time”– or the shortness of life… Essentially that you could live a great life, even if it is a short life, as long as you use your time well.

For example, if you had a house with 1000 marble and ivory tables, with matching golden plates, can you take that with you when you die? No!

80 years old and dying

Let us assume that the average human span now, I think it is about 92 years old for men, 94 years old for women. But then again you never know if you’re gonna get cancer or whatever, assume that it is 80 years.

If you knew that you would only live to be 80 years old, with 100% certainty, how would you spend your life, the next 10 years of your life? What would you do, what would you not do?

And also… Thinking about the mortality of our loved ones, our parents, your own mother.

For example, my mom is about to turn 70, and let us assume that she’s going to live to be 80. How would I want to spend the next 10 years in my life with her, or without her?

Certainly I’m happy for her to do stuff like travel, do her artwork, but also, more critically more time with Seneca, myself and Cindy, but more critically for her to spend time with Seneca. Why? There’s going to be a day in which my mom is no longer going to be around, and I would probably hope that Seneca could have some lovely memories with my mom.

Memento mori

I think this is also the thing… many of us live our lives, almost like we are going to live forever. Is that true? Of course not!

And also when you’re younger… Let us even assume that you’re going to live to be 80 years old. What that then means is that you have a long life ahead of you! But once again, what if you are Achilles, and your mom is a goddess, And you are known with 100% certainty that you will die at the age of 40? Then how would you spend your life, how would you not spend your life?

Think Steve Jobs, he died at only age 55?

You might die today

If you have the choice, the difference between memento mori, and memento vivre — the memory of knowing that you will die is more critical than the memory or the thought of knowing how to live.

The angel of life and or death?

What’s the story of why Cindy and I decided to have a kid, Seneca?

After this incident I had a few years ago being held up at gunpoint with me just me and Cindy, before Seneca was born in Mexico City… And fortunately I grabbed Cindy‘s hand and we ran away, and we did not get popped at the back of our head. And in our adrenaline, after the incident… What was my only one regret, Assuming that I have might have died? It was very simple, not having a kid! Then immediately after the incident, we started trying, and then Covid happened, and then we stopped…  and then we did a webinar saying that kind of babies and kids were kind of immune to Covid, and then we tried again… And boom, got pregnant within a week!

Anyways… Often it is these life or death encounters which clarify things. After this incident, I had zero thoughts about my wealth, money in the bank etc., or my fame or success or whatever. I literally had zero regrets besides the kid thing.

Don’t die childless.

The greatest joy on the planet

I was thinking this morning, what is something that never loses its novelty factor? Seeing and witnessing your kid grow up!

Also… As a man, by far a 1,000,000,000,000% gratitude thing, having a son, having at least one son, one male, one man, and especially having your first kid being a man!

Why? Speaking from the perspective if you are a man, what every man desires is at least one male heir. Certainly when you see a family with three girls, four girls or five girls, no boys, you know what the family was trying to do. 

And also… The whole second kid question…  honestly, if for some reason or another, we couldn’t have a second kid, I’d probably be fine because the joy of knowing that at least, our first child was a son!

Anti women?

I think if I think about it very very honestly honestly… If our first child was a girl… I’m sure I would love her 1000%, but secretly at the back of your head, you’re always thinking wishing and wondering and desiring, to have a boy.

So this is my simple thought —

If you and your wife, or partner or whatever or girlfriend, decide to have a second kid, and your first kid is a boy… Don’t push the whole second kid thing. 

Also, if I told you that let’s say that your wife decided to have birth to a second kid, and there was a 90% chance that she might die in childbirth… Would you take the risk, assuming that your first kid is already a man? No!

Back to time

Honestly just throw your iPhone to the trash. Something that people don’t understand is that the iPhone is toxic; even reading one weird thing on your phone, watching one weird movie, film, news headline, TikTok video whatever… strange pornography video or picture, can infect your mind, for a few days, randomly in the middle of the day, or even when you’re about to sleep.

Instagram is like liver pancreatic cancer

The reason why I deleted Instagram in around 2017 and no– that ERIC KIM on Instagram is not me– the person that made my @erickimphoto Instagram account was just a faithful follower, was because Instagram started to do bad things to my mind and weird things to my mind. For example I’d be driving, in the suburbs, or the city… And at around noon, while driving, I would get distracted and think to myself “wait… did I uploaded something to Instagram today?” I caught myself thinking this, and I thought “wow, this is bad. I got to get rid of this”. And in 2017, when I had about 65,000 followers, I did probably one of the most courageous and proud things in my life, which was to delete my Instagram. 

mental Freedom?

Something my friend Jeffrey Lam tells me about is this notion of mind space, ideas that was not just a timeframe but, a mental space thing.

For example, you could in theory have 12 hours of free time in a day, but as long as a strange thought lingering in your mind, you can never really focus 100%.

I think this is called the Zeignark effect. For example let us say that you read an email that needs to be attended to… And you don’t attend to it or respond to it, and it will percolate on your mind for days, sometimes even weeks, sometimes even months. This is why I avoid my inbox, or my text messages like the plague…

One strange message email or text message or communication thing can distract you for days on end.

Playing cyber defense

I also think the reason why email needs to be fixed is now, it is so easy to fake an email, ChatGPT, with bots, or generative AI, even if the person is good or bad, or even if the bot is malicious or benevolent.

For example, let me give an extreme example, let us say you are Taylor Swift, and everybody on the planet knows your email (taylorswift@gmail.com)– let us say. If you are Taylor Swift, and you literally get 1 million emails a day, would you have the time to either read every single email, or even worse… Respond to it? No? This would be mental suicide! This is why I quit email and all messaging apps Around 2016, 2017, because honestly I was just becoming too famous, too much cognitive load!

Dodge

In the Iliad, when the heroes are killing each other… They do two things, obviously they wear protective armor, like shields, helmets, etc.… But if somebody throws a spear at them, or an arrow, what they do is dodge it.

If you see an incoming spear, you are not a fool, ideally you dodge it, ideally dodging it is more effective than even raising your shield. Why? If a spear hits your shield, there is actually a chance that it might penetrate your shield, and end up either wounding you or killing you.

I wonder if we should apply the same philosophy two things. Like if you see an incoming missile, or a spear or a bullet… You don’t take the chance. Dodge a bullet, rather than testing your bulletproof vest.

“That little vest ain’t gonna do you I shoot from neck up”- JAY Z

The ghost of soulja slim —

SOULJA KIM?

The notion of soldier, like Soulja Boy etc., and interesting thought… The notion of a “soul”, period with the notion of a soldier?

And apparently, if you really really need people from the hood, like Crenshaw, where Nipsey Hussle got killed, the honorific to call somebody worth valor is “soldier”.

Kind of like calling somebody boss or chief. Like Chief Keef

ChIEF KIM! Too many Indians, not enough chiefs!

Anyways, long story short, prize your time. This is the only life you got.

ERIC

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Never forget it is and must be your duty to die!

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You cannot change the universe or the planet, but you could direct yourself the opposite way to become beyond man, the ubermensch ideal:

Thoughts on immortality:

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Masculine or Feminine?

Masculino o feminino — 

Men who are into tending plants, a feminine trait.

The notion of being masculine, let us think about this.

First, let us consider a Achilles. What was Achilles? The apex of manliness, the most supreme, dominant, powerful, let us not forget that he was a demigod in the flesh. 

First, let us consider how he was so dominant on the battlefield. Ultimately when it comes to the apex or valor, it comes down to combat, physical combat, none of this shooting guns shit. Why are guns for cowards?

Asymmetric warfare. 

For example, any 400 pound obese loser can shoot you and kill you with a gun. Imagine fitting him with armor, a shield, and a spear… And put them in man-to-man, PVP, player versus player, 1v1 combat — versus an Achilles; assuming that he is 6 foot tall, handsome, around 160 pounds with pure muscle, 5% bodyfat and a 6 pack. Who would win?

Why does this matter?

Currently, it seems that at least with men, modern day capitalism, is all kind of a big dick measuring contest. Instead of measuring how many inches your penis has, what people try to do is measure their metaphorical capital by how many dollars or commas or zeros trails them.

But, let us consider some extreme examples. If you were a 4 foot man, obese, but with a 20 inch penis, would anyone care? No!

Being a “stud”

Apparently, at least with horses… A stud is a type of horse which is prime for breeding. And now with myself… I’m starting to feel like a stud. Whenever I walk around town, now I have women checking me out. Even when I am alone with my 60 pound weighted vest on! 

And also, let us consider… What women seeks is a mate. Ideally tall dark and handsome.

Even a nuance; I actually think naturalistically… A woman is less attracted to wealth, more attracted to a man’s height, attractiveness, muscularity, etc? A woman who marries a 4 foot tall billionaire man… Very bizarre. 

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IMMORTAL

Mortal, it means you will die. All of us, born on the planet are mortals.

When do we think about the immortals, an ancient Greek mythology, essentially it means somebody who cannot die. The gods who live on Mount Olympus, or people who got locked up by Zeus, these were the immortals.

I had some thoughts about economic immortality, but also a new thought about fitness in general or life in general, being a man… As I have advanced in maturity, I truly do feel wiser. 

What’s the point?

For example, the purpose of muscularity, health, etc is simple; not to be the buffest guy at the gym. In fact some insider information that I personally got was apparently, there are some weightlifters who try to dirty bulk, and get really really buff, maybe while taking steroids or whatever, and they get really really fat, end up doing a cutting phase by taking Adderall, forcing themselves not to eat food in order to lean up. True story!

Don’t trust the buff shorty (bald) guys

Also, a funny telltale sign I’ve discovered is when you meet guys who are short, really short, but insanely buff… maybe bald or balding, maybe with a beard, often a lot of these guys are taking steroids?

Why or how do you know?

Because the nuance is that as a man, no matter how rich or smart we are, we cannot add inches to our height, not even with steroids. However, you could add inches to your chest, your arms, by taking steroids. And I feel bad for these shorty guys, they will forever feel inadequate because of their short height. Even Jeff Bezos, I think he is only 5‘7“ tall? And Kanye is maybe 5‘6” tall? I think Kendrick Lamar is 5 feet 2 inches tall, and also a lot of these rappers are really short. Only tall rappers include Jay Z, I think he is 6‘2“ tall. Elon Musk is tall, I think he is over 6 feet tall.

Even a lot of action stars are pretty short. I think Tom Cruise is only 5’3” tall, even Arnold Schwarzenegger who seems like a giant onscreen is only 6 feet tall! About my height.

Vin Diesel is pretty short, maybe 5‘8“ tall? I’m quite certain he took a lot of steroids to get those massive arms, this is also why he is bald (steroid usage often leads to male balding or baldness)

Why does this matter?

Whether we like it or not, we always judge and weigh ourselves in comparison to others. This is the number one thing I learned from thinking sociologically; to be human is to judge, to weigh, to compare, to measure. We do this with height, how many inches your penis is, ones and zeros you got in your bank account, how many followers you got, how many ones and zeros you got in your bank account, how many bitcoin you own, how many inches your arms and biceps are, how much you could deadlift squat and bench press, etc.

How did we measure men before rulers and scales?

But this is where being a man in modern-day times is bizarre; we have weights and measures to compare ourselves with other men. But once again in the past, this wasn’t a concept. There would be no skinny fat loser pulling out a tape measure, or a scale to see how much Achilles weighed, his body fat composition, how tall he was, his dick size whatever. No, it was very simple, the question;

Is there, or was there, or can there be any man who could kill Achilles on the battlefield? 

And we all know the answer is no. Hector even knows this. Hector is no fool, he knows that Achilles is the superior fighter, after all, Achilles is demigod; half man, half god. His mom was a goddess, his father a mere mortal. Hector is 100% mortal and human. Not a fair chance.

Even a thing that is impressive about Achilles, he even takes on the gods! Not even Ares can kill or take on Achilles? 

And this is where the notion of immortality becomes fascinating to me; Achilles is demigod, 50% God, 50% mortal, means that he could be killed. And he does die.

How can you imagine, an immortal god like Ares taking on Achilles, 1v1– and losing? This is an insanely grand idea:

A partly mortal man can take on a god, and win. 

Lowercase god

So in modern day times, we have this Judeo Christian God, the god of Moses, the monolithic god. This is God with the capital G, who is the ultimate supreme being.

This is where I think studying ancient Greek mythology is fascinating; there were many gods! And they were just like you and me, they quarrel with their wives, sibling rivalry, mayhem and mischief, they would get angry, get spiteful, want revenge, would succumb to lust and desire, play favorites, troll around, go to sleep, have sex etc.

This is where the notion of a single God is oppressive; if there is a single supreme God, who controls everything, who is 0% human, what are we mere mortals to do? 

This is where theology is interesting, the idea that God consubstantiated with Jesus, became man, to help us mirror immortals, this is quite an innovative idea. That uppercase God would take human form, to help humanity. I suppose this is where Catholic or Christian Theology is a bit useful; at least you could imitate Jesus! Who was 100% man, and also 100% capital God?

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Goals

So obviously we take no drugs, we don’t consume alcohol, we don’t smoke weed, our only drugs include nice sunshine, the beach, the mountains, physical activity, tapwater and black coffee. No sugars no starches, no fake foods. We only consume beef oxen and cattle; we leave the plants for cows.

Becoming immoral

I think the first grand advance is becoming immoral. That means looking at all the modern day ethics morals etc., and upending all of them. Disrupting normalcy, disrupting ethics, disrupting morality.

I hesitate to say the word religion; because religion is something else. Religion is not morals and ethics, is rather a racial, geographic based power-complex; each and every region on the planet has a different religion which emerges, based on different needs of people.

For example, Moses was in fact a historical figure. A real human being. I think the best way to think about things is all the stories of him parting the Red Sea, superhuman acts, are best interpreted as metaphors. I think the only historical text on Moses is from the Roman historian Tacitus, I think Tacitus to be a good historian because not only does he praise the military prowess of the people of Judea, but he sees things the more analytical lens.

Obviously, all history is flooded. But if we think about the history of the Peloponnesian war, probably the best historical text that we have, or the histories, essentially Herodotus and the like wrote history not to have some sort of objective documentation of what happened, because back then there wasn’t somebody with a video camera to record the whole thing, but rather, it is based on allegory, ethics, morality, and virtues. And it all tends to be anti-tyranny, towards the democracy. The ancient Athenian way.

Democracy as an experiment

I do not consider myself a libertarian, I still see myself as a cold blooded, red white and blue Democrat. I believe in democracy. Even if it is wrong.

I have always voted Democrat my whole life, but I have nothing against anybody else. I don’t care if you are Republican right left middle center conservative moderate crazy whatever, you have the right, assuming you pay taxes, to your own opinion, and to your own vote!

The only thing you’re not allowed to do is incite violence, physical violence. Even hate, hate speech, I think technically legally you’re allowed to do so, but just keep it to yourself, keep it inside your own ranch, if you have something not nice to say don’t say it at all.

And also do not forget the fact that once upon a time, your family was also an immigrant, or trying to escape persecution from the British, and seeking a new life with more freedom and opportunity. Even the Chinese call America the beautiful country.

Mainland Chinese people would prefer to live in America

The big issue here is capital controls. Mainland Chinese, rich mainland Chinese, truth be told they want to take their wealth out of Beijing, out of Shanghai, and take it to America if they could. They all send their kids to American schools– they all want to send their kids to Harvard, Yale, even a UCLA or maybe even UC Berkeley.

I think if you think about it… If you think on a long enough time scale, surely but slowly, I think all power wealth and money will be concentrated in America.

Why? China is too polluted. I think mainland China is currently having a problem; all of these rich mainland Chinese oligarchs are pumping coal, producing as quickly as they can, in order to quickly get rich, and then send their kids to a more beautiful location, for example the appeal of a Vancouver; surrounded but nothing with trees, nature. Even Chip Wilson, the founder of Lululemon said that Vancouver is the perfect place to be, and also the reason why Lululemon was invented there, it could have not happened on any other city on the planet.

Culver City is our new Kyoto! (in LA)

For myself is an American, I currently believe LA, specifically Culver City to be the perfect place to be. Why? It is the only place which is actually walkable in all of Los Angeles, and also, the only place in all of Los Angeles that have seen a city having a dedicated graffiti removal team; my daily walk, one of the best telling things I discovered was there was some sort of sticker art on this one pole for a very long time, and finally, I actually saw that the Culver City public services department cleaned it up, scraped it off! Where else is this possible in any of Los Angeles?

Also, the new Apple headquarters on Washington street in Culver City. They are currently in the midst of expanding it, and building a super mega campus. This ain’t gonna go away for a long time.

Even though Apple is not as innovative as it is before, at least for our lifetime, I am certain that we will all still be using iPhones, not some loser Pixel or Samsung phone.

And I think Apple has been wise, we have all become subscribed to the Apple ecosystem and financial services; Apple has effectively become its own bank and security system; we have all of our passwords saved to iCloud, and paying with Apple Pay is 1 trillion times easier than any other competitor. And once you could pay with bitcoin from your iPhone, with touch or Face ID… Apple will truly take over the planet.

Touch ID or Face ID and your Bitcoin wallet for iPhone

Back to you

What can one man do, what can a single human being do? A lot!

Simple things; every time you see a kid, smile and wave at the kid! There’s a saying, whenever you smile at a child, the universe smiles back at you! 

Pedophiles don’t really exist

I think a very very bad thing which has been promoted by social media, mainstream news is a fear of pedophilia. Especially with child predators, men.

Now being a dad, with a three year-old four month-year-old son… honestly I think we have 0% to be fearful of pedophiles, the only real thing to be afraid of is distracted drivers, texting while driving, or even these electric scooters and electric bikes, if you’re distracted on your iPhone for even half a second, and one of these things whiz by at full speed and hit your kid, it actually might kill your kid.

Avoid potential fatal things for your kid.

For example, once again, I think 100% focus should be just be insanely careful when you are crossing the street with your kid, or with cars running red lights, or even driving while high! I’ve already seen two people smoking marijuana while driving cars stuck in traffic, Very scary.

Having at least one son, having kids

Let us think about the simple biological truth: if for some reason tomorrow, all human beings on the planet, all 8 billion of us decided to not have kids, with a generation or two we would all die off.

Certainly, the first goal, especially being a man is to have at least one male; at least one son to carry on the family name.

Or, have at least one kid, doesn’t matter whether boy or girl. Ideally more. 

For example, one of my neighbors, super friendly 70-year-old Chinese American lady, has two daughters, about my age, 34 and 37, and both of them, no serious relationship, not married and certainly no children. I feel bad for my neighbor; probabilistically, she might never have any grandchildren, even with two daughters! Maybe Seneca could just be her metaphorical grandkid.

The greatest tragedy is to die without any grandchildren? Or even worse no kids?

What is the purpose of grandparents?

Grandparents are key.

I think the simple purpose of grandparents is to take care of the grandkids! In America, we have bastardized this notion; and this is where things become very inefficient for the modern day American.

People say that daycare, having kids is expensive; not really, if you have a grandma or grandpa, ideally both around!

Is your whole family lives together, in one house or complex, and the grandparents take care of the young children, while their parents are working or doing something else.

The problem is the world has shifted towards hedonism; for example, hedonic pleasure through traveling, backpacking, seeing the world, eating good food, socializing, etc. Certainly these are all good things, but I don’t think they should be the telos of a grandparent– the ultimate telos of grandparent is to take care of the grandchildren, to instill them with wisdom, love, abilities!

And the truth is, all grandchildren universally adore their grandparents, especially the grandmother! Even now, as a 36 year-old man, I have nothing but affection for my grandma! I’m a lot more distant with my grandfather on my mom’s side, and my grandfather on my dad side passed when I was only two years old, so I have zero memories of him. But even Cindy, she has great memories of her grandfather, and I think this is a great thing!

Lineage

Ultimately, what is the point of life? I think it has to deal with lineage. Essentially, you just don’t want the family line to die off! 

Ideally, the family lineage lasts forever! The purpose or the point isn’t your personal immortality — it is the immortality of your family bloodline! Thinking about your kids kids kids.

Don’t mention things you don’t like

Don’t get free marketing or free PR or free publicity to things you don’t like.

If you really hate Donald Trump, don’t say nothing, just vote for Kamala Harris, or the other side. 

When will you hate something, or vocalize when you hate something, we actually secretly like it? 

Why else would we complain or vocalize it?

New moral rule: whenever we hate some thing or dislike something, we stay silent. More manly to pause, and emit silence than say something evil.

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A real man?

A true mensch?

What is an “uber”-mensch? My ideal, my vision is to be beyond man. To not be a mere mortal, even though we are mortal.

For example, we mortal men, we lose our shit, we get angry, we yell, we get violent, we get aggressive, etc. Maybe the goal or the path is to not see yourself as a human — maybe the best thing is to not allow yourself any human emotions– the stoic way.

“Human, all too human”

It is obvious that we are all human, and that we all have human emotions. But then, the simplest innovation we can make as an individual is to be anti-human, anti-man?

Maybe going opposite or doing the opposite?

For example, when you are angry, be kind instead? Or even the funny reverse; when you want to be kind, show fake anger instead?

There are still are many innovations we can make in ethics guys! 

ERIC

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