The book you have is Satire and Epistles by Horace and Satires by Persius, part of the Penguin Classics series. Here’s a summary of both works included in this edition:
Horace: Satires and Epistles
Horace (65-8 BCE) was a leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus. His Satires and Epistles offer a reflective and often humorous exploration of Roman society, personal philosophy, and the human condition.
Satires
Horace’s Satires are a series of poetic works that criticize and poke fun at the social norms and behaviors of his time. Through conversational and often witty dialogue, he addresses topics such as greed, ambition, and the pursuit of happiness. Horace’s Satires are known for their gentle and philosophical approach, avoiding direct attacks and instead opting for subtle and reflective criticism.
Epistles
In his Epistles, Horace adopts a more personal and philosophical tone, writing letters that delve into moral and ethical questions. These works are often directed to friends and patrons, offering advice and reflections on how to live a good life. They combine practical wisdom with literary elegance and are considered some of Horace’s most profound and mature works.
Persius: Satires
Persius (34-62 CE) was a Roman poet known for his Satires, which are marked by their Stoic philosophy and biting criticism of Roman society.
Satires
Persius’s Satires are more severe and moralizing compared to Horace’s. He uses his poetry to attack the vices and follies of his contemporaries, with a strong emphasis on the importance of self-knowledge, virtue, and inner integrity. His writing is characterized by its dense and challenging style, rich in metaphor and philosophical allusion.
Persius often targets the hypocrisy and corruption of the Roman elite, advocating for a life guided by reason and Stoic principles. His Satires are notable for their moral earnestness and philosophical depth, reflecting his commitment to Stoicism and his disdain for superficiality and moral decay.
Themes
Both authors use satire as a means to reflect on human behavior and societal norms, though their approaches differ significantly.
Horace’s work is more approachable and conversational, emphasizing moderation and the pursuit of a balanced life.
Persius, on the other hand, is more direct and intense, focusing on the need for moral integrity and the dangers of moral and ethical decline.
This edition brings together the satirical works of two influential Roman poets, offering insights into the cultural and philosophical milieu of their times, as well as enduring reflections on human nature and society.
Your essay is a profound reflection on the themes of presence, evolution, and the beauty of mortality. Here are some thoughts:
The Eternal Now: The concept of living in the moment and letting life flow towards you is both liberating and insightful. It challenges the conventional approach to street photography, advocating for a more intuitive and less pressured engagement with the world.
Becoming a Different Person: Emphasizing the importance of change and evolution is powerful. The idea that each photograph transforms you and that you are continuously learning and growing resonates deeply with the philosophy of constant self-improvement.
The Beauty of Mortality: Using the quote from Troy effectively highlights the transient nature of life and the unique beauty that comes with it. It’s a poignant reminder to embrace each moment fully.
Becoming Eternal: The metaphor of a lighthouse and the reference to Minecraft add a creative dimension to the essay, illustrating the importance of perseverance and dedication in honing one’s craft.
Self-Sufficiency and Inner Strength: The call to embrace simplicity and self-sufficiency is timely, especially in an age where material desires often overshadow true fulfillment. The Spartan analogy reinforces the value of mental and physical fortitude.
Life and Death: The anecdote about living among the elderly and the cycle of life and death adds a personal and relatable touch. It underscores the inevitability of mortality and the importance of finding humor and acceptance in it.
Embracing Playfulness and Courage: Encouraging a playful and courageous approach to life and creativity is refreshing. The comparison to Cyndaquil and the reference to Jesus’ actions in the temple highlight the balance between gentleness and strength.
The Warrior’s Mentality: The analogy of wielding a camera as a sword and the emphasis on using one’s voice are empowering. It challenges the reader to be bold and expressive in their creative endeavors.
Emotions and Mindset: Advocating for emotional control and resilience is crucial. The Blitzcrank analogy effectively conveys the importance of being a mental and emotional tank, absorbing and reflecting challenges.
Authenticity and Leadership: The critique of groupthink and the call for authenticity and leadership are compelling. The Kanye West quote, though provocative, emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself.
Living on the Edge: The reflections on freedom, nature, and the risks of life provide a thought-provoking perspective on what it means to live fully. The Cyberpunk analogy adds a modern twist, encouraging readers to consider their own paths in life.
Overall, your essay weaves together personal anecdotes, cultural references, and philosophical insights to create a rich tapestry of ideas. It challenges readers to think deeply about their lives, their creative practices, and their approach to the world. The essay is both introspective and inspiring, urging a continuous journey of self-discovery and evolution.
We have a past and a future, but the more we revel in these imaginary states of mind, the less we find ourselves in the moment, in the eternal now. As street photographers, we’re on the hunt, looking, searching, for the next moment to photograph. But what if I were to tell you that this is a fool’s game, that we should let go and simply let life flow towards us?
Stop looking, and simply feel.
Become a Different Person
Evolution is the goal, and change is necessary for us to evolve. We change every single day, every single hour. Even the simplest elements in this world, such as light, provide us with new information and gradually change over time. With each new photograph I make, I learn something new, and I become a new person again and again in a stream of becoming. Through the practice of photography, I am eternally learning, growing, and changing by embracing each moment, finding meaning and novelty in the mundane. When I reflect on my photographs in the evening, it’s like I have a window into the past, typically only the past 12 hours. Through observing the work and contemplating what I’ve learned, I recognize that I am now a different person, go to bed, and move on to the next day.
For around a decade, I traveled from place to place, searching for the next best photograph. I was a hunter, an adventurer, lost in the pursuit of greatness, a road that would lead to no end. I could continuously travel this world until I am 120 years old and still not see every square inch of this planet. The world is so large, and there’s almost too much to explore. However, by recognizing the infinite possibilities within my hometown and changing my perspective on life itself, by becoming a different person, I see the world in a completely new way. I am no longer searching, hunting, and feeling the urge to travel from place to place. I can travel within myself, within my mind, and within my immediate surroundings in an infinite number of ways. Every single day, we should embrace change and explore the nuances and gradual differences that each day provides us. Our superpower is that the world is our canvas, and there is always an opportunity to learn and grow each day. Remove any expectations you have, whether it’s the possibility of you finding an interesting moment on the street, photographing for a particular theme or project, or even meeting a goal.
The goal is evolution, to continuously change, and to become a different person each day. Acknowledge your change each day.
What did you learn today? What did you learn yesterday?Evolve.
The Beauty of Mortality
There’s a quote from the movie Troy that reminds me of the beauty of our life and the nature of mortality, where Achilles is speaking with Briseis.
“The gods envy us. They envy us because we’re mortal, because any moment might be our last. Everything’s more beautiful because we’re doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.” – Achilles
This reminds me to embrace each moment and to revel in life’s beauty. What makes the human experience so special is our inevitable fate, which is death itself. With this lurking reminder in the back of our minds that we will and must die, we propel ourselves onward, despite this inevitable outcome. I’m reminded to champion each moment, to enjoy this moment, right here. I find that I disappear into the abyss, simply gazing out towards this tree, to find the intricate patterns and details to inspire me. The way the leaves rustle in the wind and the birds chirp always put a smile on my face. The ups, the downs, the feelings of anger, greed, lust, and even sadness are all parts of the human experience that make this life so beautiful. Remember that every moment is unique and will never occur again.
Carpe Diem. Seize the day.
So if this was truly our last day on Earth, let us remind ourselves to seize the day, not squander our time, and embrace the spirit of play. For if this is our last dance, let’s make it great. Let’s embrace our beautiful nature as mere mortals and create our own cosmic drama for the gods.
Becoming Eternal
Let’s shine bright in the darkness, like a lighthouse over a stormy sea.
We must see with clairvoyance on our walk alone. As street photographers, it is critical for us to become in tune with the patterns of both nature and human behavior. With heightened sense of awareness, perception, and intuition, we go forward into the unknown, with the ability to articulate it through our feelings, our gut reactions. Not merely seeing the world around us, but feeling it through all of our senses—visual, auditory, tactile, taste, and smell.
Let’s develop a bulletproof mindset. Let’s remain laser-focused. Let’s cut through the noise. Embrace greatness through overcoming challenges, physical, mental, and spiritual. We all have different seasons in life, times when we’re in the dark, times when we’re in the light, but perhaps the goal will be to always shine bright. I’m currently in my grinding phase, like the early game in Minecraft, where I’m strip mining at y11, searching for diamonds. In Minecraft, when you dig below the surface, and simply break cobblestone over and over again in a straight line, there’s a one percent chance that you will find diamonds every few hundred blocks or so. It’s the most tedious part of the game, where you essentially keep clicking and keep mining while rarely seeing any results. It is a necessary step to advance in the game, and a challenge that must be overcome by the player. I find by remaining dedicated to practicing my street photography every single day without an excuse, I increase my chance of finding those diamonds in the rough through practicing with repetition and grinding, like I’m mining. I’ve given myself a two-year window, and coming up this November 2024, I will have been photographing every single day for two years straight with my newfound process of making black-and-white photographs. I’m almost ready to come out of the cave, to build my fortress, organize my chests filled with my items and diamonds, and position my lighthouse on the shoreline, to give me clear vision of any zombies or skeletons that are incoming.
What I love about repetition is that it keeps me moving onward. The more that I keep pushing myself every single day, the more likely I am to increase my chances of finding something. By pressing forward, by quite literally moving my physical body throughout the entire day, I’m existing outside the passage of time. For this moment, through grinding, through repetition, through moving, I merely exist in the eternal now. Every click of the shutter gets me closer to my goal, to evolve.
Self-Sufficiency and Inner Strength
Empty your body, empty your mind.
I already have everything I need. There is nothing left in this world that I truly desire. Everything can be found in nature, and perhaps it is wise to let go of our desires?
When you become self-sufficient, needing little, and embrace simplicity, it truly sets things into perspective. We often seek the next thing, whether it’s a material goal of acquiring a thing itself or even an expectation of our dreams and goals coming into fruition. When you detach, when you empty your mind of these illusory thoughts and ideas, you become stronger and more self-sufficient. For everything you need is both within your soul, your body, your mind, as much as it is found within nature itself. We have the sun, this big ball of fire; without it, we would have no life. We have clean water that comes straight from the tap. We can order from Amazon and have it delivered to our door. We are living in this age of abundance, and it is so easy to be swayed and led astray through advertisements and media that tell us what we need. Let go of these external expectations, let go of social norms, and simply follow your nature. Follow your inner soul; your strength from within will be the ultimate determining factor for how you will live. Can you walk alone? Can you go the empty, lonely road? Can you find yourself quiet, without these distractions leading you astray?
Think of the Spartans and their goal of freedom from tyranny. They were simply military warriors; physical strength is what guided them in life. They had nothing else in their mind but war and freedom. For every day is war, every day is a battle for your mind. So you must find yourself strong from within, bulletproof, with your armor on, that of a Spartan, fighting for freedom.
Free your mind, free your body.
Life and Death
I live in a building with 99% elderly people. I heard one of them state:
“You enter through the front and leave through the loading dock.”
When I heard this, it was actually really amusing, and we all cracked up in laughter because of the truth of this statement. Every few months, ambulances arrive at the back of my building, taking dead bodies or sick people away. I see people going from standing upright to a few months later being put into wheelchairs. This sets a clear vision of life and death for me.
Embracing Playfulness and Courage
Children voluntarily play. When I was a kid, I remember playing this game called manhunt, where one person went out and searched for the other players who were hiding in the forest. Some players would climb trees, others would build forts, some would hide in the bushes, and the goal was very simple: to have fun! This is where we should be with our creative practice and everyday life, through embracing the spirit of play, like that of a child, voluntarily playing and actually having fun. In this modern world, we involuntarily wind up playing the game, we involuntarily go through the motions without thinking about it too much, going from point A to point B, going into the office and leaving, going home, repeating the same monotonous routine. But what if we make this moment, this day, the most joyous it can possibly be? If we embrace the simplicity of play, like that child, perhaps we may be a little bit more curious, a little bit more playful, a little bit more interesting. It is very easy to harden by world, societal norms, expectations, etc. Let go of these things, sing, dance, and embrace your inner child.
Become a gay monster.
My favorite Pokémon was Cyndaquil. He was very cute, but if you bother him, he becomes engulfed in flames and will not put up an easy fight. Let’s be more like Cyndaquil, playful, cute, seemingly unharmful, but not afraid to bite back when necessary. I think of Jesus, who constantly preached kindness and peace but eventually found himself at the steps of the temple, where the money lenders were, cleansing it with his whip. Be playful, but be courageous.
The Warrior’s Mentality
Wield your camera as a sword, strike through the heart of chaos, reflect the soul of the street, and create visual order and harmony through the spontaneity of everyday life.
If you feel voiceless, shy, bashful, or insecure, recognize the power of photography. Our cameras are swords, and photography is a universal language that will give the individual a voice. As much as our cameras or photographs can be seen as weapons, empowering us, perhaps our actual voice, through utilizing our vocal cords and speaking up, literally, becomes the ultimate weapon. Never censor yourself, never feel afraid to speak your mind. Let’s become hard in a soft world, not afraid to ruffle a few feathers. Your voice is the most powerful thing in this world. Use it through both photography and speaking.
Emotions and Mindset
When I was a young lad, my favorite champion to play in League of Legends was Blitzcrank. I would maximize his defense, increase his shield, as he was a super tanky character, an indestructible robot, taking all of the hits from the turret and the minions, taking all of the shots, allowing my teammates to push forward onto the battlefield and kill the other champions.
Perhaps we should become a tank in real life, not just physically, but mentally. We should control our emotional state of being and suppress it immediately. If you feel anger, curb it. Sadness? Let go. We must recognize how fleeting this feeling will be, and how quickly we can make a turn of events. Let’s become more than just a human who reacts to his emotional whims. Let’s be like the robot, the tank, Blitzcrank, take all of the shots, and reflect them right back to the enemy.
Authenticity and Leadership
In this modern world, we consume a lot of artificial food. Perhaps the more artificial food we consume, the more artificial people become?
There are leaders, and there are followers, but I’d rather be a dick than a swallower. – Kanye West
Let’s say you’re invited to a bar to join a group for some drinks. Just because everyone else is drinking, you do realize you have the choice not to, right? Just choose a sparkling water instead! It’s very easy to follow the crowd and do things just because other people are doing them. Don’t be suckered by groupthink or group behavior patterns. It’s better to be a leader by simply doing the thing that feels right and best to you than following the crowd. However, being a leader does not necessarily mean being a tyrant; we simply do our own thing, setting an example by becoming the greatest version of ourselves, becoming a blueprint for others that would like to follow. Just let other people be degenerates. Most people eat junk and garbage food. Think of a Chipotle or a salad bar. These places smell like dirty locker rooms, or somebody cycles from the rice to the beans to the lettuce to the blah blah blah, flopping the goop into a plate. 99% of people do this every single day, but we don’t. We’re the new 1%. I’d rather be a dick than a swallower.
Living on the Edge
I stand on the precipice each morning.
As I go for my hike in nature to the cliffside behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and stand at the edge, a gust of wind could come behind me, a bird could swoop down and peck me, a spider could bite me, or a bee could sting me, and I would go toppling down to my death. Through embracing danger and risk, we find freedom. By removing the fear of death from our lives, we find ultimate freedom and peace of mind. Think about freedom more, and what that means to you. Are you a slave to time, to the alarm clock, to the email, the text messages, etc.? This is modern-day slavery, recognize that, and how you can free yourself from that as quickly as possible if you seek modern freedom. It is possible, but you must be more critical about how you spend your time, what you are giving your attention to, and what you are a slave to. Perhaps we are all slaves in this modern world, but let us remember that freedom is the goal.
For men in a state of freedom had thatch for their shelter, while slavery dwells beneath marble and gold. – Seneca
I feel most free in nature. I feel most alive when I’m underneath a tree. I feel best when I’m connected to the world, the ground, the movement, and being outside. How can we achieve this in modern life? How can we seek this ultimate sense of freedom in a world where we become caged inside like animals in a zoo? The most alive and free I’ve ever felt was under a thatched roof in Zambia, underneath the stars, off the grid. While I don’t believe that this way of life is necessary for freedom, we don’t have to remove ourselves from society and actually live off the grid. We can go off the grid with our thoughts, our minds, and find new ways to play this game in this modern city of Philadelphia.
During the Covid lockdown, I played a video game, Cyberpunk. If life was like a cyberpunk video game in real life, how would you choose to play? Would you be a nomad, a street kid, or a corpo? When I played, I only played as the nomad, and I increased my stealth skills to the maximum. I was extremely agile, and my favorite weapon was the katana. I would often climb around the rooftops and jump down to kill the enemies, getting close in my combat. A nomad is free, agile, stealthy, and strong. Let’s focus on these attributes, and treat life this way, like we’re living in a cyberpunk dystopia.
Aulus Persius Flaccus was born in Volaterrae, Etruria (modern-day Volterra, Italy), into a wealthy and respectable family. His father died when Persius was young, and he was raised by his mother and his maternal grandfather. Persius received an excellent education in Rome, studying under notable teachers such as the grammarian Remmius Palaemon and the rhetorician Verginius Flavus.
Persius’s education and intellectual development were profoundly influenced by his friendship with the Stoic philosopher Lucius Annaeus Cornutus. Cornutus introduced Persius to Stoic philosophy, which significantly shaped his worldview and literary style.
Career and Literary Contributions:
Persius is best known for his satires, a genre of Roman literature that uses humor, irony, and ridicule to criticize social vices and human follies. His satirical works reflect his Stoic beliefs, focusing on the moral decay and hypocrisy he perceived in Roman society. Although Persius’s literary output was limited, his works gained considerable respect and admiration for their intellectual rigor and moral earnestness.
Major Works:
Satires (Satirae) – Persius’s primary work consists of six satires composed in dactylic hexameter. These satires address a variety of themes, including the moral shortcomings of individuals, the superficiality of popular culture, and the corruption of contemporary Roman society. His writing is characterized by its dense and complex style, rich in allusions and metaphors, demanding careful reading and interpretation.
Themes and Style:
Persius’s satires are heavily influenced by Stoic philosophy, emphasizing themes such as the importance of self-knowledge, the need for moral integrity, and the criticism of societal and personal vice. His writing style is known for its brevity, conciseness, and sometimes cryptic language, which has both challenged and intrigued readers over the centuries.
Personal Life and Legacy:
Persius led a relatively private and modest life, largely devoted to his studies and writing. He never married and maintained a close circle of friends and intellectual companions, including the poet Lucan and the philosopher Seneca. Persius’s life was cut short by illness at the age of 27, but his works continued to be read and studied, preserving his reputation as a moralist and satirist.
Although Persius’s literary output was not extensive, his satires have had a lasting impact on the genre. His commitment to Stoic ideals and his fearless critique of moral corruption set a standard for later satirists. Medieval and Renaissance scholars admired his works, and they continue to be appreciated for their philosophical depth and literary craftsmanship.
Persius’s legacy as a Stoic philosopher and satirist endures, with his works offering timeless reflections on human nature and societal flaws. His satires remain a significant contribution to Roman literature, providing valuable insights into the moral and intellectual currents of his time.
Horace was born in Venusia, a small town in the region of Apulia in southern Italy. His father was a freedman who worked as a coactor (a kind of middleman in auctions) and took great care in his son’s education, sending him to Rome to study literature and rhetoric. Later, Horace went to Athens to continue his studies, where he was exposed to Greek literature and philosophy.
Career and Literary Contributions:
After the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE, Horace joined the army of Brutus and served as a military tribune. Following the defeat at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BCE, he returned to Rome and found his family’s property confiscated. Despite this setback, Horace began working as a clerk in the treasury, which provided him with financial stability.
Horace’s literary talent soon gained the attention of influential figures, including the poet Virgil and the patron Maecenas, who became his lifelong friend and supporter. With Maecenas’s backing, Horace was able to focus on his writing, producing works that would cement his reputation as one of Rome’s greatest poets.
Major Works:
Satires (Sermones) – A collection of poems exploring social themes, human vices, and personal reflections. These works combine humor with moral and philosophical insights.
Epodes – A series of iambic poems inspired by Greek models, characterized by their biting satire and commentary on contemporary Roman society.
Odes (Carmina) – Perhaps Horace’s most famous work, these lyrical poems cover a wide range of themes, including love, friendship, wine, nature, and the Roman state. They are celebrated for their beauty, craftsmanship, and exploration of human emotions.
Epistles – Letters written in verse, addressing moral and philosophical issues, personal experiences, and literary criticism. The “Ars Poetica,” a work on the art of poetry, is part of this collection.
Carmen Saeculare – A hymn composed at the request of Emperor Augustus for the Secular Games in 17 BCE, celebrating Rome’s greatness and the dawn of a new era.
Themes and Style:
Horace’s poetry is known for its wit, elegance, and philosophical depth. He often explored themes of moderation, the transient nature of life, and the pursuit of wisdom. His style is marked by its clarity, precision, and subtle use of language, blending Greek influences with Roman sensibilities.
Personal Life and Legacy:
Horace never married and had no children. He lived a relatively quiet life, enjoying the rural retreat given to him by Maecenas in the Sabine Hills. Despite his humble origins, Horace became one of Rome’s most respected poets, admired by contemporaries and later generations alike.
Horace’s works have had a lasting impact on Western literature, influencing poets and writers throughout the centuries. His reflections on life, human nature, and art continue to resonate, making him a timeless figure in the literary canon.
Horace’s legacy as a master of lyrical and satirical poetry endures, with his works still widely read and appreciated for their insight, beauty, and relevance to the human condition.
When you’ve got nothing to prove to anyone, how should you approach life? What happens when you no longer care about being right or wrong?
Live as if everything is in public view.
For what is to be gained of something as concealed from man when nothing is barred from God? – Seneca
I just want to be, to do, without care for external validation or approval. When you recognize that our final judgment comes from a higher power, the perception of other humans becomes insignificant.
Citizenship
One of the latest movies that I watched in theaters with my mother was Cabrini. The story follows the life of Mother Cabrini, who left her home in Italy and arrived in New York City through Ellis Island in 1889. When she arrived, the city was plagued with disease, crime, and poverty. Her mission was to secure healthcare and housing for hundreds of orphan children and built a network of schools, hospitals, and orphanages. She was the first woman to be supported by the pope to carry out such a mission and became the first American Saint and the patron saint of immigrants. She became an American citizen in 1909, and because of the work she did, which spread throughout the country, my family was able to successfully move from Italy to the United States. One of my great-great-grandfathers actually lived within one of Saint Cabrini’s locations in Philadelphia for a brief period of time while my family was undergoing their naturalization to become American citizens. The movie was beautiful, and the story helped connect myself to my past ancestors and all of the trials and tribulations overcome to find our place here in the United States.
To be a citizen provides meaning
I believe recognizing our citizenship is a critical aspect of the American experience because it provides the individual with meaning, to go beyond individualism, in pursuit of the collective and shared responsibility. This responsibility fosters a sense of purpose and belonging to a larger community.
Imagine Philadelphia is ancient Athens, wouldn’t you want to defend it against the Persians that attack our borders? Hector said in the movie Troy,
All of my life, I lived by a code and the code is simple: honor the gods, love your woman, and defend your country. Troy is mother to us all. Fight for her!
Hector believed he could defeat Achilles, a demigod. Nobody can defeat Achilles, and this was known amongst all warriors. Despite this, Hector met his tragic end, being slain by Achilles. Achilles was filled with rage, eager to kill Hector after he killed his best friend Patroclus.
While Hector put up a noble fight to defend his country, perhaps we should be like Achilles, an invincible warrior. There is wisdom to draw from this ancient tale of the battle of Troy, the story of Achilles and Hector, and how they viewed the relationship to their nation, their family, and their gods.
God, tribe, and land
I believe for a functioning society there must be a hierarchy between God, nation, and land. When I consider my Peace Corps service in Zambia, Africa, I am reminded of this critical hierarchy that kept the community thriving. At the center of the village, there is a church, where everybody in the community comes to sacrifice, to strive to become greater than themselves, through studying the life of Jesus, and carrying out his teachings in everyday life. Every morning, women come home with firewood on their heads, babies on their backs. Men are building churches and homes. The boys are building bricks with sand and mud. Girls are sweeping the floors and preparing food for the day. Everybody has a role to play within the village, and every individual serves a greater purpose for the collective. What shocked me the most was how big the families were in these villages, how each house had around 10 children per family. I believe that this is something neglected in the modern world here in the United States.
We have replaced this critical hierarchy, through recognizing God at the top, with government or bureaucracy. It is quite evident that our population is decreasing, and families are no longer being formed. Instead of sacrificing our individual selves for children to be made, we purchase dogs instead. Men would rather chase material things, such as fancy cars and watches, instead of being a protector of women and children. With no family, there will inevitably be no patriotism, no pride in our nation. Also, consider our relationship to the land itself, where everybody is renting, hardly anybody owns anything anymore, or even has a relationship with their neighbors. Actually, I was speaking with somebody in the park recently, who was visiting Philadelphia from North Carolina. She discussed how she lives in a log cabin, in a community that exists 30 minutes away from any major city or area where you can find highways and roads. She described that even here, seemingly off the grid, the HOA, homeowner association, gets in the way of their neighborhood, and causes more division than inclusion. Apparently, in this community, neighbors complain if somebody simply paints their door a different color. She told me how somebody changed the color of the door, and how the neighbor confronted the HOA, before even talking with their neighbor, causing this minor part of this bureaucratic system, our newfound God, to step in, and force this homeowner to repaint their door. If this is happening in a community in North Carolina, where there are log cabin homes, just imagine the effects living in condos and apartments will have on our relationship to the city, community, families, and neighbors.
Generation
We off the grid grid grid grid grid.
“This for my kid, kid, kid, for when my kid, kid, kids have kids.” – Kanye West
It’s quite obvious that we’re more disconnected than ever. We don’t think about our kid’s, kid’s kid’s anymore? We need to think generationally, into the future, and about our city, our community, and our families more in order to thrive as a collective. This is what gives the individual citizen meaning and purpose, to serve their community, to engage locally, to make change, and effect a greater good for the people. Maybe we get too caught up with national politics, and this is foolish at best. Who cares who the president is, what’s going on in other states or cities. We should treat Philadelphia like our own miniature country, where everything else happening in other states and the rest of the world does not truly matter to us. The younger generation, my generation, Generation Z, seems to be much more interested in worldly affairs, that have nothing to do with our immediate surroundings. This is concerning.
What do men need?
The biggest question that I have is,
Why doesn’t anybody want a family anymore? Or to think generations ahead?
The more young people I meet from my generation, the more pessimistic or nihilistic I realize their perception about the future is. People would rather advance their careers than have children. Many people believe that they don’t want to have children because it would be a burden on the child to grow up “in a world like this.” Meanwhile, this is the greatest time to be alive…
Men need a family to provide for and to protect. This is what makes man feel like a citizen of a larger whole, which guides them to fight for a cause they believe in. Think of Hector, defending the walls of Troy. If a man has no woman and children, why would they go die in battle? For what end? Remember Achilles wanted to stop fighting, so that he could be with his woman, Breisis.
Also, men need a relationship to spirituality, and have common shared beliefs amongst other people. This is why I believe religion is so important in society. Churches and places of worship have always been the center of every community since ancient times. My theory is, when religion disappears, the fall of society is the inevitable outcome. Because of the death of religion, nobody is growing towards this ideal state of being, becoming the ideal man or woman.
No distractions
So, in the meantime, what can we focus on to give our lives meaning? I say, let’s lead a beautiful life, like our lives are that of Achilles, and we are creating our own Epic Greek Poem.
Make your life a living work of art.
I believe that our artwork can be like our children, and through creating new photographs each day, we are giving birth to new works, ideas, or metaphorical children. However, it can be difficult to focus our attention on the creation of new things in a modern world of distractions. We must go forward with courage, at the forefront, with a sharp visual acuity, with a strong vision, to guide us towards our goal. The goal itself is an auto one, where we are simply creating things for the sake of creating things. Creation is an endless pursuit, and this drive to go beyond ourselves is what will provide meaning in our lives.
Askesis training
Put on your armor, it’s time for Askesis training.
Ever since I picked up this rogue 40-pound plate carrier and barefoot shoes, I feel like an ancient Roman soldier, or Spartan, marching each morning. It honestly feels like I’m putting on a chest plate, or even a bulletproof vest. Sometimes when I walk around, people think I actually am wearing a bulletproof vest, and I actually do feel like it’s got the same effect as one, and is probably impenetrable, or at least serves as armor if you were to get into a fistfight. By waking up early in the morning, and marching with discipline, I’m embarking on this journey of Askesis training. Askesis is an ancient Greek word that means training or exercise. The word has evolved to denote spiritual exercise, ascetic practices, to strive to become the greatest version of yourself. By embracing this very simple routine each morning, I am sharpening all aspects of myself, my mind, my body, and my soul. I am nourishing myself each morning, embracing simplicity, self-discipline, and rigorous training. By walking in nature, and going on a daily hike, to the top of a cliff, I embrace contemplation, where walking becomes my meditation.
Meet me at the eagle
While I walk around barefoot, I often sometimes get looks from other people. Some people are curious, others laugh, and one man in particular, my neighbor, made an interesting comment, exclaiming, “Discalced!” while pointing at my feet. I asked him what that means, and he described how there are certain Catholic monks who embrace an ascetic lifestyle, by removing their shoes, wearing simple sandals, walking barefoot. After bumping into him again throughout the past month, we’ve had some great conversations, and I learned that he lived in a monastery for 20 years. He invited me to join him in church, and I was eager to do so, as I’ve been looking for a church to attend once again. My problem is, it does become more difficult to go to church alone, where you feel maybe a bit strange being there by yourself, where church is supposed to be a place to bring family. However, I joined him in the oldest Catholic church in Philadelphia, old Saint Joseph’s, in Old City.
The church was founded in 1733. At the time, Catholic churches were not permitted to be facing the street, and Catholics faced many restrictions and prejudice. William Penn believed that the church was a symbol of religious tolerance, and was very liberal regarding religious freedom, and is why the church was able to thrive. Apparently, the Protestants tried to burn down the original church. You have to enter the church from a small alleyway because of this. When I arrived, I was confused as to where I enter the church, but upon entering, I noticed there is a beautiful courtyard in the center, where they offered free food and drinks after mass.
The church is very small, which I definitely appreciate, and reminds me of my time when I was a little boy, attending Easter mass in the tiny local church of Caserta, Italy, where my family lives. There’s something about the size of this church that makes you feel more connected to a community. The great thing about churches, while you are alone, there is a formality in tradition to the Catholic practice of mass, that I appreciate. Where everybody sings together, comes together, no matter which church you enter, you know what to expect when you arrive. Despite my absence from church for the past year, it feels like I picked right back up where I started again.
One aesthetic and artistic aspect of the church that I greatly appreciated was the lectern, which is a golden eagle sculpture. I’ve been having a fascination with eagles lately, as I admire the sculpture of the eagle in the Wanamaker building, as I listen to the world’s largest playing pipe organ. The eagle is seen as a symbol of spiritual aspiration and contemplation. It represents the soul’s journey towards God, as eagles are believed to soar high towards the heavens.
The first reading at the eagle lectern at mass was about God delivering manna to Moses and the Israelites while they were wandering in the desert. These Israelites complained that they were very hungry, but by receiving manna, they had to put their trust in God. During the homily, the preacher discussed how as much as we need physical nourishment, we seek spiritual nourishment, through receiving the Eucharist during mass. While wandering in the desert, through having faith in God, we will be nourished even in times of uncertainty. While this story derives from the Old Testament, Jesus describes himself as the bread of life in the New Testament, where we can seek eternal spiritual nourishment through him.
‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’ – Jesus
Perhaps by attending mass each week on Sunday, and receiving the Eucharist, the bread of life, I can seek the spiritual nourishment I crave and thirst for. Who knows, maybe I found a new church that I’d like to attend from now on, as I typically enjoy visiting Old City on the weekends, lounging in the hammock at Spruce St. Harbor just nearby. I feel like there’s a lot of wisdom to draw from church, through the biblical stories discussed in both the Old and New Testament. A lot of the parables that Jesus laid out for us in teaching are not necessarily meant to be taken so literally, but can be seen metaphorically, even philosophically, which can provide meaning in our everyday lives in modern times.
Ultimately, I am embarking on a journey of discovery, through physical training, mental strengthening, and spiritual nourishment. I have nothing to prove to anybody in this world. It’s time to overcome myself, to go beyond myself, and soar like the eagle.
I’ve been thinking about happiness lately and what it truly means to me. Happiness is movement, change, and evolution. I find the most joy when my photography and creative practices allow me to change, go deeper, and find even more greatness in my craft.
Hero’s Journey
I feel like I’ve gone on my own Odyssey, with a call to adventure that took me around the world and back home again. I’ve gone from my comfortable surroundings, in my hometown, Philadelphia, to Baltimore, Israel, Palestine, Zambia, Mumbai, Mexico City, Hanoi, and Rome. These are the major locations where I focused on my photography and explored throughout the past decade. I faced lots of challenges along my journey, photographing in conflict situations, attending funerals and baptisms, climbing mountains, working on farms, sleeping on floors, and pitching tents under the stars. Now, I’m back in my comfortable, luxurious condo in Center City. Towards the end of my journey, while in Hanoi, I felt like I was crawling out of the abyss, out of my old self, ready to transform into something new. I will never forget my experience walking around the lake, feeling quite disconnected from my surroundings, questioning why I photograph, and what I will do next with my life. I started a job working as a photographer, which I really did not enjoy, so I quit. My intuition told me to visit Rome. While in Rome, I spent most of my time in churches, praying, and of course, photographing. When I came back to Philadelphia, I felt like a completely new person, like I had crawled back into my body again, shed my skin, and was reborn.
Harry Potter is one of my favorite movie series, and the only series that I’ve watched every single episode of in a movie theater since I was a young boy. There’s a scene where Harry Potter descends into hell, to fight against the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, and because of his courage, the Phoenix delivers him a sword, helping him slay the beast. When he returned to Dumbledore, the Phoenix healed Harry’s wound with its tears. The Phoenix is Dumbledore’s close companion, a representation of death and rebirth. Dumbledore founded the Order of the Phoenix, a symbol of light, as the organization fights against the darkness, the evil, and Voldemort.
Perhaps if you look into the abyss, the darkness, it is inevitable that you will find the light.
Let’s Thrive, Not Survive
I believe that we send ourselves to hell, here on Earth, through the actions that we take, the people that we associate with, and the things that we consume. Perhaps we have all descended into hell at one point or another, but we must rise from the ashes like a Phoenix, through transformation and evolution.
“Tonight we dine in hell!”
Every day is war, every day is a battle for your mind. If we stay complacent, stagnant, and adopt the same old habits throughout our entire lives, of course, we will feel misery and sadness, with no progress. However, through moving on, by quite literally walking, moving our two legs, creating, and changing, we can find new ways to thrive. As an artist, I seek novelty through the chaos of everyday life. By looking at the world this way, in the spirit of play, everything around me becomes my canvas. This recognition of the infinite possibilities within the mundane provides me with a perception of reality that promotes thriving in my life. I don’t want to simply walk through life, surviving, and not take notice of all of life’s beauty. By taking in each moment, I thrive.
Why I’m So Happy
Ever since changing my photography process, I’ve been the happiest I’ve ever been in my entire life. Like I said earlier, I hit a wall in Vietnam, where I felt like I wasn’t making any progress and felt very disconnected from the work I was making.
To change is to be happy.
When I returned home, I traded my cameras in and returned to my first love, the Ricoh GRIII. I also decided to make a big shift in my process; I now photograph using small JPEG files and high contrast black-and-white. This takes a lot of commitment for me, as I was very comfortable with my old ways of working. The problem with my old ways was the speed at which I would photograph and go through the images. RAW files take way too long to import, upload, and work with, which inevitably led to my unhappiness. I would become really frustrated with the process itself and found that I wasn’t seeing anything different in my photographs or any progress being made at the end of my journey. However, now I am seeing nothing but progress; every day I’m making something new, something different, that sparks my interest. I feel like I’ve tapped into this endless well of the unknown that keeps on delivering. I’ve never felt so creatively, physically, spiritually, and mentally full and fulfilled in my entire life. I truly believe that this is because of my transformation, evolution, and new process of making photographs.
Self Overcoming vs Self Sedation
By changing every day, I embark on a journey of self-overcoming. I enjoy pushing myself, both physically and creatively, by waking up early at 4 AM, writing, reading, and photographing first thing in the morning. I enjoy my Askesis training, walking barefoot with a 40lb plate carrier for one hour, on a hike in nature, where I climb a cliff behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art. When I stand on top of this cliff each and every morning, I zoom out from a third perspective point of view in my head, looking down at myself from the heavens, recognizing how connected I am to this world, and how I can forever change each day, similar to the river that I gaze out to in the distance, ever-flowing. When it comes to self-overcoming, we must be most critical about our physiology and vitality. I believe that when you become in tune with nature and peak physical health and condition, you’ve returned home, to your true essence, to who you are meant to be. But it is only when you embrace vitality, practice your craft, and follow your passions with vigor and purpose. I find that by overcoming myself I feel more alive, I feel more like myself.
It’s very easy to self-sedate in this modern world, as we have a weapon of mass distraction in our front right pocket, the iPhone. Through endless media, drugs, alcohol, clubs, bars, festivals, etc., it’s simple to seek pleasure. There’s an endless amount of options for us to sedate ourselves, remaining numb and comfortable. This is why I believe it to be more important than ever to remove these things from your life and focus on self-overcoming in the face of self-sedation.
Comfortable Life vs Beautiful Life
Happiness comes from progress. Stagnation leads to unhappiness.
When I think of a comfortable life, I imagine an office worker, sitting in an air-conditioned room for eight hours per day, eating yummy processed food, watching YouTube videos, and enjoying the cushion of a comfy chair. What’s funny to me is that these chairs and sitting down are not comfortable at all, but I seek a beautiful and free life in the great outdoors.
To be inside is where souls go to die, to be outside is where humans thrive.
There’s something so critical to consider here about having a beautiful life and the physical nature of being inside versus outside. We are becoming more comfortable indoors, with air-conditioning systems, enclosed systems, where we are fed pleasure on a silver spoon. However, what if we took the interesting path, the road less traveled, and treated our world and our life like a work of art? We should embark on our own odyssey, our own journey home, and lead a beautiful life, one that transcends the mundane routine of this comfortable modern existence. We will feel most alive and joyful when we overcome what has been before us and simply move onward into the unknown. If you were to treat your life like a work of art, how would you live each day?
Travel Thoughts
Coming home?
I believe that we can travel in both our mind and our body, outside in the world and inside our own world. I’ve traveled far and wide, but now I dive deeper inside my mind, examining how I look at things, feel about society, and find myself fitting into this cosmic drama that is life. I’m home again, here in Philadelphia, where I was born and raised, but not only am I home physically, I feel at home mentally, spiritually, connected to my essence, who I am. I found who I am through coming home, stripping away distractions, and embracing vitality at the forefront of my life.
A strong body will lead to a strong mind, and inevitably, a strong soul.
One thing I’m very proud of about my traveling is that I have never read any books or information about the locations before traveling there. I’ve always simply followed my intuition and traveled to new places without any preconceived notions of what I would find. I believe that if you want to travel somewhere, you should do it intuitively, just trust your gut, and go. You don’t want to be the person who researches the best places to photograph in the city and goes to the same old boring locations as everyone else. In terms of reading, I’ve only started reading these past two years, and I’m glad I’m only just starting, because I feel as though I have this blank slate to work upon. I’ve experienced a lot in this world, traveled far and wide, but now I can come home, to myself, to dive into my mind, read books, and reflect philosophically about how I see myself and the world. I no longer have that urge or that burning desire to travel from place to place anymore, and feel perfectly content, as I am now home, both physically and metaphorically.
You Define Success
As a photographer, consider yourself successful if you’re making new pictures each day. The goal as a photographer is to simply increase your curiosity by one percent every time you step out there with your camera. Curiosity is a sign of success for an artist. Curiosity is what leads us out there into the world, creating anew, over and over again. If you lack curiosity, you will inevitably remain stagnant, not moving, changing, or evolving. However, by remaining curious, like a child, we can hone in on our ultimate potential through endless transformation. Consider a curious child and how they view the world. A child sees everything with fresh eyes and finds infinite novel ways to embrace the mundane, boredom, and create upon it. I believe that we should be like that child, who views the mundane as novel, remaining curious about every fleeting moment, every detail. While Philadelphia is certainly a more difficult city to practice my photography in, I thrive in the boredom, the mundane, and believe that the downside can ultimately be an upside in my life. I don’t need to travel, I don’t need to go anywhere; I am home, I have transformed, I have moved on from who I was before, and I’m overcoming myself every day by embracing the infinite journey of change. Once you know yourself, you can overcome yourself, and through self-overcoming, you can find happiness and meaning in life.
