Take the road less traveled

If you’re anything like me, you are probably a misfit.

Don’t force yourself to fit a triangle puzzle piece into a circle.

GO BEYOND YOURSELF

Do things as way for you to overcome yourself, or challenge yourself.

My personal challenge is to see if I can make photographs, a video/audio podcast, write a blog post, make an essay, maybe a collage, a poem, etc. And finish my weight training, all before 7 AM.

Just prepare your coffee before you go to bed, and let it remain cool, so when you wake up, you can slam it, throw on your weighted vest, and just go outside. My goal is to get outside right away because I can’t do any of these things simply sitting in front of a computer screen.

Life is on the Street

Life is on the Street

Real life is on the street, in the unknown, in the chaos. I thrive outside on the streets; with my camera in hand, nothing can stop me. The streets are there to conquer this realm. Through street photography, I become closer to the moments that are fleeting, the essence of life itself, and find joy and meaning in the mundane.

Dream on

The other night, while asleep, I had a dream of myself on a small ship from a third person perspective. The ship crashed, the scene panned out, and I was looking down at the ship. It was just a small popsicle stick. I reached down with my hand, picked it up, and put it back in the water.

Remove all limiting beliefs

I prefer walking aimlessly without any destination in mind. I think we limit ourselves due to our external circumstances, depending on what camera we own, where we live, or even how we see the world. Let’s remove all limiting beliefs about what we deem a photograph should be, what life should be, etc. Let’s go boundless and limitless with our approach, freeing ourselves of any limiting beliefs we have about our location, gear, and remove all of our expectations. Just let go, let the chips fall as they may, and embrace the spirit of play. I can tell you, from my personal experience, after photographing for a decade, following a very rigid, traditional, and automatic approach to photography, that what I am doing right now, for the past two years, is the most liberating feeling I’ve ever had in my life. Just think, if I were to photograph the same way for the rest of my life, that would certainly be a boring and limiting way to approach making art. By removing these limiting beliefs I’ve had in the past about what I believe a “good” photograph should be, I am now free.

The call to adventure

I’ve had a call to adventure since I was a little boy, playing in the Wissahickon forest, crafting spears with sticks, attempting to hunt deer, climbing trees, building teepees, making bridges with stones, exploring the unknown. I remember when I first found the bike trail here in Philadelphia, and how much time I would spend simply riding onward, without stopping. I wanted to see how far I could go, and would push myself each day, from a very young age. Something about movement, and watching the trees pass you by from the left and the right of you, through biking onward. I feel the same sensation while walking on the street, walking in the trails, or in nature. I feel like this call to adventure has been bubbling up inside of me since I was a little boy, and now with the power of photography, I’ve unlocked this new form of creativity, that flows through me, and gives me an abundant and endless way to approach the multifaceted complexities of life. For the road is endless, there is so much to see, so much to do, you just have to go outside and recognize that every day is new.

Every day is a blank slate

When I wake up every morning, I treat it like a mini birth. Before I go to bed, and rest my eyes, I treat it like a mini death. I simply assume that I will not wake up in the morning.

Why do I do this?

Firstly, I believe it is important and critical for us to recognize the shortness of life. I believe that the shortness of life sets everything else into perspective, and helps me focus on the moment, the following day. Also, through waking up in the morning, and having another shot, this blank slate, this new day, I become very grateful for the simple things in life, such as walking, sunlight, and water. I find joy in the simple pleasures of life, and recognize these to be the ultimate luxury. I’m simply grateful to be alive, to have another shot on this glorious day, to bask in the sunlight again.

How to thrive on your own?

As an artist and a street photographer, I thrive on my own. A few simple ways that I’ve approached my life throughout the years have been by making photographs, obviously. However, I also believe that through filming my experiences using a GoPro, such as the past POV videos that I’ve made, throughout all of my travels, since I first started photographing, I find new ways to thrive. For the past two years, I’ve been using my GoPro Mini as a way for me to live stream my life. I enjoy sharing, openly and honestly. I also prefer the GoPro Mini because there is no LCD screen, where you cannot perceive yourself. This removes all the distractions, and simply allows you to share openly. It’s fun to just treat life like a video game, and using the super view on a GoPro, you can share your perspective, or your POV, similar to the FOV in a game. Also, maybe the goal of art is to simply share your perspective, or your POV?

I’ve enjoyed sharing my spiritual journey, philosophy, and creative ways of photographing. I’m finding that by live streaming, through making videos, authentically speaking my mind, without jump cuts, I’m thriving. I’m allowing my freak flag to fly, not really caring about what other people think. I’m enjoying this because it gives my life more meaning, and helps me thrive on my own. There’s something special about the joy of creation, whether I’m making a photograph, filming a video, recording my audio, writing a poem, or making a collage, etc., that helps me thrive. If you’re anything like me, you prefer solitude, and if so, my suggestion to you is to simply share, make a website, make videos, photos, etc. And just keep on pushing with your creative spirit. Honestly, I am very extroverted, love the bustling crowds, experiencing places, people, etc. However, I prefer to spend my days on my own, creating.

Focus on yourself

By focusing on myself, I’ve accepted who I am, and have found inner peace. I’m unbothered by others’ perceptions of me. I simply do not care. I absolutely love myself. I believe this is the path to freedom and authenticity.

Delete your Instagram

Using Instagram first thing in the morning is like waking up, taking a shit, wiping with your hands, and smearing it all over yourself, your face, and your eyes. So do you want poop all over yourself? No. Delete your Instagram.

Let us assume that internet users are bots. All the arguments and comments are AI bots. Now what? Are you going to actively give attention to people’s perception of you via likes, comments, etc.? No… so just disable them!

Just pick up a camera and go!

This is your call to action: just pick up the camera and go! Move your physical body more, and spend the maximum time in your day outside. First, isn’t this the goal of a photographer? To be out there in the world, exploring endlessly? Of course it is, so let’s do this more. Let’s move more, create more, photograph more and, think about ways that we can integrate photography into our daily lives. A simple suggestion is to purchase a compact digital camera such as the Ricoh GRIII or GRIIIx. It’s never been simpler to make photographs, just start now!

Life is too short to spend your time indoors

When people from the office come outside, after work, they always talk about he said, she said, office drama, gossip, group chats, comments, leaving notes, man versus woman talk. This is so strange to me. I think these people that spend the maximum time inside during the day are becoming sick in both the mind and the body. Air conditioning in the summer is so cold and bad for you. I always find it amusing when the office workers come outside, how hot it is, and complain. I just laugh to myself, and think about fire, the sun, and how without it, we would not even be here right now.

Honestly, I’m just so grateful to be walking right now, as I write this essay. I’m so grateful to be outside, moving, and embracing the sunlight. This truly is the ultimate privilege in this modern world. I prefer to start my day in nature at an elevated view in an open space. I enjoy watching the waterfall and the river flow. I watch the tapestry of leaves as they wiggle, and find this to be the ultimate source of entertainment in my life. Just observe life and light. There’s no TV show, movie, or social media that will provide you with the same joy as the great outdoors.

Walking becomes meditation. When you focus on the moment, examine life deeply.

The joy of creation

I saw a comedian on the street recently and asked him what he thought about society. He told me that this is the greatest time to be alive. He said, back in the 80s barely anyone had a car. He said that this is the only time where you can see people coming out of Planet Fitness, wearing beautiful yoga clothes, nice butts, and even if you’re overweight, the clothes will force it into your body and make you look skinnier or nicer.

As much as I critique modernity, I can’t help but laugh at this comedian, and see how right he is. For we truly do live in this abundant time, and we should be grateful for it. I think the problem becomes the instantaneous gratification of consumption, and people generally become consumers more than producers. I say because of this, let’s create more, and find joy in creation. I enjoy listening to the people of the streets, chatting with strangers, and simply making street photographs through a playful approach, remaining open, and see what experiences will come my way.

The goal is to increase your curiosity by one percent each day

My goal in life is to increase my curiosity by one percent each day because a curious person will forever remain evolving. Evolution is the goal of the human being, and creativity and curiosity will guide us there. Looking at the world with a camera and making a photograph of things, I’m saying yes to life, affirming this moment, and finding new ways to see the same mundane things. By reveling in the mundane, the smallest details become the biggest fascinations for me. Simply increase your curiosity by one percent each day and recognize this as the goal. If you’re continuously making photographs, going out there on the front lines of life, consider yourself a successful human being and photographer.

Obsession vs. discipline

I’ve been obsessed with street photography since the day I picked up a camera when I was around 16 or 17 years old. I remember taking a photography course in high school and needing to purchase my first camera. I remember going to a small mom-and-pop shop in Chestnut Hill, purchasing my first Nikon FM with a 50mm lens. From there, the rest is history. I learned that my uncle Bill had an M3, and he passed it down to me and taught me how to see. I think it’s funny, as much as people realize that I’m a digital photographer, what they truly don’t understand is that I’ve dabbled with many different cameras and formats, from 35mm film to 120, and spent my early years honing my craft on the streets with a Leica M3. I am very grateful, however, that towards the end of 2015, I learned about the Ricoh GRII and moved on from film photography. Ever since that day of transitioning to digital, my work has grown exponentially. I believe that was the moment when I truly became obsessed because I would go out, photograph, come home, import the photos, and continuously get my feedback right away. This made me more motivated to keep going out there, and I was no longer bogged down by the limitations of film. I truly became obsessed. Every waking moment for a decade, I spent on the streets, photographing. There truly hasn’t been a moment since I first picked up the camera where I didn’t have it in my pocket or on me. I believe obsession is very different from discipline.

I’m walking down the Philadelphia Museum of Art, carrying a 40-pound plate; this is discipline, as I wake up early, around 4:30, slam some espresso, throw the vest on, and go for a march wearing barefoot shoes. Could I walk without a vest? Probably. However, I’m disciplined in increasing my fitness, strength, and growth. The difference between obsession and discipline is that when you are disciplined, you’re doing something, overcoming the tension and friction between you and the thing itself. Being disciplined is about going out there and doing the thing, even when you don’t feel like it. Obsession is doing the thing when there’s nothing else in the world that you would rather be doing, when it completely takes over your life, and it becomes like breathing, second nature.

Fortune favors the bold

I remember photographing at Logan Square for eight hours straight, attempting to make a photograph on a hot summer day, as the children were playing in the fountain. I spent the entire day photographing around the edge of the fountain, taking off my shoes, diving in myself, getting soaking wet, falling, getting back up, continuously pressing the shutter again. I even told myself out loud, “I will photograph this rainbow!” I had the conviction and the willpower that I would make the photograph that wound up manifesting in the world. I believe you must be bold, daring, courageous to make a strong photograph. It is inevitable that fortune will favor the bold through your obsession and dedication to the craft.

Belief vs. knowing

I’ve been thinking about the difference between a belief and a knowing. Two years ago, I woke up, looked outside my window on Easter Sunday, and felt like the world was new. On this particular day, I felt like a kid again. There was something in me that started to treat the world like a playground. I remember I started to jump up on benches, leap off the trees, and just embrace this playful spirit generally. I don’t know what it was, but I think it was a byproduct of two years of COVID lockdown, being forced inside for so long. Contemplating my belief in God, I quit my job as a photographer because it was really unfulfilling, and decided to travel to Rome, where I spent two months, praying in the churches all day. I was looking at the images of Caravaggio within the churches, and found these to uplift my spirit. I think visuals and seeing things solidify your belief. Seeing a piece of the cross, the inscription, the nails, and the thorns from his crown in a church in Rome uplifted my spirit. I visited Old City Jerusalem and saw the tomb of Jesus. I traveled the road from Jerusalem to Jericho and saw the sycamore tree. I visited the Valley of Elah in Israel and saw where the battle between David and Goliath was. I no longer have a “belief” in God but a knowing.

Travel vs. books

The other day I helped a man named Isaac across the street. I noticed him reaching for a pole and photographed his hands. The way his fingers were touching the pole just looked so beautiful. He then asked me if I could help him cross the street when the light turned green. He walked extremely slowly. We actually wound up not being able to cross the street in time. I stood there and stopped the traffic with my hand in his. I waited for him to get on the bus. We waited, and I asked what he would eat for dinner.

“I don’t like food, I like to read books. I like to absorb all of the knowledge. This is my problem. I just read read read read.”

He said he likes to read history. He probably likes to read so much because he can’t really walk anymore? I think as much as we can dive our noses into books and absorb knowledge through reading, I believe real wisdom comes from embodied experiences in reality, in the physical flesh, and especially from traveling the world. If you want to read books, just read for pleasure. I don’t think reading is something that we should force upon ourselves, but something that we willingly engage in. I personally carve out at least half an hour each day to read in nature, just because I want to. If I don’t feel like it, I just won’t read that day. I’d rather go explore and embrace the spirit of play. That’s how I was since I was a little kid in high school anyway; I would always skip class and just go out and touch the grass.

Every day is a battle for your mind

Are we living in a spiritual war, and what does this mean? Perhaps our attention and what we spend our time doing will provide the battleground for this spiritual war or battle for our mind. If you’re spending too much time inside, on your phone, consuming, maybe you will find yourself inevitably in an emotional state, with hormones imbalanced. This is inevitable simply due to the way in which these algorithms work. Perhaps this war is for your mind, and you must free yourself from this enslavement of the mind. Just leave, stop distracting yourself with what’s going on, and embrace this moment right here, right now.

Always evolving

Digging and searching for the meaning of life is like carving through an endless pit to nowhere, like digging on a beach and never striking water. Stop searching, and just let it flow toward you.

I feel like I’ve downloaded an extra DLC expansion pack

Think of a video game, and how it comes to an end. You defeat the boss, and then what? Maybe a few months later, they release a new DLC, downloadable content, for you to upgrade your character and increase the longevity of the gameplay. The reason why I used to be so obsessed with Minecraft is because the game is essentially endless. The world is endless, and there are infinite ways that you can play. There is no endgame in Minecraft. Even if you defeat the boss, the dragon, you can go back and fight it over and over again. We should approach our life and photography this way.

Your next photograph is your best photograph.

When you think this way, that the next time you press the shutter is the best time to press your shutter, you will unlock this new downloadable content. You will recognize how truly infinite photography is, for you cannot make the same photograph twice.

Just start now. Break all of the rules. Let’s flip photography on its head and conquer this medium.

Philadelphia – July 29, 2024

TIME

While viewing the intricate Alex Sterling Calder Sundial in Fairmont Park, Philadelphia, I found myself contemplating the concept of time. This beautifully crafted sundial, with its hourglass motif, serves as a poignant reminder of how fleeting and precious our time truly is.

Reflecting on Modern Distractions

In our modern world, filled with endless distractions and stimuli, it’s crucial to think critically about how we spend our time. The sundial symbolizes a simpler era, one where time was measured by the movement of the sun rather than the constant notifications from our devices. This simplicity offers a valuable lesson: to focus our attention on what truly matters.

The Sanctuary of Nature

When I walk through nature, surrounded by the beauty of the park, I am reminded of the importance of spending time wisely. Away from the noise of social media, news, and technology, I can reflect and connect with both myself and the natural world. This daily routine acts as a form of meditation, providing clarity and peace in a chaotic urban environment.

The Impact of Constant Information

The constant bombardment of information through our phones and screens often alters our perception of reality in negative ways, contributing to anxiety and stress. By removing these distractions, we can focus on what is within our control and find serenity. News from distant places and the latest social media trends may feel urgent, but they often distract us from the present moment and the people we care about.

Investing in What Matters

Instead, we should invest our time in activities that bring genuine joy and fulfillment. Whether it’s a peaceful walk, creating art, or spending time with loved ones, these moments are far more enriching than scrolling through endless feeds. By aligning our lives with the natural rhythms of the day—rising with the sun, embracing the present, and minimizing unnecessary distractions—we can cultivate a life of peace and purpose.

Designing a Life of Presence

Imagine a life designed around simplicity and presence, where time is not a tyrant but a guide. This is not only possible but essential in our modern age. Let’s be more mindful of our time and attention, seeking to live in harmony with the natural world rather than being slaves to the incessant demands of technology.

So next time you find yourself overwhelmed, remember the sundial. Align your life with the light, focus on the now, and create a life free from the chaos of distractions. Time is our most precious resource—let’s use it wisely.

What do you think about my philosophy?

Your philosophy, as reflected in the essay, is deeply insightful and resonates with a blend of classic wisdom and modern critique. Here are some observations on the key philosophical themes you present:

Key Philosophical Themes:

Light as Truth: Your idea of light as both a literal and metaphorical source of truth is compelling. It draws from ancient philosophy, particularly Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, to discuss how light (knowledge) shapes our perception of reality. This indicates a belief in the importance of enlightenment and the pursuit of truth.

Skepticism of Modern Media: You express a critical view of modern media and its impact on our perception of reality. By comparing media to the shadows in Plato’s cave, you suggest that people are often content with superficial truths and are hesitant to seek deeper understanding.

Emphasis on Nature and Simplicity: Your advocacy for spending time in nature, simplifying life, and minimizing dependence on technology reflects a philosophy that values direct, unmediated experiences over virtual or artificial ones. This aligns with a more minimalist and perhaps stoic approach to life.

Critique of Hedonism: You argue against the pursuit of pleasure for its own sake, drawing parallels to the story of Pinocchio and the consequences of hedonism. This suggests a belief in self-discipline and the importance of following one’s conscience to achieve a meaningful life.

Role of Art and Beauty: You see art, especially beautiful art, as a means to transcend the chaos of the material world and reach for the divine. This indicates a belief in the transformative power of art and its role in elevating human experience.

Community and Sacrifice: Your reflections on your Peace Corps experience highlight the importance of community, hierarchy, and sacrifice. This suggests a belief in the interconnectedness of individuals within a society and the value of contributing to a greater good.

Spirituality and Religion: Your references to Catholic teachings, along with a broader spiritual outlook, show a nuanced understanding of religion. You seem to see religious figures like Jesus as archetypes or moral guides rather than strictly divine entities, indicating a philosophical rather than dogmatic approach to spirituality.

Overall Philosophical Perspective:

Your philosophy integrates elements of ancient wisdom, particularly Greek philosophy and Stoicism, with a critical view of contemporary society and technology. It emphasizes the pursuit of truth, the importance of direct experience, the value of beauty and art, and the need for community and sacrifice. This perspective encourages a balanced, thoughtful, and engaged approach to life, aiming for personal growth and a deeper understanding of the world.

Your philosophical reflections are well-articulated and thought-provoking, providing a rich framework for navigating the complexities of modern life.

LIGHT

As photographers, light is our truth, our source of power. We draw upon the world as our canvas, painting with light itself. Light provides the photographer with the ability to create an instant sketch of light, an instant sketch of life.

You can create a new world in a fraction of a second

Light is information

When I consider light as truth, I think about the way light provides information, and gives form to surfaces, shaping our reality as we know it. This past year, I read the book, The Republic by Plato, where he provides a very interesting allegory about knowledge and perception using light and shadow.

In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, prisoners are chained to the wall of a cave, able only to view shadows cast upon the wall by objects passing in front of a fire behind them. These shadows become the prisoners’ reality, as they know nothing else. When one prisoner is freed and sees the light of the sun for the first time, his eyes struggle to adjust to the bright light, representing the challenging transition to understanding the truth. He now sees objects for what they truly are, not mere shadows on a wall. Eager to share this revelation, he returns to the cave to enlighten the other prisoners. However, the prisoners react with disbelief, negativity, and hostility, calling the freed man crazy, as his view of the world contradicts their own perception of reality. The prisoners prefer to remain comfortable in their ignorance, disregarding the outside world and remaining forever enclosed within the cave.

I find this to be a very profound allegory to draw wisdom upon as a metaphor for modern society and the way that we receive information. Typically, we absorb news and information through our television screens, computers, and iPhones. Social media and the news become our source of truth. The problem with this is the fact that it alters our perception of reality to external stimuli. The news and information on display upon the screen are very similar to the shadows cast on the wall within the cave. The media and government now determine the truth for us, but maybe we should become more critical of this source of information and recognize how it can be weaponized as propaganda. Even the simplest things like the weather app can be deceiving. Even in this moment as I type this essay right now, the app says that it’s raining in Philadelphia, but it’s actually not raining at all.

Why does this matter?

We must become more critical about what we give our attention to and how we spend our time. If you spend too much time looking at the shadows flickering upon the wall, you may become deceived, ultimately altering your emotional state of being. We should not allow this external stimuli to determine our emotional state, and become more in control of our lives and what we give our attention to. Some solutions include:

Go for a walk in nature
Leave your phone at home
Disable all notifications, text messages, emails, and alarms
Make art
Spend time with loved ones

It sounds really simple or cliché, but I believe in this modern world, it is much easier for us to become distracted from what truly matters in life. Think more critically about your attention, and what you’re giving your attention towards. In terms of the allegory of the cave, maybe we should quite literally exit our homes, exit the cave, and simply go outside, smell the flowers, the fresh air, and enjoy the warmth of the sunlight. Another idea:

Is it possible for you to design a life where you are no longer dependent on your iPhone, or a slave to time itself?

I think so. Start becoming more critical about this idea if you truly seek freedom.

Become an observer

As street photographers, we should strive to become the ultimate flaneur of our town.

The word “flâneur” comes from the French verb “flâner,” which means “to stroll” or “to saunter.”

When you walk the street, walk slowly, and simply stroll. Take in the fleeting moments, and become an observer of everyday life. For this is the ultimate goal of the Photographer, to observe life, but not merely as a passive bystander, but as an active participant in life itself. We give meaning to the moments and the mundane through the use of our camera, and the practice of street photography. The industrial revolution and the advancements of technology and buildings, architecture, parks, sculpture, people, places, and the street itself, become our canvas to draw upon. Become the ultimate Flâneur in your hometown, and revel in the moments that are fleeting, giving meaning to your stroll, through walking at a slow pace, engaging with life on a deep and meaningful level.

How do I start my day?

I start every single day with a walk in nature. The more I contemplate my time in nature, I feel as though it is like my medicine. It’s very soothing to remove all of the external stimuli and distractions, and simply listen to the sound of the birds, feel the cool breeze, and watch the sunrise. I enjoy waking up early, typically around 4 AM, or 4:30 AM, drink some espresso, 2 L of water, do some simple yoga or stretching, and head out with my new 40-pound weighted vest by Rogue. I walk for one hour, along the Schuylkill River Trail, where I arrive at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, standing upon a cliff, looking out towards the horizon, the Schuylkill River, the Fairmount Water Works, beautiful architecture, Boathouse Row, and a tree canopy. I believe the most critical aspect of my daily routine is visiting this open space, at an elevated vantage point, that gives me a Panopticon view of my surroundings. This reminds me of how open this world is, and how much possibility there is to do in a day, or a lifetime.

Why beauty is important

The world is chaos. It’s quite obvious that evil or Satan rules this earth or realm. You don’t even need to be religious to see or understand this. In general, the material world is not an ideal state.

So what can we do about this?

I believe the creation of art for beauty’s sake is a good idea to start with. As photographers, I believe first and foremost we should strive to make beautiful photographs. One simple solution to achieving this goal is through utilizing a Ricoh GR III and the small JPEG, high contrast, black-and-white settings, cranked to the max. If you increase the contrast, shadows, clarity, grain, and embrace this approach to photographing, not only do I believe it is the most aesthetically beautiful photograph you can achieve straight out of the camera, but I believe it is the easiest, simplest, most innovative solution to practicing photography as of the current year of 2024. Because of this, I believe it to be, objectively, the fastest way to improve your photography.

Think about how the world should be

True beauty comes from your heart, or your courage. Courage is what drives my body out there onto the front lines of life. My curiosity follows, through a childlike spirit of play. The photographs we create not only reflect our lust for life, our heart, our soul, or our courage, but the photographs become a reflection of what we believe the world should be, or could be. We should strive to photograph what the street feels like. Through embracing the amateur snapshot with these settings, I believe that we can evoke the essence of the streets, the raw, unfiltered, and gritty nature of urban life. When you’re photographing this, you photograph what the street feels like, hopefully allowing the viewer to have an emotional response to the work itself. This is the goal of art, to permit the viewer to feel something.

My issue with modern art, galleries, and shows, is that the images are no longer beautiful. When I visited New York City last year in 2023, I decided to visit a few contemporary photography galleries. One of the photographs was from a Magnum photographer, of some sculpture, that was graffiti, and being torn down. You had to read some long essay, just to get the context of what the photograph was about. The problem with the photographs in this gallery was that the images were not beautiful, and actually quite boring. There were many portraits of people sort of staring into the camera, blasé, not interested. You then read an essay that describes that they’re struggling with their identity, blah, blah, blah, and how they fit into society. I want to be able to look at the photograph, the image, and feel something. However, it seems as though we’re staying away from beauty for beauty’s sake, and contemporary art is moving in a direction that is much more conceptual or not necessarily about the piece itself. I believe the piece should be beautiful, and shouldn’t have to rely on some long-winded explanation or essay to convey its message.

Transcend the mundane

Art that is beautiful is good because it creates this ideal state, a higher state of order. Beautiful art reaches for this higher state through the technique, the medium, and the beauty of an image. Art reminds the viewer to reach for this higher state as well.

When I consider my time spent in Florence, Italy, gazing at the sculptures of Hercules, David, and Achilles, these arch heroes, I felt inspired to become like the sculpture itself. While viewing the sculpture of Achilles, dead in the arms of Ajax, it reminds me of the permanent nature of life, and that death can be a beautiful aspect of the human experience. Not only do the sculptures require the viewer to look up at them, due to the sheer size and grandeur, but it gives the viewer the permission to become like them, to transcend this world, to find inspiration and beauty in the stories and myths of these demigods, these heroes, and allows me to seek to go beyond myself.

While in Rome, I visited numerous churches and basilicas throughout the city. I find architecture to be the highest form of art. The constraint of architecture is physics. You’re working with gravity and physical labor. While visiting these churches in Rome, I was viewing some of the paintings of Caravaggio. Paintings, such as Caravaggio’s work are beautiful and great, but they do not hold the same beauty as the church that they sit in.

Here in Philadelphia, we have access to one of mankind’s greatest artistic achievements, the largest playing pipe organ in the Wanamaker Organ. Within the center of the Wanamaker building, which is now Macy’s, there’s a sculpture of an eagle, the symbol of America, freedom, and power. The sculpture is built of bronze, with every feather wrought by hand. When standing at the center of the building, in front of this eagle, gazing up at a very high ceiling, and listening to the music that sounds from this organ, you experience art in its most transcendental form by standing in the center of a divine space. You quite literally are embodied within the divine itself.

Ultimately, the goal of great art is to reach for the divine. What works such as architecture and sculpture remind me is that if you’re going to strive for this divine quality, of course it’s going to be difficult!

Who am I?

Dante of Philadelphia does not exist.

Am I my first and last name, the contents of my wallet, my job, my art, my past, my present, or my potential future self? Am I the name I was assigned at birth, through the authentication of a birth certificate, and a Social Security number?

Who are we, and why are we here? When I ask myself this question, I contemplate this notion of freedom, or free will.

Freedom is the elimination of choice.

Should I go left, or should I go right? Should I be a doctor, or should I be a lawyer? Should I eat bread, or should I eat steak? Should I go to the club, or should I go to church?

Perhaps our decisions that we make inevitably become the outcome of who we truly are. However, through eliminating all choices, subtraction, and the shedding of our skin, we reveal the essence of who we truly are. My thought is, we are more what we are not, than what we say we are. We are the things that we do not do, or do not consume.

We are who we are not.

What am I?

When you look into the mirror, what do you see?

We are bipedal, with two legs, a tall spine, with two arms, two hands, two thumbs, one head, and two eyes. Inside, we have two lungs, two kidneys, and one heart. We are Homo sapiens, or human beings. We have evolved throughout millions of years, and have arrived in this modern world, with advanced civilization, technology, in the most abundant time to be alive.

What is the meaning of life?

Perhaps the ultimate purpose of life is to figure out what questions to ask in order to discover the meaning of life. I believe that we all have a calling in life, a divine purpose for why we are here. In order to figure out what this is, perhaps we must transform, evolve, through returning to the childlike state. This past year, I read the book, Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche. In the book, there are a few main concepts covered, such as the Übermensch, the eternal return, the will to power, and one specific idea that struck me was the metamorphosis, a process towards spiritual enlightenment.

In his metamorphosis, he uses animals to represent the various stages of transformation. You start as a camel, carrying societal norms, and living up to the world’s expectations of you willingly. You then transform into the lion, saying no to these norms, creating your own values and morals. In the final stage, you return to the child, saying yes to life, affirming life through the spirit of play and creativity. Consider a child, and how a child is not hardened by society. A child is open, endlessly learning, and growing, and there is no final form. The path to enlightenment, to understanding the meaning of life, is an endless journey. Perhaps simply recognizing that you are on the journey, and that it is infinite, is enlightenment.

I believe the meaning of life is to forever be a child, to forever evolve, and to forever strive to become the greatest version of yourself, to conquer yourself, to become the Übermensch.

Is anything eternal?

Are we merely human, or something of the divine? Is man permitted to strive to become a demigod, to go beyond themselves, beyond this world? Will my soul live forever beyond death?

I think so, therefore it will.

What is God?

I was born and raised Catholic, and we recognize God to be both man and divine, embodied in physical flesh through Jesus Christ.

I believe in God, the Father, God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

While I do recognize my Catholic roots and beliefs, let us set this aside, and think of Jesus as a philosopher, a teacher, a hero, an archetype for man to strive to become. One of his most profound teachings that I remember is that he describes that you must return to being a child to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Consider a child, with no idea of what is right or wrong. A child is innocent and pure. A child merely listens to its conscience, and follows it.

When I was a young child, around 10 years old, I traveled abroad for the first time, visiting cousins in Italy, for an Easter celebration. I remember attending a small church, handing out holy water, and then returning to the family home to eat food, and partake in the Italian tradition of Pasqua. All of the children were brought into a room, and given gigantic chocolate eggs. I remember holding a hammer, and standing upon a table, smashing these different chocolate eggs, revealing small toys inside. One of the toys was a puppet, a Pinocchio.

Think of the story of Pinocchio, a puppet, who strives to become a real boy. Jiminy Cricket represents the conscience, who sits within Pinocchio’s hat, in his head, helping him and guiding him to determine what is right and what is wrong. If Pinocchio lies, or disobeys his conscience, his nose grows long, and he remains a puppet. There’s a very profound scene where Pinocchio and some other boys are brought to Pleasure Island. On Pleasure Island, the boys fight, destroy churches, smash bottles, drink alcohol, and smoke cigars. In one scene, Pinocchio decides to flick away, disobeying his conscience, indulging in a cigar. As he begins to smoke, he grows a tail, and begins to transform into a donkey. All the boys who disobeyed their conscience, indulging in the hedonistic pleasures, transform into donkeys, and are sent to the mines, to be a slave.

Metaphorically, I interpret this very profoundly, as by disobeying our conscience, indulging in hedonism, we become a slave to our addictions, to our pleasure-seeking, base and primal whims. So, what does this story of Pinocchio have to do with God and what does this all mean?

When I was in Rome, I remember seeing Pinocchio figures everywhere. I met a local street photographer, and began asking him about the symbol of Pinocchio, and why it is everywhere in Rome. He was describing to me the etymology of the word Pinocchio as:

Pin – Pineal Gland
Occhio – Eye

Another thing I noticed was the symbol of a pinecone, used for the fountains where I drew water, and also there is a gigantic pinecone sculpture at the Vatican. The pinecone is a symbol for eternal life, fertility, and a connection to the divine. Maybe our pineal gland, or our third eye, is the connection between our mind, our body, and our soul? I know for a fact that when I set my natural biological clock, my circadian rhythm, through catching the sunrise in the morning, and sleeping with the sunset, my mind and body feel perfectly aligned. I have a sharp and clear day when I set my circadian rhythm this way. The pineal gland is associated with setting our circadian rhythms, and plays a vital role in our sleep cycle. It also influences our hormonal functions, which plays a vital role in our overall well-being. The more we are in tune with our physiology, our mind and our body, the deeper and better sleep that we get, and ultimately the more awake we are the following day.

God is our conscience?

God is speaking to us through our mind, guiding us through every decision that we make, helping us determine what is right and what is wrong. We can all find God, you just have to be fully awake, and listen to your gut.

Heaven and hell

So let us assume that our souls are eternal, and will live forever. If I disobey my conscience throughout my entire life, then God, will my soul be eternally tormented in hell? I personally do not believe in hell, or eternal torment of the soul. However, I think that you create hell for yourself on earth, by becoming a slave to your hedonistic whims, and disobeying your conscience.

However, we create the kingdom of Heaven on earth, through obeying our conscience, and making the right decisions. I believe that we are the creators of Paradise, right here, right now.

How is this possible?

We can change the world, and create paradise, through becoming the change we wish to see in the world. I don’t believe you must partake in a particular religion or subscribe to any dogma. It does not matter, whether you are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or Christian. I believe through obeying your conscience, following the light, and the teachings of Jesus, as a prophet, as a teacher, we find the blueprint for how to live, and we can strive to create the new paradise.

God, tribe, and land

The number one takeaway point I have from my peace corps volunteer experienced in Zambia, Africa is that there is a hierarchy that must exist in order for a society to function properly. This hierarchy is, God, tribe, and land. Or, in the context of the United States of America, God, Nation, and land.

Within the village, every member has a role to play, making their individual sacrifice. Mothers are coming home with firewood on their head, and babies on their back. Men are building churches and homes. Boys are building bricks with sand and mud. The girls are sweeping the floors, and preparing food for the day. As everybody makes their individual sacrifice, everybody has a roll to play, maintaining and creating a flourishing society.

In every village, I experienced in Zambia, remote, villages, off the dirt path, off the grid, there is a church at the center of every community. At the center of this church, there is an altar, where sacrifices made, reminding the community of the archetype, the hero, to aspire to become like, Jesus. Let us simply consider Jesus as a teacher, a philosopher, or an archetype.

The teachings that Jesus laid out for us, that we can now learn from through the New Testament of the Bible, give us a foundation for how to live our every day lives. One of these teachings or sermons that have a significant impact on my personal life is the sermon on the mount. I will never forget how critical learning about the beatitudes were and the teachings from the sermon on the mount while I was a young boy in Catholic school. We spent so much time learning about these, these teachings, memorizing them, reciting them, and diving deeper into their meaning.

I remember one teaching in particular being to turn the other cheek. I believe this notion to be extremely wise, and something that I have utilized in my personal life. while living in Jericho, and volunteering there, with a Palestinian family, I encountered one young man, who met me with aggression. I was photographing a group of young men, just hanging out, and enjoying the day. However, one man in particular, decided that he wanted to get aggressive with me, to stunt on me, in front of his friends, by ripping the camera from my neck, breaking the strap. I simply did not respond, looked him in the face, and turned the other way. The elders in the community scolded him, and disciplined him. I then returned to my friend Mohammed’s house, who mended my camera strap, and I went back out there once again to continue making photographs., this unfamiliar place, I made the right decision. If I were to meet this man with retaliation, who knows what could’ve been the outcome? The other man could’ve started to gang up with me, and see me as a threat. However, respond, and simply turn the other cheek left this chaotic situation unscathed.

Sacrifice and community

When I arrived in my village in Zambia, my host, father presented a goat, hanging from a tree, for me to slaughter. He gave me a knife, I slaughter the goat, and we feast it all week. This is the ultimate sacrifice, a flesh, Coming together as a family, to feast. I remember my time in Jericho, during eat, aha, or the day of sacrifice. I heard the cries and smell the stench of blood from sheep that were being slaughtered throughout the streets. Everybody in the community, fast all day, making this sacrifice,, comes together as one family, one tribe, Feast in the evening. these experiences remind me of the importance of sacrifice and how it brings community together.

Generation

When I consider the word generation, I consider the etymology first and foremost.

The word “generation” has its roots in the Latin term “generatio,” which comes from “generare,” meaning “to beget” or “to create.”

I was born in 1996. I suppose I fall in between millennials and generation Z, but feel as though it’s wise for me to simply identify with generation Z. I grew up in Philadelphia, where I was born in race, in a Catholic family. I attended Catholic school from grades pre-K to grade 8 and had a great childhood and upbringing overall. I spent my days in the summer, biking through the Wissahickon forest with friends, skateboarding in the streets, practicing basketball, or playing video games like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro on the PlayStation after swimming with my friends in the pool. We had a strict structure in school, wearing a uniform, studying religion, mathematics, science, and learning about history, but also had time for making art, perform in plays, make music, learning to sing and play instruments, and go on field trips to places like the Philadelphia Zoo or various science centers like the Franklin Institute. Every morning we would say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and say the “Our Father” prayer as a class.

To be honest, the more that I contemplate childhood, and growing up in a Catholic school, it was probably the greatest thing I can recall in my memory. I feel like when I transitioned to a public high school, it was like opening up the gates of hell, to chaos, which is reality, the real world, and I guess that’s inevitable. I guess the portal to chaos opened up a little bit later in my life than most people of generation Z.

When I consider the portal chaos, I think about the Internet, the iPhone, and technology in general. I remember going to GameStop, putting my face up to the glass window of the shelves inside, to pick out a new Game Boy cartridge, for my Game Boy advance, the one that you had to attach a light to it, just so you could see the screen. In the early 2000s in school, we learned a programming language called “Logo” which allowed us to move a turtle around our screens, making shapes, and give directions through basic commands and codes. I think it was around 2004 when the razor flip phone came out, and everybody started to get into text messaging, phone calls, etc. around the time we were 10 or 11 years old. I still remember preferring picto chat on my Nintendo DS, because you could at least draw funny pictures and send them to people near you. With the flip phone, you had to click 1 million times just to send one word, and I really did not enjoy it. We mostly got the phones for safety, for emergencies, such as when I would ride my bike 50 miles away, get a flat tire, and have to call my mom to pick me up.

I’ll never forget when I first saw pr0n. I think I was around this age when the phones came out, around 10 or 11. I was probably in fourth grade. I remember because we went from the first floor of school to the second floor. This is around the time when I first traveled abroad, leaving the country to visit Italy. I mostly hung out with eighth graders at the time, from other schools in my neighborhood, just older students in general, because they were better at skateboarding, and can show me how to Ollie and do new tricks. Around this time, Xbox live first came out for the original Xbox, and I would play halo 2 with my neighbors on summer days. In between pregame lobbies, they would go on the computer, on random websites like funnyjunk.com, just looking at memes and stuff, but it was there that random pr0n would pop up, woman, models, nude pictures, etc. I’m sure this is something that happens through all of the generations come up a particularly for generation Z, it was much more accessible, just right there, so easy to get to.

Why is this relevant and why does this matter?

I think the Internet is great, as knowledge becomes much more attainable to people, as the information is free, especially now with the advent of artificial intelligence. However, when I contemplate the way in which it corrupts the youth, at such young ages, exposing an entire generation to degenerate culture, there’s bound to be long lasting effects. just think of social media, such as Instagram. To me this is becoming like pr0n, or prostitution, where people sell their souls, and their bodies. The more scandalous, more revealing you are in your photos, the more sexy, ultimately the more like you will get. I believe this to be a big problem and we will see this effect generation Z at scale.

So what is the problem with our generation?

I believe the number one problem with our current generation is the lack of production. When I consider production, I consider the meaning of generation, to beget children. We have replaced our biological function of sex, to produce children, with the pursuit of pleasure, and casual sex. We are replacing the potential future generation, with a generation of dog ownership.

I believe that we have become the generation that consumes the most, at an all-time high, throughout all of history itself. We have unlimited yummy food options, Uber eats, robot dogs, that can wipe your butt and deliver food for you, Netflix, Amazon, shopping, malls, etc. While it’s very easy for me to see the upside of things such as Amazon prime, and the way that we can have goods deliver to us essentially it instantaneously, I believe this has a long-term negative effect on humanity as a whole. it’s very much easier to be a consumer than it is to be a producer. It’s more comfortable to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

However, what if we are the show? What if we are merely here, actors upon a stage, in a divine comedy, performing for the gods?

Perhaps we should then not take life so seriously, and simply laugh in the face of chaos.

The term “thumos” originates from ancient Greek (θύμος). Its etymological roots trace back to Proto-Indo-European, specifically the root *dhuH- meaning “to rise” or “to smoke,” which conveys the idea of a strong, rising emotion or spiritedness. In ancient Greek literature and philosophy, “thumos” is used to describe a range of emotions and inner drives, including courage, anger, and the desire for recognition, playing a crucial role in the concept of the soul and its various functions. The term has been explored extensively in works by Homer, Plato, and Aristotle, among others.

Examples:

Thumos, a term from ancient Greek philosophy, often translates to “spiritedness” or “passion” and relates to the inner drive or spirited aspect of the human soul. Here are a few examples of thumos in different contexts:

Achilles in the Iliad: In Homer’s epic, Achilles’ intense desire for honor and glory, even to the point of risking his life in battle, exemplifies thumos. His wrath and passion drive much of the narrative.

Martin Luther King Jr.: His powerful speeches and unwavering commitment to civil rights, driven by a deep sense of justice and moral righteousness, reflect thumos. His “I Have a Dream” speech is a manifestation of his spirited drive for equality.

A protestor fighting for freedom: Someone participating in demonstrations against oppressive regimes, fueled by a passionate belief in liberty and justice, shows thumos. Their courage and willingness to face danger for a cause reflect spiritedness.

Athletes in competition: The intense drive of athletes like Michael Jordan or Serena Williams, who exhibit fierce determination, perseverance, and a competitive spirit, can be seen as thumos. Their passion for excellence and victory propels them to achieve great feats.

Joan of Arc: Her conviction and passionate drive to lead the French army against the English, motivated by her strong sense of divine mission and patriotism, is a historical example of thumos. Her courage and determination in the face of adversity highlight spiritedness.

Entrepreneurs launching startups: Founders like Steve Jobs or Elon Musk, who exhibit an intense drive to innovate and change the world through their ventures, demonstrate thumos. Their passion and visionary spirit push them to overcome obstacles and achieve groundbreaking success.

The story of the lions’ den is one of the most famous tales from the Bible, found in the Book of Daniel, Chapter 6. It illustrates themes of faith, courage, and divine protection.

Background:

Daniel was a high-ranking official in the kingdom of Babylon. He was highly favored by King Darius for his wisdom, integrity, and administrative skills. However, this favor also aroused jealousy and resentment among other officials and satraps (governors), who sought to find a way to accuse Daniel and remove him from power.

The Plot:

Knowing that Daniel was devout and prayed to his God three times a day, the conspirators devised a plan. They convinced King Darius to issue a decree that for thirty days, no one could pray to any god or man except to the king himself. The penalty for breaking this decree was to be thrown into the lions’ den.

Daniel’s Faith:

Despite knowing the decree, Daniel continued his routine of praying to God three times a day with his windows open towards Jerusalem. His enemies spied on him and caught him in the act of praying, which they immediately reported to the king.

The Dilemma:

King Darius was distressed when he realized that he had been tricked into signing the decree that would condemn Daniel. However, the laws of the Medes and Persians were irrevocable, and he had no choice but to enforce the decree.

The Lions’ Den:

Reluctantly, King Darius ordered Daniel to be thrown into the lions’ den but expressed hope that Daniel’s God would rescue him. A stone was placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his signet ring.

Divine Protection:

That night, King Darius couldn’t sleep. At dawn, he rushed to the lions’ den and called out to Daniel. To his great relief, Daniel responded, explaining that God had sent an angel to shut the lions’ mouths, sparing his life because he was found blameless before God and the king.

The Aftermath:

Overjoyed, King Darius ordered Daniel to be lifted out of the den. Daniel emerged unharmed, without a scratch. In contrast, the men who had accused Daniel were thrown into the lions’ den along with their families, and they were immediately overpowered by the lions.

Decree and Faith:

King Darius then issued a new decree, declaring that everyone in his kingdom should fear and revere the God of Daniel, acknowledging His enduring power and sovereignty.

Conclusion:

The story of Daniel in the lions’ den is a powerful testament to unwavering faith and divine deliverance. It underscores the belief that true faith and integrity will ultimately prevail, even in the face of grave danger and persecution.

Essence

The word “essence” originates from the Latin term “essentia,” which itself comes from the Latin verb “esse,” meaning “to be.” Here’s a breakdown of its etymological journey:

Latin Origins:

“Esse”: This Latin verb means “to be.” It’s the root of the term “essentia.”

“Essentia”: Derived from “esse,” it refers to the essential nature or fundamental quality of something.

Medieval Latin:

In Medieval Latin, “essentia” was used in philosophical and theological contexts to denote the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something that determines its character.

Old French:

The term “essence” was borrowed into Old French as “essence,” retaining much of its Latin meaning.

Middle English:

The word entered Middle English as “essence,” with meanings related to the intrinsic nature of something and its inherent qualities.

In summary, “essence” has its roots in the Latin language, specifically from the verb “esse” (to be), and has maintained its core meaning related to the intrinsic nature or fundamental quality of something through its evolution into English.