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Rohit Bhargava 
Historical images are filled of statues with broken noses from all cultures. There are many theories to explain this. Ancient Egyptians thought that a life force would enter statues through the nose, so breaking the nose from a statue would (in theory) render it useless. Destroying artifacts has long been used by conquerors to cripple a … Read more
There was a time when I would travel to San Francisco every week for a client meeting. During that moment of my career, I felt so close to the city and the people there that I attended the team holiday party for our SF office rather than the one for my “home” office in Washington … Read more
Economists predict consumers will be in a bargain hunting mindset this season, ready to overspend on cheap stuff they don’t really need. Still, this season does bring many once-a-year prices for gifts for yourself and others. In this special edition of my newsletter, I’ll share a few products and experiences that are both non-obvious, and offer some gift … Read more
In the finest restaurants in the world, beer is rarely served. The reason isn’t because beer couldn’t pair well with great food, but because a beer that chefs and restauranteurs would serve with pride didn’t exist, according to the makers of Japan’s first luxury beer known as ROCOCO Tokyo WHITE. The beer is described with the … Read more
Today is Black Friday, a day that has earned a negative reputation as an unnecessary celebration of excess consumerism. Economists predict consumers will be in a bargain hunting mindset this season, ready to overspend on cheap stuff they don’t really need. Still, this season does bring many once-a-year prices for gifts for yourself and others. In this special … Read more
What if being beautiful or athletically gifted isn’t as great as most people think? It is true that being good looking is often linked to getting opportunities you otherwise wouldn’t have and this so-called “pretty privilege” often results in gifts, special access and even better career opportunities. Similarly, those who excel at sports are often socially popular … Read more
Apple announced all the finalists for their App of the Year awards and the majority are the sorts of apps you would expect. Image manipulation tools and productivity apps to help you create better images, videos, or content. Buried within the awards announcement, though, is a category that stood out: apps that deliver “Cultural Impact.” The eight … Read more
I admit I’m not generally a fan of Waze for driving directions. I find the constant alerts and questions asking if an area is still a speed trap (for example) to be quite distracting. Their latest innovation, though, could change my opinion. Using the vast data stores they and parent company Google have access to, … Read more
Back in 2022 three different wood samples were sent to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Japanese Experimental Kibo Module. After ten months of exposure to space, the researchers reported that “wood’s ability to withstand simulated low earth orbit – or LEO – conditions astounded us.” Based on this early success, the … Read more
I take a lot of flights and listening to someone singing or promoting themselves is near the bottom of things I would want to listen to. It’s a pretty close second to those desperate pitches to try and get me to fill out an application for an airline credit card. An unwelcome private concert is … Read more
Non-Obvious Thinking is my latest book about the 4 secrets of becoming a non-obvious thinker - released 10/01/2024.
Rohit Bhargava is a trend curator, founder of the Non-Obvious Company and the 3-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author of ten books.
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In addition to Non-Obvious Thinking, Rohit is the author of 10 books on trends, the future of business, building a more human brand with storytelling and how to create a more diverse and inclusive world.
