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Netflix’s Controversial New Show On Indian Arranged Marriages

A new Netflix eight-part mini-series called Indian Matchmaking has been sparking a big debate online because of how it shines a spotlight on what one observer called “Brahmanical patriarchy … shaped by gender, caste, and economic relationships.” The show tells the story of arranged marriages from the perspective of a famous matchmaker who uses “biodata” to connect people. … Read more

How Afrofuturists Think Different and Why the Questions They Ask Matter

“Futurists labor over questions about the nature of Android consciousness and empathy. Afrofuturists ask how race might be wired into Android consciousness and whether the android world might be as divided as ours is.” I admit, before reading this article on Afrofuturism from WIRED, I hadn’t considered some of these questions related to the future — … Read more

5 Non-Obvious Megatrends Changing Our World In 2020

For the past ten years I have gone through an annual ritual of publishing a book about trends that describe our shifting culture and business environment. Over the past decade, my team and I have identified and written about well over 100 trends covering everything from the rise of the #metoo movement (a trend we … Read more

How Travel Inspires Better Thinking

It was a delight this week to see my friend Philippe Brown interviewed about the work he does to create luxury travel experiences for his clients. His insights on the importance of crafting the anticipation of travel, AI-enhanced experiences, using video game design to create a dramatic arc for travel and the role of behavioral … Read more

The Dangerous Side Effects Of Marie Kondo’s Tidying Movement

Japanese organizational guru Marie Kondo recently launched a show on Netflix and has inspired millions of people to get rid of the clutter in their lives. Perhaps predictably, now some people are extending that advice to their digital lives too, as the WIRED UK article linked here points out. In this quest to rid ourselves … Read more

The 2018 Non-Obvious Book Awards – Top 50 Business Books Of The Year

The Non Obvious Book Award

Every year my team and I read and review hundreds of books in the process of curating ideas to incorporate in our annual list of trends. Beyond using those books to inspire how we see the world, we also select our favorites each year to feature as part of the Non-Obvious Book Awards program. For … Read more

Amy Winehouse And How Dead Artists Might Come Back On Tour As Holograms

This week the father of Amy Winehouse announced a world tour in 2019 featuring a “hologram” of his daughter on stage. A digital avatar of Winehouse, who died in 2011 from alcohol poisoning at the age of 27, will “perform” some of her most popular songs in a concert accompanied by a live band, real backup … Read more

Pokemon Go Isn’t Dead … It’s Quietly Dominating

Pokemon_Go

A little over two years ago, Pokemon Go was everywhere. People walked down the street glued to their phones. And then one day it all seemed to stop. Yet as this article from WIRED explores, the game is still dominating. Who is still playing? As writer Brian Barrett notes: “The game attracts proportionally more older … Read more

How Hot Dog Water Became The Hottest New Health Drink In America

hot dog water

Hot Dog Water officially launched this week and you can have some for just $38 a bottle. Before you roll your eyes in disgust, would it change your mind to learn that it helps restore the body’s homeostasis after an electrolyte imbalance? It is only if you read till the end of the small print … Read more

The Passive Future Of Learning: How To Learn Piano In An Hour

Imagine learning a new skill such as playing the piano or reading braille in as little as an hour. That may soon be a reality according to this story which introduces a concept called “passive haptic learning” where people were taught the finger patterns to play a song on the piano simply by wearing a … Read more

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#1 WSJ & USA Today Bestselling Author

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.

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