Rohit Bhargava's Blog, page 42

Behind the Parties, Pills, and Paintings at the Art Basel Fair in Miami Beach

Sold artwork at an art fair receives a revered red dot sticker indicating it has found a home, or it has been “placed” (in art lingo). But what does it take to make that sale and who are these collectors who travel to the world’s biggest art festivals, checkbook in hand ready to become a supporting patron for today’s artists?

I found this insider look at the real day to day life of an art trader at the Art Basel show happening this coming weekend in Miami Beach to be quite eye-opening. Celebrity ...

The Minus Chair Saves the Earth by Cutting Down More Trees?

What if you could design furniture that captures more carbon than it emits? That’s the vision behind the Minus Chair, a design award winning new product from Norwegian brand Minus that is rethinking furniture design and selling. Trees only absorb carbon as they grow to maturity. After that, as they deteriorate, they release that carbon back into the atmosphere. So, as Minus has discovered, if you could cut down a tree at the right moment you will trap all that carbon inside the wood for the rest...

Microsoft Turns the “World’s Most Viewed Picture” into an Ugly Holiday Sweater

“It looks good on a monitor, but better on you.” That’s the legendary tagline for this soon-to-be iconic ugly holiday sweater featuring the “world’s most viewed picture,” that green and blue landscape that has shipped as the default screensaver on Microsoft Windows for nearly a quarter century. This is the perfect combination of nostalgia, dorkiness and understated cultural commentary.

In other words, likely to be a bestseller. More broadly, as a marketing tactic there is an insight here; what if...

How Sports Journalism Is the New Battleground for AI

Drew Ortiz and Sora Tanaka have two things in common. The first is that they are prolific fun-loving sports writers for the online version of Sports Illustrated magazine. Tanaka’s bio features a fit young Asian woman who “loves to try different foods” while Ortiz enjoys spending weekends “back on his parents’ farm.” The second is that they are both completely made up, with profile photos purchased from a site that sells AI-generated headshots. 

In a recent investigation, the profiles were discove...

The Mystery of Why So Many Ancient Statues Have Broken Noses

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 culture in order to overtake it. Damaging the likeness of a past leader was also a frequent tactic used by new leaders to elevate themselves. 

There is, also, the...

How Citizen Surveillance Might Be Killing San Francisco

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 DC. I haven’t had reason to be back in the city for more than a year. In that time, I’ve been hearing plenty of stories about it. How the city is worse, crime is higher and some spots are unrecognizable. 

How much of the...

Cyber Monday: 15 Non-Obvious Holiday Gifts

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 ideas that you could use for any loved one in your life.

Why buy cheap useless junk? Instead, seek out non-obvious gifts for the people you love...

15 Non-Obvious Holiday Gifts To Buy This Black Friday

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 edition of my newsletter, I’ll share a few products and experiences that are both non-obvious, and offer some gift ideas that you could...

Is It Possible to Be Too Beautiful?

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 at a young age, gaining more confidence early in life. But is there a downside to having more beauty or greater athletic ability? In o...

Cultural Themes from Apple’s App of the Year Award Finalists

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 selections in this group are fascinating. 

Shortlisted apps in this category include an app to help women track menopause symptoms, an “eco-conscious ad...