Why All Online Outrage Is Fake, Nike Launches Exoskeletons and Bill Gates’ Big Shift On Climate

Dear Fellow Non-Obvious Thinker,

This week’s Non-Obvious Insights dives into what’s real, what’s fake, and what’s next. From the revelation that much online outrage might actually be driven by bots to Nike’s futuristic “bionic” sneaker, we explore how technology and perception are reshaping reality. Jeff Bridges sparks a debate on how long we should give creative work before calling it a flop, and Bill Gates challenges conventional climate metrics by suggesting innovation—not just emissions cuts—may hold the key to progress.

Plus, discover the final season of Mythic Quest and a gripping sci-fi read, The Space Between Worlds, in my media and book picks of the week.

Enjoy and stay curious!

rohit-sign-

This Week’s New Videos …

All Online Outrage Is Fake

Remember the “outrage” generated online by the revised logo for Cracker Barrel restaurant? According to a ​new piece this week from the WSJ​, much of the online backlash reportedly driven by angry consumers was actually just bots. Another story this week about the outrage supposedly instigated by the NFL’s announcement that Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny would be the halftime performer notes that music star Jay-Z is among a growing number of people suggesting ​that outrage also may be fake​. Put the stories together and the obvious question we should all be asking is whether ALL online outrage may be fake?

Contrast this with the ​news stories this past week about the “No Kings” protests​ across American that drew verified crowds of several million actual people showing up in person and you have a perfect illustration of the modern problem with stories of outrage. They are all counted as the same, when the truth is they really are not. Whether you agree with a protest or not isn’t really the point. Millions of real people showing up to have their voices heard and demonstrate their outrage is a far different thing than an algorithmically amplified perception of outrage that is only really fueled by minority opinions.

This is a central problem leading to the ​growing observations that people simply don’t trust the media​ anymore, regardless of their ideologies. What’s the solution? One possible (though somewhat nuclear) solution is assuming ALL online outrage is fake and measuring the level of actual outrage based on what people do and where they show up in person instead. I’m curious what you think. Would this work or is there some other metric we might apply to gauge for ourselves whether the so-called outrage we often hear about is real or it isn’t?

The Personal Exoskeletons Are Coming—Here’s What It Means

Nike just announced a groundbreaking new sneaker​ that includes an advanced exoskeleton to make walking and running easier. It’s essentially a bionic shoe. The upside in terms of bringing mobility to those who struggle now due to disability or age is clear. What’s less clear is exactly what this will mean for the rest of us when this technology becomes more mainstream.

What about backyard sports or using these sorts of enhancements in club sports leagues? How will people push themselves, perhaps beyond their own reasonable athletic limits, due to an outsized perception of their own abilities caused by this sort of magic wearable? These are the sorts of questions that devices like this will bring and so far, there seems to be little thought given to these implications.

Right now, there are plenty of inventions that are on the cusp of allowing humans to enhance all sorts of abilities. I suspect in a few months I’ll see many more of these at CES 2026. It’s worth raising the question of what corresponding cultural conversations might arise as these sorts of enhancements become more commonly used. It’s not as futuristic a question as it once seemed.

How Long Should It Take Before Something Is Declared a Flop?

The initial ratings for the American reboot of The Office were famously bad. People didn’t love the character of Michael Scott and the entire effort seemed like a poor imitation of a popular British comedy. The show wasn’t canceled, though, and the team behind it managed to retool the aspects that didn’t work into one of the most beloved series in American television history. Imagine if they didn’t give it that chance to succeed, though. What might we all have missed?

I was thinking about that this week as I read about actor Jeff Bridges reaction to a reporter’s question about whether his new film Tron: Ares might be ​considered a flop because the first week fell below revenue projections​.

“It’s interesting, though, how movies are received at opening weekend,” Bridges said. “I remember ‘Heaven’s Gate’ was considered, you know, very disappointing or a flop, but nowadays it’s considered kind of a masterpiece.” Speaking from personal experience, Bridges explained that films often “grow on you,” and that his initial reactions can flip in a matter of weeks or months.

“Even as an individual, often, I have not liked a movie,” he added. “And then a couple weeks or months later, I’ll see it again. I’ll say, ‘What was I thinking?’ As the Dude would say, ‘That’s just like your opinion, man.’”

You might read these comments as being from an actor who’s justifying a less than stellar opening out of necessity. But it does raise the interesting question of how long we really should give a piece of entertainment to succeed versus giving up on it too quickly. Opening big isn’t the only way to success. Contrary to popular opinion.

Bill Gates Now Says We Are Fighting Climate Change Wrong …

Something unusual was amiss in the media this week: climate activists were hating on Bill Gates. It all started with Gates publishing a blog post ahead of the UN Climate Conference next week that suggested perhaps we have all been a bit too focused on emission and proposed that “temperature is not the best way to measure our progress on the climate.” The pivot was widely covered as a “stunning claim” that amounted to a betrayal and led to plenty of criticism:

“By arguing emissions shouldn’t be such an important benchmark for climate action, Gates is pushing a narrative that lets polluters off the hook. It sounds like a well-meaning rich guy not actually experiencing what’s happening on the ground, or understanding what people really need.”

There’s more to this story. Bill Gates is someone who has spent much of the last 25 years advocating for climate solutions. His recent book was titled How to Avoid a Climate Disaster. And now he is suggesting that there is something missing in the current debate about the effects of rising global temperatures. What is it that we should be focused on but aren’t?

What Gates outlines in his post is the idea that we spend too much time focused on near-term solutions to try and reduce emissions when we should be focused on funding, evangelizing and spreading green energy innovations that have the potential to make life better for everyone:

With the right investments and policies in place, over the next ten years we will have new affordable zero-carbon technologies ready to roll out at scale. Add in the impact of the tools we already have, and by the middle of this century emissions will be lower and the gap between poor countries and rich countries will be greatly reduced.

​All countries will be able to construct buildings with low-carbon cement and steel. Almost all new cars will be electric. Farms will be more productive and less destructive, using fertilizer created without generating any emissions. Power grids will deliver clean electricity reliably, and energy costs will go down.

​So why am I optimistic that innovation will curb climate change? For one thing, because it already has. In the past 10 years, we’ve cut projected emissions by more than 40 percent. This progress is not part of the prevailing view of climate change, but it should be.

Of course, this is a bold and perhaps naive perspective that “sometimes human welfare takes a backseat to lowering emissions, with bad consequences.” But if innovation is the ultimate (and perhaps only) solution to save humanity, wouldn’t it make sense to drive more investment and resources and attention toward this goal instead of just reducing emissions? In other words, maybe Bill Gates is right.

The Non-Obvious Media Recommendation of the Week

Mythic Quest

What happens behind the scenes of a video game company in the middle of the tech revolution? That’s the premise of Mythic Quest, a show that lasted for four seasons on Apple TV and recently aired their final episode (with just a little bit of controversy). TV shows don’t typically make it on my list of media recommendations, but this one consistently offered clever commentary on themes that seem even more relevant today, from the dynamic between the “creatives” and the “suits” to influencer culture to the extreme silliness of fandom. Every episode managed to make you laugh as much as it made you think and for that reason, I’d highly recommend it as a bingeworthy show to consider adding to your watch list when you find the time.

The Non-Obvious Book of the Week

The Space Between Worlds

In a world where multiverses are real, there’s just one catch … no one can visit a world where they already have a living counterpart. The main character in this book, Cara, happens to have parallel selves that are “exceptionally good at dying.” That’s the setup for this speculative science fiction novel that crosses space and time to tell a story of survival and what it takes to discover your own identity and sense of belonging when the world around you keeps shifting. When this book first came out a few years ago, NPR and several others called it “one of the best books of the year.”

Buy on Amazon

About the Non-Obvious Book Selection of the Week:

Every week I share a new “non-obvious” book selection. Titles featured here may be new or classic books, but the date of publication doesn’t really matter. My goal is to elevate great reads that perhaps deserve a second look which you might have otherwise missed.

Even More Non-Obvious Stories …

Every week I always curate more stories than I’m able to explore in detail. Instead of skipping those stories, I started to share them in this section so you can skim the headlines and click on any that spark your interest:

How are these stories curated?

Every week I spend hours going through hundreds of stories in order to curate this email. Looking for a speaker to inspire your team to become non-obvious thinkers through a keynote or workshop?
Watch my new 2025 speaking reel on YouTube >>