Strands of Genius: Allure of the Analog, Friendship as Policy, Common Sense vs Credentialed Sense
Plus: Rosie's first ever gallery show!
Strands of Genius is a newsletter from the co-founders of Genius Steals, Faris & Rosie Yakob. They are award-winning strategists, facilitators, creative directors, writers and public speakers who get excited about working with smart people on interesting challenges. You should probably go ahead and hit reply so we can collaborate on something together :)
:: THE UPDATE ::
Greetings from a very wet and drizzly Tennessee!
Technically Summer ends in a mere two weeks, and that, my friends, is very sad.
But, thanks to climate change and living in the South, we are hopeful that we’ll get to appreciate warm temperatures for another couple months. I’m already scheming about how I can make the screened in porch more of a year round experience, but apparently all things house are very expensive. Anyone have family members that work in like vinyl patio enclosures??
In other news, I (Rosie here!) submitted to a gallery show here in Chattanooga and found out I had a piece accepted!
It was my first time ever applying for a gallery show, so I’ve been all smiles over here. This summer, I also filed papers to start a nonprofit called The Rosiest Revolution, and just got official paperwork from the IRS saying that it’s officially a 501(3)(c)!
The Rosiest Revolution is built on the idea that the biggest act of rebellion we can take in today’s tech-driven world is putting down our phones, stepping away from screens, and making something with our hands. I really truly believe in the transformative power of creativity — especially clay — to improve mental health, foster community, and reconnect us to ourselves and each other. So the mission is to create accessible, joyful spaces for people to slow down, get messy, and feel something real…
Everything is in the early stages, but things are starting to feel real! Of course, our work with Genius Steals clients has really picked up this fall, so clay isn’t the only priority at the moment. But, now that many of the initial logistics have been sorted, the fun stuff (at least for a marketer) is next - thinking about a logo, a website, etc!
(This is the part where I mention that I’m looking for someone to help with some initial branding, especially the logo. Let me know if you know someone who might want to be involved — but fair warning that like every other non-profit client, I don’t have a ton of money since it’s coming out of my personal pocket rather than a client’s!)
:: THE LINKS ::
THE ALLURE OF THE ANALOG
In an era of screens and step counters, cigarettes have resurfaced in culture not for what’s inside them, but for what they represent: something unapologetically analog. From “party cigs” to “fridge cigarettes” (aka Diet Coke), the resurgence is less about nicotine and more about ritual, rebellion, and the tactile thrill of being fully offline. For brands, it’s a reminder that physicality, sensory detail, and shared in-person moments still hold power in a world that’s optimized for convenience. The question is: what’s your brand’s “analog cigarette”—that small, embodied act that feels subversive simply because it’s real? [NYT - Gift Link, no subscription required]
COMMON SENSE VS CREDENTIALED SENSE
Drawing on ideas from Veblen to Will Storr, this piece reframes the “crisis of expertise” as a crisis of dignity: accepting expert advice can feel like admitting social inferiority. To some audiences, “trust the experts” isn’t an invitation to learn; it’s a reminder of who holds the power. Just as conspicuous consumption signals wealth, “common sense” can signal defiance. The piece argues that rebuilding trust means more than improving accuracy—it means delivering knowledge in ways that preserve pride. For marketers, communicators, and strategists, the lesson is clear—you can’t fact-check your way out of a status competition. (Conspicuous Cognition)
WHEN FRIENDSHIP WAS POLICY
In medieval Europe, friendship wasn’t just personal—it was political. Aristotle split friendship into three types—utility, pleasure, and virtue—and medieval thinkers spent centuries remixing the formula. Aquinas fused it with Christian caritas, rulers turned it into political strategy, and philosophers debated whether it belonged to philosophy or theology. In a time when friendship could determine alliances, treaties, and even royal survival, it was never “just” personal. Modern marketers face a similar choice: build relationships based on usefulness, enjoyment, or shared values—and know that only one lasts for the long haul. (Psyche)
:: STEAL THIS REPORT ::
The AI Powered Consumer from Prophet.
This week, we’re writing to you from WHERE? We’re especially thankful for:
gallery shows, IRS paperwork, summer rainstorms, trips to the mountain house, kitchen renovations, cool mornings and hot tub time, Lord Vern and Lady Violet (the raccoon friends in our backyard), therapists, tarot with friends, watercolors on screened in porches, Wingspan... and YOU!
If we can ever be of help to you, even outside of a formal engagement, please don’t hesitate to let us know. You can hit reply to this email if you’ve got anything to say, and we’ll endeavor to get back to you promptly!
rockON,
faris & rosie | your friends over at geniussteals.co
(still want more? @farisyakob.com is on Bluesky sometimes while @rosieyakob prefers instagram stories)
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It's called Genius Steals because we believe ideas are new combinations and that nothing can come from nothing. But copying is lazy. We believe the best way to innovate is to look at the best of that which came before and combine those elements into new solutions.
Co-Founders Faris & Rosie are award-winning strategists and creative directors, writers, consultants and public speakers who have been living on the road/runway since March 2013, working with companies all over the world. We have a distributed team ourselves, an accounting team is based in Tennessee where our company is registered, our admin extraordinaire is based in Playa del Carmen, and our collaborators are all over the world. Being nomadic allows us to go wherever clients need us to be, and to be inspired by the world in between.
Hit reply and let’s talk about how we might be able to work together :)