Cultural Forces 2025: Mediated Existence

What You’ll Learn:

Life today is lived through a filter—often literally. We rarely engage with the world unmediated, choosing instead to rely on tools, reviews, and technology to curate, refine, and contextualize our decisions. Students, for instance, are reluctant to enroll in university courses without first checking their professors’ reviews online. Diners scrutinize menus and customer feedback before committing to a restaurant. And for many teenagers, stepping into the world without AirPods playing their personal soundtrack feels unthinkable. These small examples highlight a broader trend: we are increasingly navigating the world through mediated experiences rather than confronting it directly.

This phenomenon is not inherently good or bad—it reflects our desire for control and predictability in a world that often feels overwhelming. In many ways, digital mediation reduces uncertainty, making decisions more efficient and outcomes more predictable. Yet it also comes at a cost: a gradual erosion of spontaneity, serendipity, and direct engagement with the world around us.

What to Know

Nowhere is this shift more evident—or more consequential—than in healthcare. Patients are relying heavily on reviews, online forums, and digital tools to inform their healthcare choices. While this creates a more informed patient population, it also introduces new tensions. The safety and reassurance of digital mediation can amplify anxiety and decision paralysis, leaving patients feeling overwhelmed by too much information or conflicting advice.

Signals of Mediated Existence in 2024

Growth in Wearable AR and Decision-Making Tech: AR glasses and decision-making apps that filter the world in real-time are expected to reach much higher rates of adoption in coming years, further embedding digital mediation into daily life.

Health Trackers: 44% of Americans own wearable health-tracking devices such as smartwatches or smart rings, which track health metrics from sleep to heartbeat patterns. Oura Ring and Apple Watch are only the start of how patients are tracking their health. For many, an alert from an app or device is becoming more trusted than the body’s own signals. AI-Driven Health Tools: Patients now use apps and digital platforms to compare treatments, healthcare providers, and even medications, leaning on technology to filter complex options into digestible recommendations.

Digital Detox Movements: A growing movement that acts as a counter-signal for mediated experiences is evident in the rise of retreats and tools that encourage unplugging, signaling a latent desire for unfiltered engagement with the world.

What This Means for Healthcare in 2025

Patients

For patients, the rise of mediated healthcare experiences means having access to vast amounts of information—but also grappling with the emotional burden of choice. Patients who rely on reviews and digital tools may find it harder to trust personal interactions with healthcare providers, reducing the richness of the patient-provider relationship. This could lead to healthcare decisions that prioritize convenience over nuance or even accuracy.

Healthcare Providers (HCPs)

HCPs are already seeing a shift in patient behavior. Armed with data from online sources, patients come to appointments with specific expectations, sometimes based on incomplete or misinterpreted information. Providers will need to invest more time in explaining their recommendations, countering misinformation, and rebuilding trust. Additionally, the pressure to maintain positive online reviews could influence how providers interact with patients, leading to a more transactional dynamic.

Pharma and Marketers

Pharma brands have a unique opportunity to both align with and challenge this Cultural Force. Mediated existence is fertile ground for targeted campaigns that meet patients where they are: on digital platforms, in review sites, and through decision-making tools. But brands must also recognize the human need for authenticity and spontaneity. Those who blend cutting-edge technology with genuine emotional connection will stand out in an increasingly curated landscape.

The Future of Mediated Healthcare Experiences

In 2025, the tension between mediated and unmediated experiences will shape the healthcare journey in profound ways:

Balancing Control and Connection

Mediated existence offers many advantages: control, convenience, and a sense of preparedness. But it also creates tension, as people yearn for unfiltered, spontaneous experiences that remind them of what it means to be human. For healthcare, this duality is critical. By embracing the strengths of digital mediation while carving out space for authentic connection, the industry can help shape a future that is not just curated but also compassionate.

Next up in the series is an exploration of a Cultural Force we’re calling Fractured Futures. The gender gap is widening and will become a rift, impacting areas like healthcare access, economic opportunities, and technology.