After the Feed: Reclaiming Life Beyond the Screen

We’ve spent the last decade moving our lives online… our work, our friendships, our entertainment, even our sense of identity. But I believe the next decade will look very different. As AI automates more of what we do and digital spaces grow louder, people are quietly searching for something they’ve lost…

Connection.
Meaning.
Presence.

The same technology that promised efficiency has left many feeling isolated and as the pendulum swings too far toward digital dependency, we’re about to witness The Great Reversal: A movement back toward human connection.

The Context: Post-COVID and Post-Connection

In the years following COVID-19, the world adapted quickly to remote work, digital communities, and virtual everything. For a time, it felt like technology had solved human connection but now we’re feeling the consequences.

The job market has grown volatile, AI has disrupted traditional roles, and loneliness has quietly become one of the defining issues of our generation. Even in the corporate world (where connection is supposed to happen daily) we’ve replaced genuine collaboration with Zoom calls that feel transactional and performative. The human energy that once fueled office culture has been flattened into rectangles on a screen.

We’ve gained efficiency, but lost feel.
We’ve optimized productivity, but not humanity.

The problem isn’t the technology itself but more so our over-reliance on it.

The Shift Is Already Happening

If you look closely, the signs of change are everywhere.

• Social media usage is declining for the first time in years. Time spent on Instagram dropped between 2024 and 2025 as users began prioritizing offline experiences.

• The most sought after brands aren’t digital-first they’re community-first.

• Local meetups, group workouts, and social spaces are making a comeback. (ever hear run clubs are the new dating apps?)

People aren’t rejecting technology; they’re just craving something real. They’re realizing that the real currency isn’t attention, it’s time and time is best spent where we feel seen, supported, and connected.

The Pushback on Devices and Data

As AI continues to accelerate, people are beginning to question the trade-offs:

• Are we using technology, or is it using us?

• If our data fuels algorithms, what do we get in return?

• How much of our “connection” online is real connection at all?

These questions are driving a cultural shift. One that values intentionality over information, and relationships over reach. We’re entering a new era where success isn’t measured by followers, clicks, or engagement rates, but by how deeply people feel known in their communities.

The Human Renaissance

History moves in cycles. Every technological leap is followed by a cultural correction.

• The Industrial Revolution led to the arts movement.

• The Digital Revolution led to mindfulness and minimalism.

• Now… the AI Revolution is leading to something new: The Human Renaissance.

People are waking up to the realization that technology should support human experience, not replace it. The future won’t be about escaping screens it’ll be about designing lives where screens are no longer the center.

Why This Matters for the Future of Wellness

This isn’t just a social trend. It’s an existential shift in how people want to live. As more individuals turn away from endless digital noise, they’ll seek physical spaces where they can connect, move, recover, and belong. Places that make them feel human again. That’s where the next generation of wellness ecosystems (like HUMN) will thrive. Not as gyms or coworking spaces, but as sanctuaries for real connection in an increasingly disconnected world.

Because no matter how advanced technology becomes, nothing will ever outperform human connection. The world isn’t rejecting technology it’s remembering what it means to be human. As screens become smaller and relationships become closer, we’ll measure wealth not in data or followers, but in time, presence, and people.

We’re entering an era where what matters most can’t be quantified and the founders, creators, and communities that recognize this first will lead the future. One that’s less digital, and far more human.