The internet promised a world of self-expression and genuine connection. But has it instead encouraged us to build performative versions of ourselves - curated by algorithms and validated by likes - until we've lost track of who we actually are?
Welcome to Ruined By The Internet? - the show where we examine how technology is shaping modern life - whether we want it to or not.
Follow or subscribe to never miss the next investigation. https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/
We're joined by Colin Corby - Digital Detox Coach, Technologist, and CEO of Technology Wellbeing - who helps people reclaim their identity from the platforms designed to reshape it, and understands better than most the psychological cost of living online.
In this episode we investigate how social media has separated our online and offline selves, examine the psychological toll of performing an identity for algorithmic approval, explore the role of influencers in reshaping how we measure our own self-worth, and ask whether AI is accelerating the identity crisis - or offering a way out of it.
(00:00) The internet's impact on human identity
(02:49) Curating online versus offline selves, and the gap between them
(05:46) The psychological effects of social media on who we think we are
(08:51) The role of influencers in shaping identity and self-worth
(11:57) The stress of maintaining an online performance indefinitely
(14:44) AI and the future of human identity: help or accelerant?
(17:46) The case for digital detox and what it actually achieves
(21:00) The psychological toll of a permanent online record
(24:05) Empathy in the digital age: is it surviving?
(27:00) AI's role in the workplace and what it means for professional identity
(30:07) The future of human identity in a technology-driven world
(36:19) Cyborgs and the evolution of human identity
Key takeaways:
• Curated Online Personas: Because our digital footprints create an unerasable, lifelong record, users routinely self-censor and curate flat, two-dimensional versions of themselves online.
• Migration of Primal Social Instincts: Human biological needs for safety and group status have migrated onto social media platforms. Digital currency such as likes and shares exploits these instincts, causing profound mental health issues and inadequacy.
• Illusion of Easy Success: Influencer culture propagates the false appearance that everything in life is effortless. In reality, maintaining this endless content treadmill induces severe stress and burnout, forcing a growing number of influencers to temporarily step away from their online identities.
• Outsourcing and the AI Detox: As corporate tech pushes for agentic AI to automate tasks and mirror human behaviours online, humanity risks outsourcing critical thinking and problem-solving skills – defaulting to the "new average" generated by technology
If this episode got you thinking, check out:
Empowerment: Objectification Rebranded As Agency?
https://pod.link/1825601333/episode/YTVjZDI5NjYtOWUzZC00ZDQ4LWFkZWUtYWViZjlmMjRmYjUx
Self Improvement: Progress Replaced With Performance?
https://pod.link/1825601333/episode/NTI5M2Y0OWItNWMzNy00OGMxLTljZTgtOTk5MjI2MGM1YzRj
Social Interaction: The Digital Erasure of Presence?
https://pod.link/1825601333/episode/ODYyNDQ1MzAtMzdlNy00NjEzLWE4ZWEtYjgxMjMzNTJjOGJk
Guest links - Colin Corby
Website: https://thedigitaldetoxcoach.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_digital_detox_coach
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedigitaldetoxcoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colincorby
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