The Human Identity: Authenticity or Algorithmic Performance?

The Human Identity: Authenticity or Algorithmic Performance?

Author: Gareth King October 18, 2025 Duration: 41:24

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?

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.

Welcome to Ruined By The Internet? - the show where we examine how technology is shaping modern life - whether we want it to or not.

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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

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


It’s a question that nags at anyone who’s ever felt a pang of nostalgia or a wave of digital fatigue: are we better or worse off because of our constant connection? Hosted by Gareth King, Ruined By The Internet? digs into that uneasy feeling, moving beyond simple headlines to explore how our online world actively moulds society, culture, and the texture of daily life. This isn’t about reviewing apps or gadgets; it’s about treating the digital realm as the pervasive environment it has become. Each episode features thoughtful conversations with leading thinkers and researchers from around the world, dissecting the real evidence behind our shared anxieties and hopes. You’ll hear nuanced discussions that ask whether the casualties we often blame on technology are inevitable, or if we’re simply misdiagnosing deeper societal shifts. This podcast provides a space for considered reflection, offering listeners a clearer lens through which to view their own place in a world that is, for better or worse, thoroughly wired.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 30

Ruined By The Internet? | Uncovering the human cost of our digital world
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