The Human Identity: Authenticity or Algorithmic Performance?
The Human Identity: Authenticity or Algorithmic Performance?  
Podcast: Ruined By The Internet? | Uncovering the human cost of our digital world
Published On: Sat Oct 18 2025
Description: 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.Follow or subscribe to never miss the next investigation - new episodes regularly.Visit us: https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/Help us investigate ourselves: https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/survey/Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/rbtishowIn 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 identity02:49 - Curating online versus offline selves, and the gap between them05:46 - The psychological effects of social media on who we think we are08:51 - The role of influencers in shaping identity and self-worth11:57 - The stress of maintaining an online performance indefinitely14:44 - AI and the future of human identity: help or accelerant?17:46 - The case for digital detox and what it actually achieves21:00 - The psychological toll of a permanent online record24:05 - Empathy in the digital age: is it surviving?27:00 - AI's role in the workplace and what it means for professional identity30:07 - The future of human identity in a technology-driven world36:19 - Cyborgs and the evolution of human identityGuest links - Colin CorbyWebsite: https://thedigitaldetoxcoach.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_digital_detox_coachYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedigitaldetoxcoachLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colincorby