Part 3 of 12: Ai and the Silent Hijacking of Identity

In an age where artificial intelligence is interwoven into the fabric of our daily lives, the core of who we are is under siege. Are your beliefs genuinely your own, or are they subtly shaped by algorithms designed to maximize your engagement? This episode is an eye-opening exploration of how social media platforms and AI influence our thoughts, beliefs, and ultimately—our identities. 

Join us as we uncover the complex, and often alarming, realities of identity in the digital landscape. We'll discuss the insidious nature of algorithm-driven content, illustrating how even the most innocuous interactions with social media can lead to profound changes in your worldview. With compelling anecdotes and shocking statistics, we reveal the ways that AI nudges your perceptions and alters what you value without you even realizing it. 

Throughout the conversation, we illuminate the disconcerting phenomenon of 'identity drift,' where people wake up to find their beliefs have shifted significantly over time. We provide key indicators to help you recognize if your thoughts are autonomous or if they've been influenced by an unseen force. Additionally, we dive into the consequences of AI on critical thinking, discussing how a shorter attention span and superficial engagement can detract from our capacity for deeper thought.

Finally, we equip you with actionable strategies to reclaim your identity and thought processes from the grip of AI. By encouraging introspection and promoting diverse content consumption, we aim to help you navigate the complexities of modern identity. 

Don’t miss this thought-provoking episode that challenges you to evaluate the true nature of your beliefs. Be sure to subscribe, share, or leave a review to amplify the conversation about self-awareness in the age of technology.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:10):
AI and the silent hijacking of identity.
Are you still you If analgorithm can decide what you
see, what you value and what youbelieve?
At what point do you stop beingthe one in control?
Believe?
At what point do you stop beingthe one in control?
Introduction, the invisiblehand that shapes you so like.
If I just told you yourchildhood dog faked its own

(00:33):
death and is living in BocaRaton.
If I told you your personalityisn't entirely your own, you'd
probably push back.
You'd say I make my owndecisions.
I know what I like and I don'tlike.
I think for myself, yeah, and Ibet you picked that unique
rebel starter pack right offInstagram's trending page.
Here's the uncomfortable truth.

(00:55):
The internet, and AI inparticular, knows you better
than you know yourself.
Basically, it's the world'smost persistent salesperson,
except, instead of pushingtimeshares, it's selling you a
whole new personality.
It studies you, it feeds youexactly what keeps you engaged.
It nudges your perception,rewires your desires and subtly

(01:22):
alters what you believe isimportant.
And the worst part, youprobably don't even notice.
It's like AI is your new lifecoach, whispering you're perfect
, just keep liking cat videosand hating your ex.
This isn't just about how AI ischanging work, creativity or
automation.
It's deeper than that.
It's changing who we are, howwe think, what we value and even

(01:42):
what we believe to be our ownoriginal thoughts.
Let's break it down.
1.
The algorithm isn't justshowing you content.
It's shaping your identity.
Social media algorithms aren'tpassive.
They don't just reflect whatyou like.
They actively push you in adirection.
This has been proven time andtime again.

(02:04):
Think about it.
If you watch one fitness video,suddenly you're getting no
excuses gym grind content everyday.
One minute you're looking update night ideas.
The next you're convinced theentire sex on the other side is
an enemy combatant in apsychological war you never
signed up for.
If you engage with relationshipadvice, you might start seeing
man versus women, tribal warfareposts that push you into a

(02:28):
specific narrative.
If you click on one conspiracytheory, suddenly your feed is a
rabbit hole of paranoia.
One minute you're a skeptic.
The next you're stockpilingtinfoil for the lizard uprising.
At first it just amplifies whatinterests you, but over time it
gradually reshapes what youthink is normal, what you think

(02:48):
is right and even how you seeyourself.
It's like gaining weight overthe holidays.
One day you're fine and thenext you swear your dryer shrunk
every pair of jeans you own.
A slow push is more effectivethan a hard shove.
You don't even feel yourselfmoving Like a digital pied piper
, except instead of rats.

(03:08):
It's hurting your entirepersonality off a cliff.
And because the AI on socialmedia is designed to maximize
engagement, not truth, itdoesn't care whether it's
showing you wisdom or bullshit,as long as you stay locked in.
2.
The Identity Drift when youwake up and realize you're not
the same person.

(03:28):
Most people don't notice whentheir beliefs shift.
They don't wake up one day andsay, wow, I think completely
differently than I did a yearago.
I mean, unless something sodramatic has happened to you
that you've had to come to aJesus moment, as it were.
Instead, it happens gradually,invisibly.
Here's how you know youridentity might have been quietly

(03:50):
hijacked.
Your past self wouldn'trecognize your current values.
You can't explain why youbelieve what you do, only that
you feel strongly about it.
Your thoughts feel like theycome from you, but they actually
echo content you consumed.
And the scariest part, youprobably think you came to those

(04:10):
conclusions yourself.
But did you or did an algorithmslowly feed you content until
you absorbed a new worldviewwithout even realizing it?
Congrats, you've beengentrified by a bot New opinions
, same old you, now with ahigher rent.
3.
The AI-induced attentiondeficit why we can't think

(04:35):
deeply anymore.
Ai isn't just shaping beliefs,it's destroying our ability to
sit with complex ideas.
Look at what's happening.
Videos are getting shorter.
60-second hot takes replacenuanced discussions.
Memes shape opinions more thanbooks.
Outrage spreads faster thanunderstanding the result.
People can't hold nuancedconversations.

(04:55):
Critical thinking is dying.
People react instead of reflect.
It's like we've outsourced oursouls to a slot machine One pull
, instant feelings, no jackpotof insight.
Ai is optimizing for speed,emotion and engagement and in
the process, it's trainingpeople to crave instant hits of
validation instead of deepthought.

(05:17):
Basically, the digitalequivalent of a toddler hopped
up on sugar loud, demanding andcompletely allergic to nuance.
Ais turned our brains intoTikTok scrollers three seconds
of depth, then it's on to CatFalls Off the Couch.
The movie, and here's the thingwhen your ability to focus is
gone.
The movie, and here's the thingwhen your ability to focus is

(05:37):
gone.
So is your ability to trulyknow yourself, Because real
self-awareness requires sittingwith complexity, not just
absorbing the loudest voice inyour feed.
Four how to know if AI ismanipulating your identity.
So how do you tell if yourbeliefs, values or self-concept
have been shaped by algorithmsinstead of independent thought?

(05:59):
Well, ask yourself if I had nointernet for six months, would I
still feel as strongly about myopinions as I do now?
Can I trace where my beliefsactually come from?
Do I change my mind based onevidence or just based on what I
engage with the most?
Am I thinking, or am I justreacting?

(06:21):
Most people don't thinkcritically about their own
thoughts.
They treat their opinions likea TikTok trend.
If it's everywhere, it must beworth jumping on.
Next thing you know you'retwerking to flat earth theory
because it's got a good beat.
They assume if I feel somethingstrongly, it must be real.
If I keep seeing a message, itmust be true.

(06:44):
If I agree with something, Imust have arrived at that
conclusion myself.
But that's not always the case.
So what do you do if yourealize you're being nudged,
shaped and conditioned withoutyour awareness?
1.
Break the algorithm's hold onyou Purposely engage with
content outside your typicalbubble, question why certain

(07:07):
things are being pushed intoyour feed.
And, for the love of theproverbial St Pete, do your own
research and know how to do thatresearch, not just clickbait.
And here's a hint try and proveyourself wrong.
Use different sources for news,learning and research.
2.
Rebuild your critical thinking.

(07:28):
Slow down.
If a post makes you angry,pause before reacting.
Read long-form content Books,well-researched articles, deep
conversations.
Train yourself to see multipleperspectives instead of the most
viral one.
3.
Do a self-audit.

(07:49):
Write down what you deeplybelieve.
Ask yourself where did thisbelief come from?
If you can't trace it back toindependent thought, it might
not actually be yours.
In that case, you're not aphilosopher, you're a parrot
with Wi-Fi.
4.
Reclaim your attention span.

(08:10):
Set time limits on mindlessscrolling.
Spend time in silence, awayfrom screens.
Focus on deep work, longconversations and meaningful
interactions the best way totell if AI has hijacked your
identity.
See who you are when you stepaway from the constant input.
If feasible, spend a few monthsin another culture.

(08:32):
If you can't go 24 hourswithout doom scrolling,
congratulations.
You've been fully domesticatedby the algorithm.
You're not a free thinker,you're a house cat with a data
plan and opposable thumbs.
Final takeaway If you don'tcontrol your mind, someone else
will.
Ai isn't forcing anyone tothink a certain way.

(08:52):
It's just nudging, rewardingand reinforcing until people do
it willingly.
If you don't actively protectyour own thinking, your own
identity, your own sense of self.
You're handing over control toan algorithm that doesn't care
about the truth, only engagement.
And let's be real if youwouldn't trust a casino to

(09:13):
manage your savings, why thehell would you trust an
algorithm to shape yourworldview?
So here's the real question Areyou shaping your beliefs or is
an algorithm shaping them foryou?
And, more importantly, are youstill you Closing thoughts?
The strongest mind isn't theone that knows the most.

(09:34):
It's the one that knows whenit's being played.
Otherwise, you're just a pawnin AI's chess game and it's
laughing at your opening move.
So take a step back, look atyour thoughts and ask yourself
who's really in control here.
Am I or AI?
Thank you.