Patricia Martin on identity, algorithms, and the quiet politics of the inner self

In the digital age, life online increasingly involves shaping and presenting versions of the self—across platforms, in real time, and often multiple times a day. Over time, that performance begins to influence how identity is formed and understood.

In this episode, Jen Taylor-Skinner speaks with Patricia Martin, author of Will the Future Like You?, about how the internet is reshaping the relationship between the inner self and the public persona.

Drawing on more than a decade of research, Martin explains how the “persona”—the version of the self presented to others—has become a form of currency in the attention economy. As more energy is directed outward, access to the inner resources that support decision-making, adaptation, and self-definition can become more limited.

The conversation explores the psychological strain of constant performance, the subtle ways platforms influence behavior, and the broader implications for identity and agency in an AI-driven future. At its core, this is a discussion about self-determination—what it requires, what undermines it, and why it remains essential in a rapidly changing world.

📚 Get the book:

Will the Future Like You? Reflections on the Age of Hyper-Reinvention

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