The Evolution of Identity over Generations with Dr Eliza Filby and Dr Ian Pearson #4

With a look into the past and a long view of the future,  we can better understand, and maintain, our sense of identity in a shifting world.

On this episode of The Future of You, we’ve brought together two sides of a generational coin - a historian and a futurist - to unpack how our relationship with identity is shaped by our generation. Are our notions of identity influencing demographic and societal changes, or might it be the other way around?

Dr Eliza Filby and Dr Ian Pearson dive into the dichotomy between individualism and conformity, future generations’ wildly varied path through the world of work, the role of AI in representing ourselves to others, and whether class will recede or increase as an identity marker in the future.

This episode of The Future of You covers:

  • Shifting patterns in identity, and whether they influence societal changes or vice versa
  • The possible future role of AI in faithfully representing our personalities
  • Individuality in the future workplace, and whether workers can shape a corporation’s moral compass
  • The potential for class to cease being a marker of identity

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Links and references at: https://www.traceyfollows.com/

Om Podcasten

Hello, welcome to the Future of You podcast. 

Here we’re going to investigate and analyse all the ways emerging technologies are going to affect our identity. We used to argue about whether personal identity was in the mind or in the body; but now that psychology of the self and the biology of self has been joined by a third dimension - the technology of the self. 

In a digital, data-driven world, Facebook gets a say in verifying who we are, medical science can alter our genetic make-up, and AI will help us create our digital twin - just how many identities do we need in the multiverse? How is 21st Century technology changing who we are? 

I set out to research exactly that, when I wrote my book The Future of You. That turned out to be only the start of my journey into our changing identity in a digital world. And I thought rather than continue to research this on my own, I could invite you along too. 

I’m Tracey Follows, I’m a futurist and founder of Futuremade, the futures consultancy, and I’ve helped brands and businesses like Virgin, Google, Diageo and Farfetch spot trends, develop strategic foresight and fully prepare for what comes next.

 I believe identity is the defining issue of our generation. So every fortnight I’ll be releasing new episodes, featuring panels of experts as we delve into topics such as how we use media to express our selves, the emergence of the extreme self, transhumanism and the augmented self; anonymity, genetics, biometrics, mind clones, and the digital afterlife - these are just some of the innovations, and controversies, we’ll cover. 

Join the community, buy the book at thefutureofyou.co.uk or connect with me on twitter at @traceyfutures. Please come with me on this journey to explore identity in the digital world, as we investigate the future of me, and the future of you.