Can a generation be authentic when its identity is constantly being curated for it?
Imagine a person whose traits, preferences and personality shift with a single scroll. Let’s call this person ‘Z’. Here’s a “morning in the life of Z”: Z wakes up determined to do the soft morning routine after a previous week of burnout. Post the 5-step morning skincare routine, Z is ready for pilates with a stanley cup by the side. Right after pilates, it’s time to pick out the ‘core’ of the day on Pinterest. Then Z handpicks the perfectly curated playlist with ‘underrated’ artists like Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd. While savoring the morning matcha which Z totally detests, Z uploads an aesthetically shot picture of an avocado toast on Sabrina Carpenter’s music. And that wraps up Z’s algorithm-approved morning routine.
Further imagine more Zs following a similar pattern. That image reflects a subset of Gen Z we often see online today. A significant portion of Gen Z engages with digital culture in ways that are heavily shaped by algorithmic cues and now, stop imagining, because this pattern does show up across much of today’s digital youth culture. The outfits, playlists, problems, photo dumps and even the memes often reflect the lack of originality. It’s as if the algorithm is customising the same 3 avatars for millions of people. Which brings us to the real question: Why is a noticeable slice of Gen Z, whether by choice or by sheer algorithmic nudging,signing up for identities pre-packaged by the internet? Let’s break it down.
“Social media doesn’t just reflect your identity – it constructs it, by repeatedly showing a “mirror” that’s algorithmically optimised, claimed by “The Mirror and the Algorithm”, Article. The algorithm acts as a mirror, but not the kind that will imitate your beautiful eyes and nose. It works the other way around. We reflect what the algorithm mirrors. It builds a persona with a carefully assembled kit: a standard physical appearance, classic core beliefs, and the ‘must-have’ traits to qualify as a standard social being. And we mimic it to the point. The real issue is that people copy the people copying the algorithmic mirror, creating millions of clones This is because people who impersonate the exact identity served by the algorithm are somehow more socially acceptable.
Content Creation makes this point stronger. According to a recent Youtube India Culture & Trends report, around 83% of Gen Z in India now identify as content creators. While being a content creator doesn't hurt anybody, we cannot overlook that more than half of the generation is pursuing content creation as a profession, again circling back to the title of the blog.
In the “Algorithm influence and youth psychology paper by John Kingsley and Mariam Hiswah, the authors argue that algorithmic feedback loops can reinforce beliefs and shape behavior. This states that social media has the power to manipulate behaviours, and because it is widely accessible, it nudges people towards identical choices and characteristics.
The most obvious takeaway of why people bow down to the algorithm is that adolescence is when people explore and differentiate themselves according to Erikson’s theory of identity from ‘Childhood and Society’; and by adolescence, Gen Z has already been long exposed to media. And what they see is what they internalise particularly during this time. What tends to be cool on the internet now becomes their bible to preach in everyday life. And the constant battle between cool and cringe is what makes them gravitate towards the most socially safe option, which is the algorithm. Furthermore, research in developmental psychology also portrays that the presence of consistent digital feedback, especially for young people, acts much like a report card for their identity. Straight A’s for aligning with the algorithm, and social penalties for thinking outside the matrix. Hence, the students learn to mold themselves accordingly, driven by the social horror that comes with it.
Additionally, the first thing you must conform to, to climb the digital ladder, is conformity. Algorithms reward conformity. Influencers intentionally push out content already circulating on the internet. Maximum visibility and engagement is the whole point of social media, and algorithms love repetition. This gives creators no choice but to use the same hooks and rely on similar GRWMs to get viral, giving rise to an “algorithmic monoculture”, which essentially, means, “that choices and preferences will become homogeneous in the face of algorithmic curation” – quoted by J Kleinberg, in “Algorithmic monoculture and social welfare”. This algorithmic monoculture powered by repeated viral content, consequently, leads to homogenous content consumption as well. And hence the loop continues. Same content. Same adaptation. Same execution in real life.
Being on the internet now means exposing yourself to the whole world, waiting for approval from a million people, and god forbid you don’t meet the “standard”, there’s punishment on a very digital level. It’s not enough to stand just by the law, as law might not cancel you for wearing skinny jeans, but the internet definitely will. The digital cancel culture arouses shame and ridicule forcing people to play safe. And the effects of being cancelled on the internet can potentially feel deeply threatening because, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the need for belonging and acceptance is fundamental. Digital cancellation may not threaten physical survival, but it does threaten psychological safety, social belonging, and self-esteem. Therefore, many would rather choose to blend in rather than risk losing their sense of community.
Another psychological effect at play is FOMO. The Fear of Missing Out. This bugging fear is more of an illusion that other people are living a more rewarding life than they are. It’s a yearning to be included in events and experiences that seem to be popular. This is why FOMO is also linked to the “herd mentality”. When something is the talk of the town, and nowadays the town is essentially a huge part of the globe, it invokes a sense of curiosity and a fear of “being left out”. Naturally, most people listen to the urge and follow along. That's the magnitude of FOMO. When you see countless reels and stories of the same event or experience, it’s hard not to be affected. You end up giving in even when it doesn’t fall under your range of interests.. The same applies to the now-trending wave of pickleball, lululemon, matcha, stanley cups and even pastel lehengas.
Finally, a survey shows a significant increase in mental health issues in Gen Z, pushing them to find an escape. This algorithm-based life provides exactly the numbing and escaping paradise that they’re seeking. Reel life looks more vibrant than real life, hence Gen Z’s play out characters customised by the internet and escape into behaviours that support that romanticised life. This is concerning and it shows how algorithmic environments can potentially influence individuality among young people.
Before concluding, it’s worth asking : Doesn’t every generation follow trends ? Certainly. But what makes Gen Z distinct is the environment in which these trends emerge. . This generation is shaped by systems that reward speed; where algorithms, constantly shifting aesthetics, and constant digital feedback leave little room for slow, organic identity-building. And since the older generation’s influence came from local communities and the slow-paced nature of cinema it left a lot of room for individualistic interpretation and addition of personal flavour. They also weren’t navigating a dozen different Pinterest aesthetics competing to be adopted as identities. Not neglecting the various pressures present in the older generation, but given the relevance of the topic, the generations before didn’t have a life so close to social media platforms, AIs and well, a whole lockdown era which hard-launched the entire concept of algorithms and influencer culture. In the end, this isn’t about guilt-tripping an entire generation into moral panic, it’s simply holding a mirror to the intensifying influential essence that social media carries. All in all, every generation has had their fair share of challenges, this might just be one of ours.
Brinal Raithatha
