Algorithms informed by the worst of humanity
- Kelly Berthold, LCSW
- Jan 5
- 5 min read
By Kelly Berthold, LCSW
Part 1 (Posted originally on Linkedin): We’re not just curating content anymore—we’re curating selves. And not in the “I’ve spent five years writing this memoir that smells of rich mahogany” kind of way, but in the “what’s the cheapest plastic we can send out for production—who cares if it’s toxic?” kind of way.
I recently read Taylor Telford’s article, “Why women on LinkedIn are masquerading as men,” and it hit on something many of us feel but rarely name: online presence has become less about connection and more about performance for an algorithm - an algorithm that we are allowing to dictate or worth, nonetheless.
I’d genuinely love to hear the argument that most people are being fully authentic online and not, in some way, performing:
for the algorithm
for what they think the platform wants
for reach, relevance, SEO, or visibility
And I say this as someone who is objectively terrible at all of the above—which actually makes it easier to see what’s happening from the outside looking in.
Reading how people “do” the internet sometimes reminds me of Tropic Thunder, when Robert Downey Jr.’s character, Kurt Lazarus, famously says:
“I’m the dude playin’ the dude, disguised as another dude!”
That line feels uncomfortably accurate for online life.
Because the real question isn’t what are you posting?
It’s who are you being when you post?
Do you know who you are when you’re not optimizing?
When you’re not tailoring your voice, tone, or ideas to fit what you believe the platform rewards?
When you’re not sanding down your edges into something more “palatable,” “relatable,” or “marketable”?
This layered performance—self playing a version of self for an algorithm trained on other people performing themselves—creates a deeply inaccurate representation of the human experience.
And then we act surprised when things feel hollow.
When nuance disappears.
When complexity is flattened.
When wisdom is reduced to bite-sized affirmations that sound suspiciously like the motivational posters of the 90s.
You know the ones.
“Hang in there.”
“Good vibes only.”
“Success is a mindset.”
Are we really evolving—or just rebranding clichés for better engagement?
Let’s get real.
If algorithms are trained on what we bring to these platforms, then this faulty presence of humanity—this constant performance—becomes the data. And the data becomes the future.
Watch this clip from Tropic Thunder and consider the portrayals you see on online social media platforms:
Part 2:
The recent reporting on women disguising themselves as men on LinkedIn to gain reach isn’t shocking. It’s clarifying.
Because this isn’t really a story about gender. It’s a story about what we are training our systems to amplify—and what we’re willing to excuse as “neutral.”
Let’s get something straight: Algorithms don’t create values. They reflect and reinforce the ones we feed them.
And right now? We’re feeding them some of the least-informed, insecure, least self-aware versions of humanity.
We are dumbing ourselves down to click-bate... to win over an algorithm... that feeds us more click-bate from our... click-bate.
We’re Training AI on Our Lowest Common Denominator
Algorithms are trained on human behavior at scale. Not our best days. Not our most regulated selves. Not our most ethical or reflective moments.
They’re trained on:
Reactivity
Stereotypes
Engagement driven by outrage, dominance, and performance
Cultural shortcuts that reward confidence over competence and volume over substance
So when platforms claim, “the algorithm did it,” what they’re really saying is:
“This is who we’ve decided humanity is.”
That should alarm all of us.
Who’s Dictating the Algorithm?
Here’s the real question we’re not asking loudly enough:
Whose understanding of humanity is shaping these systems?
Because there’s a difference between knowing how humans behave and understanding how humans flourish.
Let's consider, would you rather have:
Homer Simpson picking and choosing the logic of your algorithm or
Brené Brown?
Come on.
One is reactive, impulsive, driven by ego and appetite. The other understands vulnerability, courage, values, and meaning.
And yet, we keep building systems optimized for Homer—then acting surprised when they reward caricatures, reinforce power imbalances, and distort reality.
The Missing Piece: Human Literacy
We have a massive blind spot in tech, AI, and marketing: We prioritize technical intelligence while neglecting human intelligence.
Understanding what makes us human isn’t “soft.”It’s foundational.
If the people designing systems that influence identity, worth, belonging, and visibility don’t understand:
Human development
Nervous systems
Motivation and meaning
Bias formation
Power dynamics
Self-trust and self-actualization
…then we’re not innovating. We’re automating dysfunction.
This Is Bigger Than Tech People—but Especially Them
Everyone deserves access to the fundamentals of human flourishing. But let’s be clear: if you work in tech, AI, marketing, media, or any field shaping attention and identity, this should not be optional knowledge.
You are influencing the human psyche at scale.
So the question becomes:
Do we want systems that expand human potential?
Or systems that exploit our most grotesque, reactive tendencies because they’re easier to monetize?
Because both are possible. And one is a choice.
STEM + Liberal Arts: The Renaissance We Actually Need
The next evolution isn’t better code alone. It’s better context.
STEM without human literacy creates power without wisdom.Liberal arts without application stays theoretical.
Together? They create discernment, ethics, and systems that don’t just scale behavior—but elevate it.
And we don’t need to wait for a massive catastrophe—a tech version of the Black Plague—to realize this was always the missing piece.
Final Thought
Algorithms aren’t neutral. They are values in motion.
If we don’t consciously train them on humanity’s highest capacities—self-awareness, responsibility, empathy, courage, meaning—then we are choosing to let our worst habits define our future.
And that’s not a tech problem. That’s a human one.
The question is whether we’re ready to not just admit it but do something about it.
Maybe the move isn’t to learn how to “play the algorithm” better.
Maybe it’s to fight back and revolutionize it—by showing up with more truth, more depth, more humanity than the system knows what to do with.
And above all?
Live your life and contribute meaningfully and authentically outside of online platforms. Shed those masks and tap into that deep, gritty humanity.
Because the fullest, most accurate version of humanity has never lived behind a screen—and no algorithm should get to decide who you are.
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