I fear that I am missing out on something.  And the thing I am missing out on?  FOMO.  I’ve heard a lot of people talk about FOMO, but I have never experienced it myself?  Am I missing out?

As a social phenomenon, FOMO has been linked to the rise in digital connectivity.  Through social media networks it is possible to discover endless ‘grass-is-greener’ designs for living.  However, FOMO is also a product of increased social prosperity.  It is not just a question of observing a ‘grass-is-greener’ lifestyle, it is the belief that you can actively alter your own situation in order to ape it.  Connectivity and prosperity have given individuals a range of choices never previously imagined to them.  A previous century’s farmhand or factory worker might have known that he was missing out in comparison to the lifestyle enjoyed by his employer, but there was bugger all he could do to change it.  Now the choice of possible alternative realities seems limitless and within grasp.  Crypto speculator.  X-Factor winner.  YouTube influencer.  Why couldn’t anyone be any of these? 

But is this choice nothing but an illusion?

Or a curse?

I aspire to nothing.  I recognise that this bold statement is uttered from the fortunate position of extreme privilege but, similar, or even more preferential circumstances, do not seem to make others immune from FOMO.

Rather than worry about what you may be missing out on, surely a better design for living is to attempt to enjoy what you are currently doing and be sufficiently generous of spirit to hope that the people doing what you fear you are missing out on are enjoying doing that, too?

It is interesting that the Asian equivalent of FOMO, kiasu, is also linked to someone exhibiting selfish behaviour.

In apparent reinforcement of my ideas, I had been enjoying writing this blog, feeling generous spirited of people engaged in other activities, that was until I received a brief text from an old friend of mine who told me that he was currently in Venice enjoying the sunshine.

FOMO.  You never know when it might strike.

© Simon Turner-Tree

Simon Turner-Tree goes searching for his generous spirit.