FOMO - Fear of Missing Out

FOMO - Fear of Missing Out
Category
Society

Definition

An apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent.

Origin

Originally coined in the year 2000, the term went viral in the mid-2010s, likely with the increased visibility of social activities afforded by social media (source).

Everyday Use

Truly a concept that can be experienced every day — FOMO seems to be a particularly modern phenomenon, born out of social media and an always-on-panopticon airbrushing of our experiences so that we feel we are the ones being left at the station. It's helpful to remember that _many _of us can feel like this — and its commonality should provide a little comfort that it's not uniquely us who are missing out. In these moments, I also prefer to remind myself of JOMO — the Joy of Missing Out.