The Development and History of FOMO

The behavioral phenomenon known as FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) has been in existence for centuries. FOMO is experienced as a clearly fearful attitude towards the “possibility of failing to exhaust available opportunities and missing the expected joy” which is associated with succeeding in doing so. Simply put, it is concentration of attention on the empty half of the glass. It is considered a somewhat modern malaise based on today’s current technology – as opposed to earlier forms of anxiety-driven phobias, this blog will focus on the affect contemporary social media has had concerning FOMO. In the case of social media, FOMO was initially caused by the development of social networking sites generated by Internet users. On his website, fittingly titled “The Fear of Missing Out,” Dr. Dan Herman, who claims to have coined the actual phrase, describes FOMO as “a powerful motivator of human behavior in developed as well as in developing countries worldwide” (Herman, Fear of Missing Out).
According to Herman, “over 70% of adults are driven by FOMO to varying degrees.” This, again, enunciates the point that it is the people participating in social media who have actually catapulted the phenomena itself. 
 

Herman describes the history of FOMO in three developmental steps, or technological revolutions;

1. The transportation revolution (airplanes, sea vessels, trains, cars, even space-shuttles.)
2. The communication revolution (TV, wireless, mobile, the internet, etc.)
3. The information revolution (computers, IT systems, the internet again, digital everything), and the resultant globalism. (This exposed us to a flabbergasting variety of possibilities in all areas of our lives.)

Herman continues by explaining why this third revolution is so significant, “The recent rise of social media and the developments in mobile devices’ technology increased exponentially our immediate awareness the myriad of options available to us.”

There are many key factors in the actual development of FOMO. As stated previously, the two most basic factors, of course, are the constant, relentless use of social media and social media itself. 

In an article titled “Social Media Fuels Fear of Missing Out,” Caterina Fake, co-founder of Hunch and Flickr, highlights how social media both causes and soothes the addiction-like desire to constantly participate:

“Social media has made us even more aware of the things we are missing out on. You’re home alone, but watching your friends status updates tell of a great party happening somewhere. You are aware of more parties than ever before. And, like gym memberships, adding Bergman movies to your Netflix queue and piling up unread copies of the New Yorker, watching these feeds gives you a sense that you’re participating, not missing out, even when you are” (Pottinger, Social Media Fuels Fear Of Missing Out).

 

Works Cited

• Herman, Dr. Dan. “The Fear of Missing Out.” The Fear of Missing Out. Web. 16 Mar. 2012. <http://fomofearofmissingout.com/&gt;.
• Pottinger, Stephanie. “Social Media Fuels Fear Of Missing Out.” @PSFK. 15 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 Mar. 2012. <http://www.psfk.com/2011/03/social-media-fuels-fear-of-missing-ou.html&gt;.