FOMO fear

 FOMO

I was at my evening walk in a nearby park.
As temperatures are high nowadays, park is seeing many walkers in the evening.
2 ladies were conversing behind.
One lady" My son complained that he was the only one amongst all his friends who doesn't have a Playstation. I have been forcing my husband to buy one fir the child so that he doesn't feel left out."

This conversation took me back to my childhood.
Growing up in a middle class surrounding, either nobody had luxury or it would be just one home who just bought a Color Television. All the neighborhood would gather in that one home and together would watch a popular movie on a Sunday evening.
FOMO- Fear of Missing Out...
This feeling was never there yesteryears.

Today,FOMO is forcing everyone into indulgence.
Beyond their capacity or unnecessary.

In school,rules were strict.
Everyone had to bring simple roti and sabji in tiffin. No frivolous expensive items were allowed in school.
Parents too never over indulged their children.
Life was very basic and simple.
Then came social media platforms and Digitalisation.

Marketing of a product to be sold is done in a manner on social media platforms to create FOMO in society.

Haven't all of us succumbed to FOMO at many occasions in our life?

FOMO moments.....
Every parent wants best for their  child.
It's the Fear that the child may miss out on opportunities in life....makes every Parent spend beyond their capacity on trending International Schools where fees are in lakhs...
Spend on coaching centres and Apps which vouch great teaching aids and guaranteed seats in top education institutions.
Spend on degree courses in India and abroad which cross Crores of INR.
Both Parent and Student are caught up so much on this FOMO....that the most important aspect of sincere reading textbooks and understanding concepts is  completely overlooked. Hours of day is spent more in attending lectures and watching videos.

FOMO in later life.....
Luxuries in yesteryears have become necessities of today.
Foreign trips are being done on EMIs from finance companies.
Expensive Cars,Gadgets,Electronic items,I phones,Materialist products.....list is endless are being purchased after succumbing to the FOMO trend.
Indian Weddings were more rituals yesteryear.
Today,FOMO is giving competition. Rituals take backseat.
Essence of the Rituals us lost and importance of the custom is forgotten .
It's more like an Event where importance is more on attire,ambience and food.Garish,Loud,Opulent.
The More ,The Better.

FOMO gives momentary pleasure.
But that's just superficial and empty.
FOMO ,actually, is putting all under lots of unnecessary pressure.
FOMO brings unwanted anxiety.
FOMO is making us feel incomplete and insecure.
FOMO fails to appreciate our achievements and qualities. It only highlights what we lack and what we can't afford....beyond our capacity.
FOMO brings comparisons and unhealthy competition.
Yesterday, we would share our things with others who didn't have it.
We never made that person left out.

FOMO is killing that Indian Middle Class quality of sharing and caring.....

As long as there is a Smartphone in our hands...
As long as marketing media lure everyone ...
As long as Instagram and WhatsApp show us reels and we post our Status....

FOMO will be ever in Society.
How mentally strong are we to not succumb to FOMO????? is the Big Question. 😀😉😔

- Dr Tripti Milind Galgali.
Hubli.