The curious case of FOMO

Every time I hear FOMO it makes me think. Today I heard the word again on a podcast. The hosts were talking about FOMO and how it influences the usage of smartphones.
FOMO. The four letter word that kind of defines the internet generation. FOMO a new term but this feeling has its roots in human nature. It just evolved thanks to the internet.
I see so many people around me influenced by FOMO. By so many I should mean everyone including me. My FOMO was worse in the past but over the past few years it has kind of died down. I am happier with my own intentional life and rarely get influenced by what I am missing out on. I do get the urge but I am mostly in control.
But for a lot of people FOMO controls their life. From the smartphone they buy to the career choice they make, there’s some sort of FOMO at its roots. Let’s take the case of the smartphone. If you pick any smartphone in the past few years, it is good enough for the general consumer. Even if you want great pictures, something from 2018 still works great. But I see a lot of people going for the latest iPhone. The one that is overkill even for the enthusiast photographer. Even then I see someone who will never use that model buy it. These stories always make me think. Is there purchase more about status symbol or FOMO. The same thing about career choice. We are driven by what others are doing around us. If a book store owner in the 70s had the internet he wouldn’t be happy having his own business. He would be worried about what he is missing out on. We are constantly trying to check what we don’t have and then feel bad about it.
This is the norm now. FOMO is here to stay. But you can control it. You can tame it. Having FOMO is natural but the problem is when it dictates your life.