The Emergence of FoMO due to Digitalization and It’s Impact on Gen Z Character
Angelina Risang Krisma Pinastika XII IPA 2 / 04
Thursday, 25th January 2024
One of the most important problems of our day is the digitalization of society.
Digitalization is originally based on digitizing, multimedia, interaction, and being everywhere. Information technology is the field with the fastest pace of development and direct influence on society, and it is closely related to the advances in technology that affect modernization. Developed digital technology and integration systems of the 1970s started the formation of the digital world. Global digitization is growing more advanced with each passing day. The world’s future heavily depends on digitization to function swiftly and efficiently. Many facets of our lives are being impacted by digitalization, and Generation Z is especially affected.Social media is one of the effects of digitalization and it might naturally affect their personality and social life.
Social media has become an important thing in our daily lives, with millions of people around the world using social media platforms to connect with friends, family, and colleagues. Using content produced by social media, influencers is a notable and relatively new social media activity that deserves notice for this day. Influencers, who own significant social media followings, have the ability to impact others, regardless of their famous status.
It's crucial to remember that these people are social connection assets that brands may work with to accomplish their marketing goals rather than just marketing tools. Several studies on the impact of influencers on people's decision-making attest to the fact that the recommendations they make have the power to change the way their followers view their choices. They create significant followings of enthusiastic, involved people who closely follow their opinions on social media by posting often about that subject. Influences sway followers into fearing that they will miss out on the product and all the things they promote (Pryzbylski, Murayama, DeeHaan, & Gladwell, 2013).
The Fear of Missing Out is the term used to describe this condition. The fear of missing out (FOMO) is defined as the “uneasy and sometimes all-consuming feeling that you’re missing out that your peeps are doing, in the know about, or in possession of more or something better than you”. In basic terms, people's anxiety about what other people might think of their lives and their sense of inclusion is related to their intense concern for what other people think and do. The “missing out” feeling has the power to influence people’s decisions, for example, a person could choose to buy an expensive product over their friend and become consumptive because they don’t want to miss out on the possibility or an opportunity to “fit in”.
According to Optin Monster statistics, nearly 7 in 10 (69%) of Generation Z experience FOMO, the most of any age group. In this situation, most people are stressed by
the social conditions around them, so they change their habits to follow the flow. Generation Z may start to feel anxious, unworthy, and unsatisfied due to their constant connection to social media and always being able to see what they’re missing out on. Most of the emotions connected with FOMO appear to be negative: 39% of respondents said they were jealous, 30% said they were sad or disappointed, and 21% said they were envious. Furthermore, people may have poor decision-making. This can cause Generation Z to make impulsive decisions without carefully considering the consequences. Many aspects of their life will be impacted, such as personal relationships, career choices, and financial decisions.
The Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is generally considered a negative emotion, as it can lead to anxiety, stress, and a constant need to stay connected. However, in some contexts, there are some potential positive impacts from FoMO. The first one is that FoMO can act as a motivator, encouraging individuals to participate in activities, events or opportunities that they may not otherwise consider important. As they explore new things and pace, try different activities, and seek out experiences, this takes them out of their comfort zone which can lead them to better opportunities for their lives, like character and professional development. Besides that, FoMO also can encourage people to stay connected socially with other people on the internet and build connections by liking and following the same things.
Nowadays, there are still many young people who don’t care about the impact of FoMO. With the emergence of FoMO due to the digitalization era especially on social media, it is important to note that even with these potential positive impacts existing, too much FoMO can still have negative effects on well-being and mental health. Such as living life with hedonism which will make us wasteful, anxious, and difficult to make life choices.
Therefore, every individual in Generation Z needs to increase awareness of their limitations and priorities so that they can continue to develop their character in a positive direction with all the opportunities that exist by being able to distinguish between good and bad regarding FoMO.
References
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