We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential, while others help us to improve this website and your experience.

Essential
Statistics
External media
News
Trends

How FOMO got overthrown by FOGO – and what we can do about it

A man in dressy eveningwear dances alone.A man in dressy eveningwear dances alone.
(c) Marcel Schwickerath
A man in dressy eveningwear dances alone.A man in dressy eveningwear dances alone.
(c) Marcel Schwickerath
Trends

Things have taken quite a U-turn in the past year, and now that the world appears to be reopening, the prior FOMO phenomenon has nearly evaporated, leaving room for its anxious, introverted cousin — FOGO (Fear Of Going Out).

Things have taken quite a U-turn in the past year, and now that the world appears to be reopening, the prior FOMO phenomenon has nearly evaporated, leaving room for its anxious, introverted cousin — FOGO (Fear Of Going Out).

Community
by Battle Royal Studios
21. June 2021

There is little doubt that the phrase FOMO — Fear Of Missing Out — has become a behavioral trademark of our frantic cultural mood. Few things seem to steer our social existence as much as the fear of not necessarily missing, but rather being overlooked by the dynamic flow of organized activities, events, and experiences. For years if not decades, and noticeably accelerated with the advent of digitalization, FOMO wasn’t prompted by an intrinsic desire to constantly be everywhere, at once. If it may have become internalized as a craving, all it did in fact was harbor collective insecurity — and an entrenched, cultivated pressure to be continuously part of the society of spectacle. Needless to remind, things have taken quite a U-turn in the past year, and now that the world appears to be reopening, the FOMO phenomenon has nearly evaporated, leaving room for its anxious, introverted cousin — FOGO (Fear Of Going Out).

Whatever FOMO lacked in logistical feasibility, FOGO makes up for in rational decision-making, bringing to the fore the wide variety of anxieties which were probably latent, but present even before COVID-19: people are scared, out of practice, vulnerable, scarred by the major public health concerns induced by the coronavirus.

Professional dancers perform in a circle in a club environment under a stark spotlight.Professional dancers perform in a circle in a club environment under a stark spotlight.
(c) Marcel Schwickerath

What does this hint about the future of large-scale events, gatherings, and social happenings? This shift will, perhaps, prompt us to reconsider what missing out even means, can, or should mean in this day and age. Sure enough, as social beings, we crave connection, interaction, exchange. Doubtlessly, we want novelty, excitement — if diving right back into the frenzy of the outside world may prove hard for some, perhaps FOGO can lead us to think outside the box, finding new ways to engage people beyond the conventional. Or simply redefining “going out” as escapism from our everyday, not changing but adding to the understandings we have of collective belonging and 

. Be it by way of remodeling the physical — AR, XR, avatars — or other creative ways of
instigating togetherness
, we will be lessening the authoritarian dominion of the physical, making it less intimidating — and significantly more manageable. Induced by a survival mechanism, FOGO may well have its purpose after all.

Want to get the latest updates? Then, follow us on 

Instagram
 and 
LinkedIn
.

Related

Production Management: From Live to Hybrid Events

We spoke to our Production Manager Ky about how Battle Royal Studios's digital shift affected her personal work - reinterpreting her role completely.

Show Direction
Concept
Hybrid Events

Teamwork in Socially Distanced Times

Community-driven teamwork is what our company stands for. The COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing posed new challenges to this principle.

Community
Team
Digital Transformation

Stay in Touch

Sign-up to the Battle Royal Studios newsletter to keep up to date with our latest news, jobs and VIP invites.



Battle Royal GmbH
Glogauer Strasse 17
10999 Berlin
Germany

With representation in
London • Dubai • Riyadh • Sydney