How Coldplay FOMO could lead to burnout
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Beverly D’souza isn’t a die-hard Coldplay fan. A freelance social media marketer based in Mumbai, she listens to their music occasionally but doesn’t particularly seek it out.
Yet, when Coldplay announced their upcoming concerts in India, D’souza’s interest spiked, not because of a lifelong dream to see the band live, but because of what she calls “the experience." After days of trying to snag a ticket, she came up empty-handed. “It’s about being there when everyone else is. It’s not about the music, but about being part of that collective memory," she admits.
D’souza’s experience captures a modern phenomenon: Fear of Missing Out, or FOMO. In the digital world, FOMO has evolved into a pervasive social experience. Events like the Diljit Dosanjh or Coldplay concerts reveal how it shapes consumer behaviour and impacts mental health and social dynamics.
For many, attending an exclusive concert offers more than the thrill of live music; it creates a sense of elevated social standing. Sairaj Patki, a psychologist at FLAME University, Pune, explains that exclusive events foster a feeling of being “in the know," especially when validated through social media. “Social media facilitates boasting about such experiences among our network, where the likes and comments act as instant validation," Patki says, explaining how social media reinforces the need to share such moments.
Clinical psychologist Shirley Raj from MPower, a mental health care centre in Delhi, describes social media as “a powerful amplifier of FOMO", giving users a filtered glimpse of others’ seemingly perfect lives. “While it fosters a sense of connection, it simultaneously amplifies feelings of inadequacy," she explains. “People
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