Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and Consumerist Lifestyle in the Digital Age: A Critical Islamic Economic Perspective
Keywords:
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), consumerism, digital economy, Islamic economics, consumer behaviorAbstract
According to RISSC (2026), Indonesia is recorded as the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, accounting for more than one-tenth of the global Muslim population. Second, amid this demographic dominance, Indonesian society is also known for its high level of exposure to mobile technology, with internet usage duration through smartphones ranking among the highest of any country in the world. The rapid expansion of digital platforms and social media has transformed consumption patterns among modern societies, giving rise to a psychological phenomenon known as Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). FOMO drives individuals toward impulsive and excessive consumption in an effort to keep pace with perceived social trends, ultimately fostering a consumerist lifestyle that often contradicts principles of moderation and rational spending. This article critically examines the FOMO phenomenon through the lens of Islamic economics, focusing on core concepts such as maqashid al-shariah (objectives of Islamic law), israf (extravagance), tabzir (wastefulness), and zuhud (asceticism/moderation). Employing a qualitative literature-based approach, this study argues that FOMO-driven consumption represents a departure from the Islamic economic paradigm, which emphasizes balance (tawazun), sufficiency (qana'ah), and social responsibility over individualistic hedonic consumption. The article concludes by proposing an Islamic behavioral framework to mitigate FOMO-induced consumerism, offering both theoretical contributions to Islamic economic literature and practical implications for Muslim consumers navigating the digital marketplace.
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