Ibiza FOMO

It’s easy to understand why people quite easily develop this fear of missing out, when so many cool things are happening in cool places with cool people and they’re documented online within minutes. We have Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to blame for this, but then again without them, would there still be the same hype surrounding events? We’ll never know, because this is the world we now live in! This week I discovered that Ibiza FOMO is not strictly limited to those who live off the island. Sitting here at my computer yesterday, I came down with a massive case of FOMO as I was typing up a great interview with a very interesting DJ – the type of work I normally feel very grateful to be doing in summer. I was running late for a deadline of 7pm and I kept seeing posts from Maceo Plex, who was making his way across the island to playing 10 DJ sets in 10 different locations (including the eerily deserted old club in the hills you see in the picture above) pop up all over my social media feeds.

I’m going to tell you the honest truth right now and say I’ve always felt quite ambivalent towards Maceo Plex which was why I wasn’t bothered about the concept when I first heard the news of it last week. But as I watched the project unfold over the course of the day I realised it was something special. He was really tailoring his style of music to each location, and some of the locations happened to be my favourite ‘secret’ places on the island. Sure, it was a publicity stunt*, but it was a damn good one… and I couldn’t be spontaneous and just go and join the party! It struck me there and then that this must be how so many people all over the world feel on any given day when they’re wishing they could be in Ibiza right now. It’s weird. It’s frustrating. It’s inspiring and it’s infuriating at the same time. For me, one case of the FOMOs is not really so bad – while the event was happening right under my nose and I couldn’t make it, at least I know I can go to most things in Ibiza whenever I want. I just need to plan ahead and not leave things to the last minute!

But imagine if you were in Australia? Or Canada? Not only is the flight alone a monumental full-day experience, the cost of said flight is in the thousands – most people can’t just be spontaneous and ‘pop’ to Ibiza on a whim. Those in Europe have it a little easier – flights are less expensive and you can get here within a few short hours – but it’s still not your every day possibility. Most people have jobs. Responsibilities. Financial constraints… And hence, Ibiza FOMO. Which leads me back to the social media thing. While these channels are definitely the culprits leading to outbreaks of FOMO, don’t you think they can also be seen as part of the cure? Because thanks to them, at least we get to share in a small slice of the action, even if it is through the screen of our phones… isn’t that better than not seeing anything at all? *Maceo Plex’s publicity stunt disclaimer: “I want to thank you all for supporting our concept we prepared for this Tuesday in Ibiza with 10 DJ sets in 10 emblematic spots of the island in less than 24 hours. Nevertheless, I want to clarify that the idea is to create a musical and visual Mosaic of the various Ibiza landscapes, and not in any way an attempt to break any records. This is meant to be artistic and not just another DJ breaking a record as the media has unfortunately misinterpreted.” Sorry buddy and bravo.