"I'm Falling Behind": Stock Market FOMO Can Lead to Actual Poverty

Choi Myung-gi, research director at Cheongdam Harvard Psychology Center, pointed out that if one does not invest while other investors' assets grow in the stock market, one can experience relative poverty. He warned that this phenomenon is not just a matter of feeling but can actually cause substantial harm. This is because if everyone makes money through stock investment, the overall liquidity in the market increases, which can lead to inflation. He explained that when prices rise, the real purchasing power of those who have not participated in investing decreases, ultimately leading to actual poverty.

Research director Choi Myung-gi emphasized that the anxiety of being left out when everyone else is making money from stock investments is not merely a psychological feeling. He explained that if the majority of South Koreans are profiting from stock investments, individuals who have not invested are actually becoming poorer. Therefore, he added, this anxiety about relative poverty is a perfectly normal psychological reaction, and it is directly related to an individual's survival and economic stability.

Research director Choi Myung-gi defined the psychological phenomenon known as FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) as one of the perfectly normal psychological states that drive human behavior. He advised that even if one follows the direction others are taking in investments and incurs losses, there is no need to blame oneself or feel guilty about the outcome. He explained that the desire to act with others stems from a natural process for survival, making FOMO close to a universal human instinct.