FOMO or Fear of Missing Out

I'm decidedly not a gacha person. I don't trust myself with them, and my childhood just had bad luck when it comes to luck. The only gacha I'm gambling is with Mamo pokemallows once he gets the blind bags going; I kept my Jirachi from the last one, so I could see what I could trade with it in the future. 

But even then, this FOMO is not good with the hype. One really should step back and decide which ones would make you happy, and for the sake of your wallet. 

Witchxing is really destroying my wallet. It was December 2024 when I last preordered from her, and now I've ordered the two Ariels in April, and now I'm going for the GWS Jasmine in June. I know I will be getting GWS Meg to make up for not getting BGC Meg. If there's a CCS Sakura or a Saturn in the future, I have to get them because it's practically a given that I must have them for my collection. I already promised to collect every single Genshin and Honkai design they ever made. Furina is absolutely beautiful. 

Given the tariffs, I have to give Liu and Hunterflower only specific pins such as Aventurine, Sunday (second outfit), Neuvillette, and any I collect earnestly. 

Silvy is destroying the wallet for two more Disney designs, with a confirmed Cinderella and Meg in the future. Of course I already broke the rule of only one pop for KPDH so now I will three or four more pops. If there’s a line I really like, I need Huntrix together.  If Silvy is doing a Jinu Tuxedo Mask mashup, I wouldn’t pass that up and likely be the only Tuxedo Mask pin I’ll ever have. 

Mamobot is obviously the winner of my wallet destroyers. I buy sets from him often, or create enough to get a freebie pin he promotes. 

The merch makers and everyone else whose products are made in China are having a difficult time changing their business models just so they don't go bankrupt. They have to keep up with news of the tariffs just so they at least keep their business accounting numbers in line. 

The FOMO and the hype that caused it created a lot of hype where it’s more trendy than what it actually meant to the people. Geeky things might be widely accepted now and even seem cool, but make no mistake that trendy does not equal genuine happiness. I know that I would be feeling genuine joy finally getting Noddi Saturn after waiting for it for who knows how long, and will get their own story because that wait so deserved it. 

I know Labubus is so popular now that it's even trickling into other communities. I harbor no interest in them, nor do I feel any need to get any. I don't get into hype that often. Even now, while I understand the hype for Sinners, I do not understand the hype for the live-action Lilo and Stitch. 

The thing is that I fear that for those who have genuine passion and love, there are those who buy into it due to its trendiness or scalpers who resell them at insane prices. Maybe those who bought into the trendiness like some of what they bought, but again, the keyword is trendy. 

It's distressing to hear that people are willing to break into people's cars just to get rare Labubus. At least when I have sought after pins, I keep them and treasure them. I don’t think anyone outside of the hobby knows what it really is, because I do see scalpers raise obnoxious prices for sought-after designs. 

Unless scalpers know which is which for what market, they must go deep. For small businesses, they don't make the money that should've gone to them when people resold their merchandise at high costs and not because of the value it was estimated at. 

The thing about collecting is love, passion, and intentionality.

It's great to see adults openly professing their love for these instead of supposedly aging out of them. Animation in the US is still widely denigrated for kids rather than the medium it actually is. 

We don't want to see adults age out into this beige nothingness. My parents might not be thrilled I'm buying pretty shinies, but between my pins or drugs, which would they prefer? Whimsy and what brings you happiness make it better. Buying stuff that brings you joy is better than not having anything that brings you happiness, than not having anything to show, except out of financial concerns where you can't afford it, where I understand. 

At least that's a good thing that came out. Having pins is a great pick-me-up for me because the beauty of the art is translated so well into the pin. 

There are forms of gambling with gacha games and blind bags. 

People have been collecting forever, and overconsumption has been a thing since forever. They think it would make a quick profit or an investment in the short run or the long run. Given that these items have specific purposes, it's rare to see that investment pay off. 

Scalpers and resellers are the ones ruining the hobby for everyone, buying up everything to the point of committing crimes and starting fights for them. All over something silly as a toy or a piece of cardboard, that brings happiness to others, but not the scalper who is buying it up for easy money. Ever since I heard of these incidents, I'm just wondering why these people are even doing this?? 

Why push aside kids and other grown adults just for some easy money or because you have that thing even though there is zero need to do any of these things? 

It’s the scalpers who pick fights and are generally hostile because they see it as money rather than actual passion and love. I’m very sad that the fans are dealing with this. 

Sure, there are jokes about stealing other people's collections in these collecting hobbies, but one of the things people say is not to compare collections that you feel less of somehow for not having this rare item. 

I don't know why these people don't know that tenet of collecting. I made my peace that I'm not going to get some particularly rare pins from makers who made especially limited editions that aren't open for preorder. At least I know I can get Abigeyedowl and Witchxing's LE pins because they determined LE by their open preorder. 

For long-time lovers of said items, it's disheartening to see people just going with trends and insanity ongoing instead of just doing something good for themselves. 

It's gotten to the point where even Chiikawa and his friends are being eyed for stealing. Just why??? I was only introduced to them through Jaiden Animations and Emirichu and know they have been growing in popularity everywhere else, but for people to see it as dollar signs??? Just why???

These little trinkets and shinies are supposed to bring happiness. They're a pick-me-up and a hobby, not a way to make money, nor was it meant to. Though, given the way with Beanie Babies, it had always been that way for money-hungry people to see it as such. 

I don't know it's gotten this bad that it escalated to horrid fights rather than just pushing people out of the way harshly. It's downright embarrassing to see grown adults fighting what they see as a money opportunity instead of adult collectors collecting what they love. 

At least those collectors in the family who choose to only have a couple of Labubus are happy with what they have. One of my cousins wanted one based on a picture, but was extremely happy and incredibly attached to the one she pulled to the point she was happy to put on the Lakers wear on him because it's Kobe Bryant's birthday. 

I think while they do like the thrill of a blind box, they love dressing up their Labubus more. 

FOMO is a real thing. Heck, I experienced things while in the pin community. I have to separate feelings of whether I truly want it or not. 

I grew up with Disney, yes, but I harbor zero feelings toward collecting Disney merch. Never mind that I'm pirating the shit out of their movies already, my pin collection leans more eclectic when it comes to Disney, and it's all fantasy because I refuse to funnel money into them....because my cousins are with their Disney+ accounts and I'd rather not. With modern Disney the way it is, there is no way I want my money to go back to them. 

I'm open to everything, but the movies I don't care for, such as obviously Frozen and Brave. I'm very strict when it comes to Disney designs, and I know when to cut my losses more easily than I do my other collections. With the Punzie I got, Pascal was part of the design, and with the Jasmine I'm getting, Rajah is also part of the design. My Cinderella collection will have more adaptations, considering one of my favorite books is Ella Enchanted and one of my comfort movies is Ever After. Godoka, how I love the Cinderella fairytale enough that I read every single variation I could get my hands on. I still haven't found the Brandy Cindy pin yet. 

Hype is really easy, too, especially in niche interests. 

For example, HSR is still immensely popular, with each update praised. ORV is getting popular by the moment at the time of writing. 

For example, dyed soft enamel pins have been extremely popular since Mamobot's Pokemallows made them. Even if you aren't collecting them, the interest in them has grown that other previous businesses have gotten some interest. To be fair, those are popular before the mallows but kept in their own original series rather than a popular IP like Pokémon. 

Stained glass pins are also popular. Cateye effect has some level of popularity at the time of writing. 

Tried and true effects like pearl and sandblast will always be popular. The issue is that people kept throwing the effects to see which works, and testing it out is just a circle. 

Still, when competitive drops for popular things get this much, it's enough to see people feeling the FOMO and those who really do collect and love the thing. 

I've been differentiating a lot of feelings, so I know of which thing I prioritize. Mamo's Pokemallows for instance, I've been prioritizing what I feel I need more than I want which is helpful when I'm collecting the normal versions of the Eevee Fusions with the Shinies being the bonus only while the Gardevoir Fashions rely on my fashion taste with the Shinies depending if I really like the coloring. I mean I finally got a Patreon exclusive after some months after the Shiny Jirachi, so there's that. I'm hardly that big of a fan, except if there's a Ditto Dragonair, then maybe I'll get it. It's still a Ditto just as a Dragonair. 

I have to set hard rules for myself. Compared to most people, what I spend is considerably less. Even though parents do judge, what I spend is less. Even in my worst months, it’s still not even touching the piles I've seen people spend on. 

There is no way to meet supply and demand, especially for a small business. I have to make hard decisions and focus on what I need. 

There are very few pin businesses that can be made a day job. Mamobot is definitely successful enough to have accessible pre-orders and to buy in large quantities. Nuwa certainly had not changed any of their practices either. From what I heard, Sugarbones is on this level. Witchxing and Abigeyedowl had not changed their practices either. 

For multiple reasons (full-time job, family, unable to expand without losing core aspects, mental health, time, etc), pin businesses have to do what is best with them. Small businesses that are utterly time-consuming, like pottery, have to do what is needed for the sake of the artist. 

I mean, I haven't bought anything from Nuwa aside from getting two pin club spots and a Disney Landscape that is entirely Patreon exclusive, I've just been supporting her every month with just three bucks. 

My brother supported some people through Patreon as well. For me, I have to be reasonable with whom I can support. Sure, I could be joining three or four clubs within a month to get a reward or to get access to a design. I just can’t join Mamo’s Twitch subscription for various reasons, be it time or simply that I can’t join a long-term subscription outside of the Patreon I’m already giving to him. I need to allow myself to support more than one creator in their clubs. Never mind that I can’t join Mamo's Pokemallow club, which was undergoing a test run. I know he's trying to move away from Patreon and has to make the difficult decision to discontinue a tier one day because of the tariffs. He's successful enough to still make bulk orders of pre-order, but he's still hit enough to cut down the pre-order deadline to a few days instead of a week. Nuwa is still doing a weeklong preorder because I have seen no change, no discussion with Patrons. I've been a longtime Patron since 2023 and only took a few physical reward slots. I mean, I was fortunate to have the Patreon tab still there for me to nab a Goddess Tier for the US Patrons before the entire tier sold out in a few weeks, I think. I was quick enough to nab Queen tier again for KPDH reward pins. 

I have to make important decisions regarding my budget. Regarding the Kpop Demon Hunter collection, I just reduced it. My other collections deserve more attention than something I'm happy with, just a few pins. It's teeny tiny, as I have stated before. I'd rather find that money for Meg x Herc Heart, which I don't think is even finished, considering she's been focusing a lot on new ship art like Captain Swan and Rujinu. She's very slow producing, never mind that what she puts out there creatively is very nice and immaculate. 

I have to be careful with PSS, too. I have to make the decision to not collect Anaxa outside of Minty. Only Aven and sometimes Sunday get the honor of having other collectors. I still need Kakavasha in my Aven collection. Kaveh gets that distinction more as I collect him more than even Childe, and I'm still waiting for the Childe Scrapbook. Usually, the yellow Pantone colors aren't my favorite colors, which is a funny thing because a majority of my collection are blondes with Aven, Kaveh, Rapunzel, and Cinderella and Kaveh has some greens too, another color I’m strict on. Then again, it's the same thing with green and Kaveh has a lot of greens. I saw Astral Gala Jupiter, and she looks so good with the peacock gown, and I almost want to put it on my impossible ISO list. Some black hair characters have Hotaru Tomoe and the ORV main characters, the majority of the time. Due to issues, it's just sad that I can't collect all the P4Ps out there. At least I got the P4P I wanted. 

I have to force myself into a mindset that I’m okay missing out on these because of budget reasons. If I want them, I have to delay getting them at presale. 

Unless it’s design(s) I’m utterly in love with and really cannot part with, I have to ponder if I really want it or not. 

Honestly, it’s easier to convince myself that I don't need to buy it because I don’t need it. It’s also easier to simply delete the tab if I'm not buying from that maker. 

I know my method isn't for everyone. 

Sometimes, a collection can be too much for people, and they are just buying their favorites. Anything that has a large cast or a monster selection will have this. For example, Mamo's Pokemallows are getting too much for me and certain people, hence favorites. Collecting every Sailor Scout is not plausible unless you are the person who has the money.  

It all depends on needs versus wants. Little trinkets bring little happiness. Heck, my AX haul still brings me happiness after the terrible week that happens after that. 

My pins are bringing me happiness. It's a luxury as much as any hobby is now. 

Even little trinkets that bring happiness are just a little luxury that not everyone can afford in this economy. I have to skip and make the decision not to buy other characters that I'm already collecting to some extent. It's better for my wallet and sanity that I just buy something that is within my collection. Even for most Disney now, it's a no-go with my budget and in general, and only going for those I truly want. 

It's better to cut back and be picky for budget's sake. 

FOMO shouldn't be the thing. Anything that is popular shouldn't peer-pressure anyone into collecting. 

It's okay to go with trends, but for the love of Godoka, please pull back and examine yourself. 

Scalpers cannot be convinced of their own bad behavior, disrupting collecting habits and trying to make money off it. However, if the businesses produce more, scalpers have less reason to sell off at a high price, which is generally undesirable for anyone. 

I really do like some cards and figures I have seen, but it's better for my sanity that I stick with pins for now. There are designs I've been wanting, so that's a priority. I choose designs that I know make me happy.