Share

cover art for The Fear of Missing Out

IdeaWeave — Smart Made Simple

The Fear of Missing Out

Season 1, Ep. 4

When belonging became a numbers game—what FOMO reveals about being human. In this fourth episode of IdeaWeave, Maya and Leo trace “fear of missing out” from its tribal origins to the digital age. They unpack how evolution, dopamine, and social media turned connection into comparison—and why true belonging starts when you stop chasing every open door and choose the one you’re already in.

IdeaWeave — The podcast that untangles big ideas — one curious conversation at a time

More episodes

View all episodes

  • 12. The Future of Death

    09:47||Season 1, Ep. 12
    If technology could end aging — should it? In this twelfth episode of IdeaWeave, Maya and Leo step into the ultimate question: If we could end aging — should we? From longevity science to digital immortality, they explore how technology challenges death itself — and what that means for love, meaning, and being human. A curious, soulful journey where transhumanism meets tenderness, and the future feels both infinite and fragile.
  • 11. Why We Lie to Ourselves

    10:10||Season 1, Ep. 11
    Why do we lie to ourselves — and why can’t we stop? In this episode of IdeaWeave, Maya and Leo explore the strange, adaptive art of self-deception. From evolution to therapy, they unravel how our minds twist truth to protect us — and why facing ourselves, gently, might be the most honest thing we ever do.
  • 10. The Wisdom of Boredom

    09:17||Season 1, Ep. 10
    What if boredom isn’t a bug, but a feature of being human? In this episode of IdeaWeave, Maya and Leo explore why boredom might be the mind’s most misunderstood emotion. From brain scans to Buddhist monks, they discover how emptiness fuels imagination — and how learning to do nothing might be the smartest thing we ever do.
  • 9. Can Machines Be Conscious?

    09:51||Season 1, Ep. 9
    If an AI said it felt joy — would you believe it? In this episode of IdeaWeave, Maya and Leo explore what it really means to be conscious. Blending philosophy, neuroscience, and ethics, they unravel the mystery of whether machines could ever feel. From Descartes to ChatGPT, from the “hard problem” to Hollywood, this conversation makes consciousness feel both wondrous — and intimately human.
  • 8. The Illusion of the Self

    13:28||Season 1, Ep. 8
    If “you” aren’t really you — who’s living your life? In this mind-bending episode of IdeaWeave, Maya and Leo dive into the illusion of the self — where neuroscience meets Buddhism and logic meets liberation. From split-brain studies to meditation insights, they explore how the “I” we cling to might be nothing more than a story — and why that might be the most freeing idea of all.
  • 7. The Empathy Dilemma

    09:09||Season 1, Ep. 7
    When caring cuts both ways — how feeling for others can heal or harm. In this seventh episode of IdeaWeave, Maya and Leo unravel The Empathy Dilemma — why our most celebrated virtue can also mislead us. They explore how empathy binds us together yet blinds us to those beyond our circle, how too much feeling can drain us, and why compassion guided by reason may serve the world better than raw emotion. From neuroscience to moral philosophy, they ask: can we care wisely — without burning out or turning away?
  • 6. The Science of Awe

    13:08||Season 1, Ep. 6
    When wonder heals what logic can’t—how awe reshapes the way we see life. In this sixth episode of IdeaWeave, Maya and Leo dive into the science and soul of awe — the rare emotion that makes us feel small yet deeply connected. They explore how moments of vastness quiet the ego, slow time, and rewire the brain for empathy and meaning. From starlit skies to everyday grace, they ask: could feeling tiny be the most expansive state of all?
  • 5. Why We Need Myths

    16:56||Season 1, Ep. 5
    When gods became brands—how ancient myths shape our modern meaning. In this fifth episode of IdeaWeave, Maya and Leo explore why humans never outgrow mythology—only rename it. From Olympus to Silicon Valley, they trace how our need for stories, symbols, and sacred rituals survives in technology, self-optimization, and consumer culture. Myths, they suggest, aren’t lies we’ve outlived—they’re the code that keeps us human.