PhronesisFear of missing out (FOMO) — the chronic state of scarcity-mindedness about life options, where the unchosen always appears more valuable than the chosen — is here formally reconceptualized as a wrong attractor W_FM in the landscape of chosen engagement. The healthy ground state S^0 is defined as chosen engagement: the capacity to be fully present in chosen activities while holding a non-anxious awareness of unchosen possibilities.
W_FM arises through an artificially inflated option horizon: social media platforms are architecturally designed to maximize perceived social activity, making unchosen alternatives perpetually appear more valuable. The core paradox is that FOMO-driven choice-switching reduces presence in each chosen option, confirming the scarcity belief and deepening the basin. Nine formal propositions characterize the option horizon construction, the dopaminergic novelty-seeking mechanism, opportunity cost processing, the switching trap, the distinction from healthy curiosity, and return paths through presence practices, commitment rituals, and digital environment restructuring.