The idiom ‘to miss the boat’ dates back to 18th century Britain, when the only way to leave the country was by sea. The saying was used literally and referred to arriving too late to take a scheduled voyage. Over the centuries, the expression has expanded its meaning. Today, one can miss the boat metaphorically, meaning that one fails to take advantage of any good opportunity, whether by an error of judgment, procrastination, or ignorance. Interestingly, the fear of missing the boat or ‘missing out’ (FOMO as it is now known) has long been exploited in commercial enterprises. It refers to the acute state of anxiety one feels about letting an apparent opportunity slip away, leading at times to hasty, even reckless, decisions. It is important to remember that ‘missing…
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Speak Up (Digital) - 1 Issue, No 454