A study by the PEW Research Centre has revealed that at least one person out of every four will not get married and will remain single for their life. The shocking study reveals a huge shift in societal norms with many people prioritizing other aspects of their lives instead of their romantic relationships.
The study suggests the by the time today’s young adults reach the age of 50, a quarter of them will never have married. The study found that this is due to many reasons — including declining marriage rates, people are less religious, young adults wanting to focus on other aspects of their lives (like work), and dating statistics that indicate men are more likely to stay single than women.
Another reason for the change in relationship habits is because we’ve redefined what ‘success’ is and have realized that you don’t need to be in a relationship to be successful.
Despite concerns about the implications of the trend, research indicates that single individuals often report higher levels of self-determination and personal growth compared to their married counterparts. Quite simply… Many single adults in North America are simply content being on their own.
The research might be off, but there are definitely some big changes with how people are approaching dating and long-term relationships that might be causing a rise in singlehood. The moral of the story? Numbers aren’t always right (oh, and don’t get in a relationship for the sake of it).
