Gone are the days of getting married to an opposite sex partner or a friend and leading a family life. The so-called highly-educated youths prefer staying alone and leading a life, which is mostly self-centered, career-oriented. Time would tell whether this ‘single’ concept in the long run would bring an epidemic of psychiatric illness or better life.
Let’s analyse this new concept of loneliness and self-centered life. Money and comfort have become the bottom line of modern life.
1) Staying single leaves more time to focus on oneself.
The ‘USA Today’ spoke to Darcy Sterling, PhD, a licensed clinical social worker and Tinder’s relationship expert, about the trend. She explained, “Millennials invest more time in careers, social lives and personal time when single.” They appreciate that periods without a partner give them more time to cultivate other arenas of their lives.
2) Being uncoupled can make you more open to new experiences, and more fun.
When you aren’t comfortably deep in a routine with a partner, you can find yourself more open to new experiences, experiencing more fun and generally enjoying your time with others. As the ‘USA Today’ reported, “These single millennials find their time with others more enjoyable. More than half said other young single people were more open to new experiences and that they view themselves as more fun due to their single status.”
3) Being single can make you feel more independent and empowered.
“For many young women, single can mean feelings of independence and empowerment,” the analysis revealed. According to Sterling, this is “a positive for society” -- millennial women are placing a high value on their social lives, personal growth and careers, and it’s making them feel strong.
Many of the young people are leading a single life or staying together with a partner of same sex or opposite sex. The social system is slowly changing for better or worse we do not know; time would tell. We analysed why they prefer not to get into a family bond and lead a family life.
1. Those that can’t control their impulse prefer ‘single’ life. Full of tantrum, the marriage lasts only if the male partner is cool and least bothered about the partner’s lifestyle.
2. They do not have the capacity to solve problems, hence take to drugs or commit suicide.
3. They are fickle-minded and change or buy new
gadgets for satisfying their gratification.
4. The word ‘negotiation’ is not there in their dictionary.
5. They are poor communicators.
6. They do not know what’s appropriate or expected in a given situation
7. They are self-centered.
8. They like to remain isolated from seniors.
9. They are not interested to know about their parents or grandparents.
10. They think their parents spent money on them for their old age problems.
11. Worst part is their “know-all attitudes”, which makes them arrogant.
Unfortunately, Indian society, which had the best of social and family bondage, has fast disintegrated and a majority lives in apartments single. Dr Rajendra Prasad Das has written a very nice article in an Odia newspaper about single life. Time would tell about this disintegrated social system of leading a lonely life staying away from relatives and children.
The worst part is the youths of today run after a mirage; and by the time they realise it, it’s too late.
(The writer is a doctor and a former Joint Director, SAIL)