Common Myths About Singles
Although times have changed, people still believe in some myths about single people. The truth is that not so long ago, being single was considered a kind of failure. Moreover, the desired standard was to find a partner, to start your own family and to live happily ever after.
The point is that marriage and family are no longer synonymous with success. Marriages can fail, families can be dysfunctional, and grief can result from these things. When people started to realize this, the myths about single people started to disappear.
Of course, having a partner can also bring great things into your life. However, this does not mean it is essential. Many people have therefore chosen to stay away from this kind of commitment. Yet certain negative myths about singles still persist. Let’s take a look at them.
Singles are less happy
This is one of the most common myths about singles. Some believe that just not living with a partner makes you bitter.
Normally, the first stages of love are full of euphoria and enthusiasm. However, couples living together get past this stage at some point in their relationship. When you move in with your partner, you have to adapt to many changes. You will also have to deal with disagreements.
The same goes for single people: they can be just as happy or unhappy as a married person. It all depends on how they manage their resources and their daily lives.
Loneliness: A Myth About Singles
Just because you live alone doesn’t mean you’ll feel lonely. Just like living with your partner doesn’t necessarily mean feeling in good company. Everyone is alone to some degree, and the bonds you form with others can dispel loneliness, even if you don’t get rid of it completely.
A single person may feel less lonely than someone in a relationship. Sometimes marriage puts a limit on the social relationships we have with others.
In most cases, the attention is mainly focused on partner and children, so that friendships and family are given less priority. However, single people have more time to build several important relationships.
Single people always think about marriage
This is one of the single myths that still exists because it stems from the idea that being single means being a failure. However, some people don’t realize that many men and women in the world have actually consciously decided not to be in a relationship.
Today, lifestyles are more diverse. For example, some want to spend their time traveling the world, others are focused on their careers, others simply have not found anyone to motivate them to make big changes. So single people don’t necessarily want to get married or have a romantic partner.
They are self-centered
Harvard psychologist Bella DePaulo wrote a book called Singled Out: How Singles are Stereotyped, Stigmatized and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After.
In this book, she shares some interesting data on myths related to singles, such as the fact that only 30% of married people are willing to support their friends and family or humanitarian causes, while 70% of singles do the same.
Singles: ‘old maid’ or ‘not yet come out’
The expression “spinster” has a deceptive connotation and it tends to label those who have reached a certain age and are not yet married.
However, the truth is that this label is a sign of an outdated mindset. On the other hand, there is also the idea that if someone has been single all their life, it means that he or she has not yet ‘come out’.
In both cases there is a prejudice. However, what was once ‘weird’ is now an increasing trend. DePaulo points out that there are currently more singles than married people in the UK for the first time, at around 51%. In the United States, it is about 41% and in other countries, such as Chile, it is 30%.
It’s not a good idea to stay single if you want to be in a relationship. but neither is getting married if you do it alone because the prejudices tell you it’s the right thing to do. We live in much more flexible times now, which means you can live the way you want.
