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Singleton (lifestyle)

The term singleton describes those who live in a single-person household, especially those who prefer the lifestyle of living alone.[1][2] It was popularized by the Bridget Jones novels and films,[3][4][5] but it is also used in sociology.

Patterns

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Sociologist Eric Klinenberg reports that before the 1950s, no society had large numbers of people living alone. Historically, this has happened when elderly people outlive their spouses, and when men have migrated for work. In modern times, large numbers of people have begun to live happily alone in cities and with the help of communication technologies like the telephone, email, and social networking services. Klinenberg has found that the ability of women to work, own property, and initiate divorce creates more opportunities for living alone; in countries like Saudi Arabia where women do not have autonomy, few people live alone.[6]

Single people may live alone before their first romantic partner, after separation, divorce, the end of a cohabiting relationship or after their partner has died. Couples, married or not, may maintain separate residences as an alternative to cohabitation in a long distance relationship, a temporary separation due to troubles in the relationship, or simply living apart together.

The number of singletons is correlated with how wealthy the country is.[7] In wealthy countries, people are more likely to choose the privacy, individualism, and sometimes the loneliness of living alone.[7] In poor countries, most people live in extended family groups, which provide material, social, and emotional support to each other, as well as imposing the responsibility of similarly caring for other family members.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kurutz, Steven (2012-02-23). "One Is the Quirkiest Number". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  2. ^ The New York Observer
  3. ^ "Bridget Jones's Diary". the Guardian. 2001-04-04. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  4. ^ "'Bridget Jones' singletons threaten housing crisis, figures suggest - Telegraph". 2009-12-12. Archived from the original on 2009-12-12. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  5. ^ "'Going Solo': What's the Appeal of Living Alone?". PBS NewsHour. 2012-03-27. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  6. ^ Eric Klinenberg (2013). Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0143122777.
  7. ^ a b c Brooks, Story by David. "The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake". The Atlantic. ISSN 1072-7825. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
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