Very good hour long interview on the Michael Krasney radio show about the growing trend toward living alone. Here's text from the show description in the archive of KQED Forum. Audio and podcast is available in a link from that page.
In his new book "Going Solo," Eric Klinenberg interviewed hundreds of people living alone. He wanted to know why in the modern world more than 50 percent of adults are single, and why so many love living alone. We explore the rise in solo-living and the sociology behind it.
According to show, around 49% of American households are now single occupant. A dramatic increase from 10% in 1950.
It's often not discussed, but a lot of people like living alone. Politics and planning needs to catch up. Rhetoric about "family values" that's spewed by politicians, especially Republicans, needs to be rethought.
Planning for smaller residential units is needed also.
There are interesting issues around the need for community which may be different for single people than for folks in families. Do families tend to be more insular while singles need to get out and value community more since there aren't people to come home to?
I'm glad these issues are starting to be discussed.
We spend a lot of time discussing gay marriage, but possibly the real change is that more folks are not in a relationship at all. This seldom gets mentioned. I'm in favor of allowing gay marriage, but I live alone and discussion of single living comes closer to truly hitting the spot for me.
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