Topic: People do not have to get married to be happy, so more and more people choose to stay single. Do you think it is a positive or negative trend?
In later years, there has been an ever-growing number of people who opt to become single adults. In my opinion, the phenomenon brings benefits for solo dwellers. Various reasons make people settle down as a singleton. First of all, this trend can provide significant social benefits. Citizens who stay by themselves may help to revitalize living areas, because they tend to spend more money, socialize and participate in public life. They tend to partake in more civic groups and public events, enroll in more art and music classes and go out to dinner more, volunteer more for social service organizations. Secondly, studies have shown that people who are not involved in committed relationships develop more confidence in their own opinions and undergo more personal growth. As well as, they devote more time to making the most of their life. For example, they value meaningful work more than married people do. They may also have more opportunities to enjoy the solitude that many of them savor. Another direct benefit is that this lifestyle provides flexibility and it also minimizes distractions. Those on the other side of issues may say that phenomenon might cause negative impacts on social development. It is well-documented that the elderly and single parents are at high risk for mental health problems associated with solo living. What social psychologists want to emphasize is that those people are more likely to suffer from more psychological problems such as depression, boredom and so on. That point is true, but it is unimportant because people who choose to single life can make more acquaintances with friends. Individualism can spend time relaxing with their friends as well as make their life more meaningful and beautiful. As well as, a marriage life can impose more issues about mental health problems on citizens than staying alone because members of a family must address more problems such as marital disharmony, accommodation, the children’s issues. To sum up, the increase in the single population can be attributed to mental health problems but the phenomenon is outweighed by the advantages of the significant social benefits, independence and the improvement of personal lifestyle.