America’s ‘Marriage Material’ Shortage
14 hours ago
- Young people are dating less, with the share of 12th graders who have dated falling from 85% in the 1980s to under 50% in the early 2020s.
- The decline in dating is linked to broader trends of reduced physical-world socializing among youth due to factors like smartphones and over-parenting.
- American adults are significantly less likely to be married or live with a partner than in the past, with marriage rates near all-time lows.
- A key reason for declining relationships is economic: many young men are falling behind economically, making them less attractive as 'marriage material'.
- The decline in coupling is steepest among those without a college degree, reversing historical patterns where they were more likely to marry.
- Contraception technology has helped disentangle sex from marriage, reducing shotgun marriages and contributing to single parenthood.
- Globally, coupling rates are declining, driven by rising women's expectations and stagnant fortunes for lower-income men.
- Social media expands women's career aspirations and glamorizes single life, further reducing interest in traditional marriage.
- The relationship recession impacts declining fertility and rising unhappiness, as marriage is strongly linked to happiness and fertility.
- The poorest Americans have the least social wealth, including fewer close friends and partners, exacerbating social isolation.