Single in Japan, will be happy
A newspaper in Japan reports that seven out of ten unmarried Japanese women believe they can be happy being single. This figure has risen 10% from the last poll in 2003. Even though the percentage that believes they could be happy by themselves drops from 73% for those in their 20s to 66% for those in their 30s to 58% to those in their 40s, it is still a significant portion of the population. Even more amazing is that 67% of single men believe that women could be happy being single.
As a single woman in my 30s I am always encountering women of all ages who are attached or married. Those who are single carry it like a burden. Even those who have a pretty good life and are independent economically yearn to be attached. The society we live in places such importance on being married that often times being single is akin to being an outcast. Social events are structured for the couple. One young woman who worked for me told me that she cannot eat out be herself. Having been by myself for almost ten years, that startled me. Societal conditioning plays a big role in how we behave. When we are brought up in families and societies that elevates marriage to a more desirable state of being, we tend to place a lot of our self worth in being able to get married to someone.
Being single by choice is still a novel concept. I find it hard to explain it to many of my acquaintances and friends. As I move steadily towards middle age, some people have given up. After all, in their mind marriage only happens to young, virginal girls, not to brusque independent women. Oh, the stereo types we confront in life! That's what makes it interesting to live, sometimes.
A newspaper in Japan reports that seven out of ten unmarried Japanese women believe they can be happy being single. This figure has risen 10% from the last poll in 2003. Even though the percentage that believes they could be happy by themselves drops from 73% for those in their 20s to 66% for those in their 30s to 58% to those in their 40s, it is still a significant portion of the population. Even more amazing is that 67% of single men believe that women could be happy being single.
As a single woman in my 30s I am always encountering women of all ages who are attached or married. Those who are single carry it like a burden. Even those who have a pretty good life and are independent economically yearn to be attached. The society we live in places such importance on being married that often times being single is akin to being an outcast. Social events are structured for the couple. One young woman who worked for me told me that she cannot eat out be herself. Having been by myself for almost ten years, that startled me. Societal conditioning plays a big role in how we behave. When we are brought up in families and societies that elevates marriage to a more desirable state of being, we tend to place a lot of our self worth in being able to get married to someone.
Being single by choice is still a novel concept. I find it hard to explain it to many of my acquaintances and friends. As I move steadily towards middle age, some people have given up. After all, in their mind marriage only happens to young, virginal girls, not to brusque independent women. Oh, the stereo types we confront in life! That's what makes it interesting to live, sometimes.
posted by Tara Jayaratnam at 10:45 AM
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