The more convenient it is, the less I want to get married

I saw a really sarcastic joke the other day: What's Beijing's specialty? It's not Peking duck or sweet bean sauce, not candied fruit or poria cocos cakes, it's older single women...

 

While the words may be harsh, they do reflect a social phenomenon. But why single out Beijing? Firstly, Beijing's culture is relatively diverse and tolerant, allowing single, older women to live quite well without experiencing excessive social pressure. Secondly, the proportion of highly qualified single women nationwide is indeed relatively high in Beijing. Thirdly, life in Beijing is undeniably convenient, making being single less of a source of distress. The fact is, the world has entered an era of singlehood.

 

People who get married share a common reason: they are in love. While those who don't marry have their own reasons, surveys in different countries around the world have revealed a common phenomenon: the higher the education level and income, the more inclined people are to remain unmarried. This suggests a strong correlation between marriage and economic development. Japanese experts point out that for many young people, love means simple sexual desire, while marriage means a complex life. In modern society, interpersonal relationships are becoming increasingly superficial, and leisure activities such as the internet, mobile phones, and video games are becoming more abundant. In comparison, marriage, which requires compromise, tolerance, and cooperation, seems increasingly troublesome. Therefore, some Japanese scholars believe that convenience stores and adult DVDs are two major reasons why people don't get married. This cannot be simply judged as good or bad…

 

Excerpted from "Weekend Pictorial"