Books 35 & 36 - 2014

[blinger]

Book 35: Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After by Bella DePaulo, PH.D. - 308 pages

Description from bookdepository.co.uk:
Drawing from decades of scientific research and stacks of stories from the front lines of singlehood, Bella DePaulo debunks the myths of singledom---and shows

Comments

Singled Out now on my shopping list.

[shkarlson]

I've seen enough people couple up because they were expected by others to do so, and enough people go into marriage with the expectation that they can change a few personality flaws of the other person, and perhaps we now have no-fault divorce (in the States) because too often those couplings failed. Something resembling serious social science will be useful. Intuitively, "settling" strikes me as a mug's game.

Re: Singled Out now on my shopping list.

[blinger]

I agree wholeheartedly with everything you say. I too have seen a number of people either 'settle' or attempt to change flaws they knew about long before marriage was on the table, and it baffles me. Perhaps because I'm one of those people who has always had a long list of things I want to do in life, of which marriage and children is only one, I am not as hung up on that being a non-negiotable. I know I'll have a just as satisfying life without marriage and children, and I am reluctant to sacrifice those other things, and then become resentful to said future family because I had to give them up (if that makes sense!).
Anyway, as I said, I totally agree with you, and with the assertion that serious social science would be useful. I would very much like to see studies and literature such as this broadcast more widely so we can start having a discussion within broader society about single discrimination and the falsehood of privileging the married couple, but let's face it - that ain't ever gonna happen!!

Thanks for your comments :)