當(dāng)年輕人不再談情說愛

Finding a partner and settling down has long been convention in many countries. New data, however, suggests that the trend may be changing.

在許多國家，“成家立業(yè)”是約定俗成的一項(xiàng)傳統(tǒng)。然而，一組全新數(shù)據(jù)表明該趨勢可能正在發(fā)生改變。

In 2010, the US census found that nearly half of all US adults— 100 million — are single and 31 million live alone, the highest rates in the country’s history. The assumption has always been that these singles are socially awkward and lead miserable lives.

2010年，美國人口普查發(fā)現(xiàn)國內(nèi)“單身一族”人數(shù)達(dá)到1億人，幾乎占到全美成年人口數(shù)量的一半，3100萬人獨(dú)居，創(chuàng)美國歷史新高。人們總是認(rèn)為，這些單身者不善交際，生活凄苦。

But for many it’s not because they can’t find a suitable partner — it’s because they choose a life of independence.

但對(duì)許多人而言，單身并非因?yàn)檎也坏胶线m的伴侶，而是他們選擇去獨(dú)立生活。

After conducting more than 300 interviews and looking at sociological data, Eric Klinenberg, a professor of sociology at New York University, concluded that single people are more socially outgoing and active than their committed counterparts.

紐約大學(xué)社會(huì)學(xué)教授埃里克•克林伯格在參訪了300多人，并參考社會(huì)學(xué)數(shù)據(jù)之后得出，與非單身者相比，單身人士在社交方面更加外向、活躍。

In his book, Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone, he argues that “Singletons play an essential yet unappreciated role in revitalizing cities and animating public spaces. Compared with married people, they’re more likely to eat out in restaurants, exercise in a gym, take art classes, attend public events, and volunteer.”

克林伯格教授在他的《單身奏鳴曲:獨(dú)處的興盛與誘惑》一書中說道：“單身人士在振興城市和活躍公共場所氛圍方面發(fā)揮著至關(guān)重要的作用，然而人們并不欣賞這一角色。同已婚人士相比，他們更喜歡外出就餐、去健身房鍛煉、選修藝術(shù)課、參加公共活動(dòng)以及志愿者活動(dòng)。”

According to a 2006 survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 55 percent of singles had no interest in seeking a romantic partner. Reasons include the emergence of communications technology, urbanization, and gender equality.

根據(jù)皮尤互聯(lián)網(wǎng)和美國生活項(xiàng)目于2006年進(jìn)行的一項(xiàng)調(diào)查顯示，55%的單身者無意去尋找浪漫伴侶。原因包括：通信技術(shù)的出現(xiàn)、城市化以及性別平等。

Young people no longer rely on physical relationships to fulfill their emotional needs and prefer engaging in the wealth of activities on offer in a city. Meanwhile, women face less pressure to marry and are empowered to live independently.

年輕人不再依靠肉體關(guān)系來填補(bǔ)情感需求，他們更喜歡參加豐富的城市活動(dòng)。同時(shí)，女性所面臨的婚姻壓力減小，進(jìn)而有權(quán)選擇獨(dú)立生活。

British actress Kelly Brook, 33, who recently split from her boyfriend, told UK newspaper the Sunday Mirror “I should probably have stayed single until now and focused on myself a lot more. I now plan to be selfish. It’s important for your self-development to focus on yourself instead of someone else.”

今年33歲的英國女演員凱利•布魯克不久前剛和男友分手。她在接受英國《周日鏡報(bào)》采訪時(shí)表示：“或許我應(yīng)該一直保持單身到現(xiàn)在，更多地去關(guān)注我自己。我現(xiàn)在想變得‘自私’一些。對(duì)于個(gè)人發(fā)展而言，關(guān)注自身遠(yuǎn)比關(guān)注他人要重要得多。”

These developments are not unique to the US or UK. In China, where traditional values are still strong, more and more women are defying social expectations and staying single.

這些觀念的改變不僅發(fā)生在美國或英國。在中國，雖然傳統(tǒng)價(jià)值觀依然根深蒂固，但是越來越多的女性正在挑戰(zhàn)社會(huì)期望，堅(jiān)持單身主義。

Sochoe Wang, 40, from Beijing, has been single for more than a decade. “I like my freedom and independence — I can go wherever I want. I don’t want to have to give up my hobbies or career just to grow old with someone,” she told The Star, a Malaysian newspaper. “For me, pursuing my own spiritual and career development might be more important and meaningful than managing a family and taking on its responsibilities.”

今年40歲的Sochoe Wang(來自北京)堅(jiān)持單身十幾年了。她在馬來西亞《星報(bào)》采訪時(shí)說：“我喜歡自由和獨(dú)立，我想去哪里就能去哪里。我不想僅僅為了和一個(gè)人廝守到老，就放棄自己的愛好和事業(yè)。對(duì)我來說，追求心靈與事業(yè)上的發(fā)展遠(yuǎn)比經(jīng)營家庭、承擔(dān)責(zé)任更重要，也更有意義。”

And Wang is far from alone: according to China’s 2010 census, there are half a million unmarried women over the age of 27 in Beijing.

像王女士這樣的單身主義不在少數(shù)，根據(jù)中國2010年人口普查顯示，北京27歲以上的未婚女性人數(shù)多達(dá)50萬人。