The Economics of "Jodoh"

Finding a life partner has gotten harder (if not excruciatingly difficult already).

Being single is a confident life choice I believe. Being comfortable in your own skin, Having belief in the choices you make, Being WHOLE by yourself and not being identified by companionship, or marriage, or motherhood, or whatever.

Ladies in the 21st century have realised this, I think. In Malaysia, in Asia, views are changing with the rise of single parents, or Gen X and Gen Y parents who were brought up more independent and has more choices in life compared to their parents.

In my feed today I saw the terms "Leftover Women" and "Leftover Men", used in China derogatorily to describe unmarried women past their prime. A stigma for the women, not so much for the men who may still be deemed "eligible bachelors" even as they hit their 40s.

So what if you're unmarried. So what if you choose a single life.

This quote came from this feature article: The  famous Chinese writer Qian Zhongshu once compared marriage to a “besieged fortress, where those outside want to get in, and those inside want to get out”.

This 'singlehood' may be a trend now & into the future. The articles I have shared are unique to China due to their single child policy (in the past), but I generally foresee this 'trend' happening the world over. Singles do not want marriage, and married folks do not want children (due to the cost; the responsibility, the risk and the challenge of raising children the sustainable way).

Personally I do not mind my children not being married and me not having grandchildren. I will probably join a "Golden Age" home and pay for people to take care of me, or stay with one of my kids.. and my kids could probably take care of each other and the generation will end that way. Fullstop. 

If they do find someone to love, then by all means do marry and prosper. However it has to be for the right reasons, and for both to flourish in that relationship. May God Help Us All.