Final answer:
Being single can result from societal scrutiny, personal success, or the changing views on marriage. Cohabitation, education, and career prioritization contribute to later marriages or choosing to stay single. Cultural and religious factors also influence these decisions, varying among different groups.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea of being single and the reasons why people choose to stay single are multifaceted, encompassing societal pressures, personal preferences, and demographic trends. Although both single men and women face social pressure to marry, women often experience greater scrutiny. Single women are sometimes stereotyped as being unhappy or lacking, whereas single men are viewed as bachelors who haven't settled down. As attitudes have shifted, many women feel secure and content with being single, particularly those who have found success in their careers and education.
In the United States, there is a growing acceptance of single parenting and cohabitation, and some view marriage as becoming less essential. This perspective is reflected in the statistic that 44 percent of U.S. adults were unmarried in 2010, illustrating a broader acceptance of lifestyles that do not involve marriage. Cohabitation and prioritization of education and career are factors contributing to people marrying at later ages or not at all.
There is also a cultural element to the decision to marry. For instance, Asian individuals have higher marriage rates, while African Americans have lower rates. Religious values also play a role, influencing attitudes toward marriage, except in the case of Black women, where religion did not significantly affect marital status.