People tend to look for romantic partners for various reasons, but, at the same time, in the modern world, the choice to be single is increasingly common. In relationships, people care for each other, share their experiences and thoughts, and respect each other. In turn, single people can feel more freedom and protection from mistakes than in relationships. Although historically, society has developed a tendency to choose relationships, both choices can give individuals many advantages or lead to negative implications.
Being single or in a relationship is an important choice that individuals make in their life. At the same time, the foundations guiding society in making such a choice are different. Joel’s and MacDonald’s study found that starting and staying in a relationship is easier than choosing to be single (317). On the one hand, evolution pushes people to procreation, and cultural norms produce pressure, saying that any partner is better than loneliness. On the other hand, adopting the loner’s path as a norm for human life is still happening in society. As a result, a historically established bias in the choice of relationships significantly affects each person.
The choice to be in a relationship or single implies contrasting benefits. The meeting of potential partners challenges to learn more about each other, find common interests, and understand whether it will be possible to develop together. Such a situation stimulates and inspires people and brings them positive emotions. For many individuals, any purpose, even the most aspiring, is much easier to reach in a relationship. Couples form close relationships and shared values, which help to achieve success together and remain resilient in times of crisis (Prime et al. 631). However, being alone, people feel great freedom and the ability to do whatever they want (Apostolou et al. 9). Single individuals can focus only on their own needs and interests, looking for creative ways to solve problems single-handedly. The advantages differ among themselves; therefore, when choosing a relationship or loneliness, a person must determine priorities.
Both paths also carry certain risks and can lead to negative consequences. The significant problem of couples is that the characteristic of individuality can disappear, which can lead to depersonalization. Therefore, cultivating a mature relationship is crucial while not relying on the partner as an only prop. Moreover, in unhealthy relationships, partners can harm each other, for example, through manipulation, cheating, or other methods. As a result, protection from new adverse experiences based on past relationships is one of the negative reasons for choosing to be alone (Apostolou et al. 8). At the same time, lonely people may find it more challenging to cope with problems or have no one to share a joyful event. Relying only on the self, without a sense of support, can be too difficult a task that requires much strength and lead to burnout. Given the potential risks of choosing in favor of relationships or loneliness, individuals must behave competently in each case to avoid harm.
Thus, choosing between being in a relationship or being single is challenging. In relationships, people open up, develop and show their best qualities. Nevertheless, the interaction must be healthy: equal, polite, and fair for such achievements. Single people value their freedom and develop internal support, which, however, can be a complex task. Consequently, a person needs to understand their needs, goals for the future, and priorities before choosing their path.
Works Cited
Apostolou, Menelaos, et al. “Singles’ Reasons for Being Single: Empirical Evidence from an Evolutionary Perspective.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 11, 2020, pp. 1-13, Web.
Joel, Samantha, and Geoff MacDonald. “We’re not that Choosy: Emerging Evidence of a Progression Bias in Romantic Relationships.” Personality and Social Psychology Review, vol. 25, no. 4, 2021, pp. 317-343, Web.
Prime, Heather, et al. “Risk and Resilience in Family Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The American Psychologist, vol. 75, no. 5, 2020, pp. 631-643, Web.