Young Singaporeans have opened up about feeling lonely in their 20s and 30s. A majority in the 21-34 age group has also told a survey, conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), that it’s not necessary to get married or have kids in marriage.
Interestingly, a lot of them also stated that they foresee getting married and having kids.
The survey was conducted between November and December 2023. As many as 2,356 Singapore citizens and permanent residents, aged 21 to 64, took part in it.
Social isolation:
The feeling of being left out affects young Singapore residents the most. The age group 21-34 has reported being affected by it the most. Sixteen percent of the responders have said that they feel isolated from others often.
The state of ‘being left out’ often is felt by 17 percent of the responders. Twelve percent reported the lack of companionship often.
The survey also stated that those aged 21-34 are also more likely to report experiencing social anxiety during in-person interactions.
Marriage not necessary:
Seven in 10 Singapore residents aged between 21 and 34 feel it’s not necessary to get married or have children in marriage. A whooping 82 percent responders from the 21-34 group felt that it’s acceptable if someone wishes to remain single.
Other priorities and lack of time and energy have been cited as the prime reasons for not getting married by young Singapore residents.
The cost of getting married is also an important reason that’s deterring the aforementioned age group to skip marriage.
Staying childless:
Expense has been cited as one of the two reasons for residents to not have a kid.
The other factor mentioned by responders is stress.
Staying single:
Majority of the responders choosing to stay single have said that they prefer to remain that way. The top reason, however, was the cliched: Haven’t found the right person yet.
The urge to get married:
Interestingly, 68 percent of the unmarried people also said that they would like to get married. Not just getting married, 67 percent of 512 people also said that they would like to have kids.