As Valentine’s Day approaches, finding a soul mate no longer seems to be a priority for younger generations, whether by choice or due to societal and economic constraints.
The trend is clear. Singlehood is on the rise in many countries. More and more people are choosing not to enter into relationships or get married, and are delaying or giving up on having children. This evolution reflects a profound cultural shift, driven by economic and social conditions that are transforming traditional life trajectories. This is a real shift from previous generations, for whom the couple-marriage-baby pattern was naturally perceived as the norm and a form of fulfillment.
The number of single young adults has doubled in 50 years
The world is entering a new era of marriage. According to a survey by The Economist, the proportion of young adults (aged 25-34) without a spouse has almost doubled in 50 years in rich countries. In the United States, this status applies to around 50% of men and 41% of women. As a result, the decline in the marriage rate has led to the emergence of nearly 100 million additional singles in just a few years.
In Europe, according to Eurostat,the number of households consisting of an adult living alone (without another adult or child) increased significantly between 2015 and 2024: +16.9% over this period. In 2024, 75 million European households were made up of single adults (without children), showing a clear increase in single or non-marital living among the adult population. Another source based on Eurostat data indicates that around 30% of young adults in the European Union still live with their parents.
This has led to a decline in the birth rate, which is also linked to the glass ceiling that women encounter after giving birth and the mental burden that is still too heavy for women. In France, in 2024, there were 663,000 births, a decrease of 2.2% compared to 2023 and 21.5% compared to 2010. The average number of children per woman has reached its lowest level since the end of World War II. And the trend is only accelerating. In 2025, for the first time since 1945, the number of deaths exceeded the number of births, again in France.
Young people are giving up on “being in a relationship for the sake of being in a relationship.”
Several structural factors explain this phenomenon. On the one hand, economic pressures weigh heavily on young workers. Inflation, rising living costs, difficulties in accessing housing… The financial environment for young people remains unstable, complicating marital and family plans. Not to mention that the younger generations are sometimes entering the workforce later in life, due to long periods of study, difficulties in finding a fulfilling and well-paid permanent contract, the desire to travel for a few months, the difficulty of meeting someone in “real life”, the rejection of dating apps, or the fact of staying with their parents longer to build up some savings.
On the other hand, expectations are higher. According to The Economist report, women are increasingly looking for men who are mature and emotionally and financially stable, while young men are struggling to integrate into the job market. Once again, it is not necessarily love itself that is being questioned, but rather the rejection of a mediocre or unsatisfactory married life.
Furthermore, changing attitudes have encouraged young people to value their personal autonomy, to fulfill themselves individually, and not to commit too quickly at the expense of their personal well-being. The evolution of gender relations has also boosted this trend. Numerous testimonials on social media, television reports, and a more critical view of older couples who stay together even when the love is no longer there have contributed to this awareness of gender inequality.
Some young people avoid relationships they consider unbalanced, and the toxic traits of potential partners are pinpointed and dismissed, even if it means staying single for longer. This is especially true when their friends and family share the same view. Single people feel less judged when they belong to a community or group for whom success in life is not correlated with being in a relationship.
The emergence of the 4B movement
This phenomenon is linked to the 4B movement, a radical feminist movement that emerged in South Korea in the late 2010s. Its name is based on the Korean word “bi,” meaning “no,” and is based on four founding principles: Biyeonae (no romantic relationships), Bihon (no marriage), Bisekseu (no heterosexual sex), and Bichulsan (no children).
Beyond a simple choice of celibacy or abstinence, 4B asserts itself as a form of protest against patriarchal structures and traditional social norms, often in response to experiences of violence or inequality experienced by women.
Since 2024, the movement has spread beyond South Korea, mainly to the United States and Europe via social media. In the form of hashtags or trends associated with other movements such as Boy Sober (abstinence from relationships with men), 4B often takes on a cultural rather than a political dimension. For many young Western women, the movement appears to be an extension of modern voluntary celibacy, taken up by brands such as the famous slogan “Single, Not Ashamed,” a personal choice of freedom and independence.
“Being in a relationship is no longer irrefutable proof of your femininity. It is no longer an achievement. On the contrary, it is almost more rewarding to say that you are single,” said journalist Chante Joseph in an article in Le Point.
However, 4B has also attracted criticism, including from within the feminist movement. Some consider it too radical or difficult to apply outside its original context, and it reflects only a minority of the struggles for gender equality. On a societal level, it is sometimes accused of misandry or exclusion of certain gender identities. Despite these controversies, the 4B movement illustrates a major shift in relationship and family behaviors today, where celibacy and the rejection of traditional norms are becoming visible forms of social protest.
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Featured photo: Unsplash
