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Why Are There So Many Single Americans?
New York Times ^ | 21 January 2007 | Kate Zernike

Posted on 01/23/2007 7:11:06 AM PST by shrinkermd

THE news that 51 percent of all women live without a spouse might be enough to make you invest in cat futures.

But consider, too, the flip side: about half of all men find themselves in the same situation. As the number of people marrying has dropped off in the last 45 years, the marriage rate has declined equally for men and for women.

The stereotype has been cemented in the popular culture: the hard-charging career girl who gets her comeuppance, either violently or dying a slow death by late-night memo and Chinese takeout...

But when it comes to marriage, the two Americas aren’t divided by gender. And it’s not the career girls on the losing end. It’s their less educated manicurists or housekeepers, women who might arguably be less able to live on their own.

The emerging gulf is instead one of class — what demographers, sociologists and those who study the often depressing statistics about the wedded state call a “marriage gap” between the well-off and the less so.

Statistics show that college educated women are more likely to marry than non-college educated women — although they marry, on average, two years later.

Women with more education also are becoming less likely to divorce, or inclined to divorce, than those with less education. They are even less likely to be widowed all in all, less likely to end up alone.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News
KEYWORDS: changes; married; single
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To: Steel Wolf
Link to Michael Medveds article where he debunked the study.

Medved used 2005 census numbers.

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/MichaelMedved/2007/01/18/journalistic_malpractice_in_marriage_is_dead_report

161 posted on 01/23/2007 8:56:34 AM PST by mware (By all that you hold dear.. on this good earth... I bid you stand! Men of the West!)
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To: OKIEDOC
On the same turn who would want to marry any male willing to compromise his value system just to suit some old dried up, used up feminazi gal.

Gal? LOL

The words feminazi and gal come from two different generations, philosophies, lifestyles, agendas, etc etcetc. It's really a hoot to see them used together.

162 posted on 01/23/2007 8:57:23 AM PST by Veto! (Opinions freely dispensed as advice)
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To: freedomfiter2
You have a better idea of what nasties might be in the milk.

You know how guys are... always drinking from the carton...

163 posted on 01/23/2007 8:58:31 AM PST by bondjamesbond (Have you ever noticed that whatever the problem, the government's solution is always "more taxes"?)
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To: Fawn
OK...I agree with that......wish people in this country did have more kids.

Amen to that. I've been reading Mark Steyn's new book. The main thrust is that people in the Western world stopped having kids some time ago, and will ultimately be overrun by Muslims who are breeding like rabbits.

164 posted on 01/23/2007 9:02:29 AM PST by GOP_Party_Animal
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To: null and void
apparently under the legal fiction that being married to a man permanently ruins a woman's ability to care for herself...

Just a legal fiction? If you look at what many FReeper men are looking for, that's one of the most sought after features! Careers and self sufficiency are much frowned upon, as, I imagine are women who have their own assets they might like to protect with a prenup.

165 posted on 01/23/2007 9:02:51 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
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To: GOP_Party_Animal

Of course, but there is no shortage of people.


166 posted on 01/23/2007 9:04:02 AM PST by RightWhale (Repeal the law of the excluded middle)
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To: RexBeach
Pardon me now, I have to get back to hating myself!

----------------------------------

Your time would be better spent dealing with truth...but suit yourself.

167 posted on 01/23/2007 9:06:09 AM PST by wtc911 (You can't get there from here)
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To: HairOfTheDog
Yep, but California law assumes that being married to a man for too long permanently ruins a woman's ability to find her way in that big old nasty world. His alimony payments never expire.

Indeed should he be so foolish as to remarry to a woman who has a job, the new wife's income gets added to his and his alimony payments go up!

168 posted on 01/23/2007 9:08:59 AM PST by null and void (<----- Shocked and odd...)
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To: wtc911

LOL!


169 posted on 01/23/2007 9:09:00 AM PST by RexBeach
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To: Lazamataz
In fact, no woman CAN make you happy. Happiness comes from within. I do enjoy sharing my joy with my soul-mate, but that's a bones

I'm sincerely hoping you meant a "bonus."

Of course, this COULD be your soul-mate:

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

170 posted on 01/23/2007 9:09:37 AM PST by paulat
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To: wtc911; RexBeach
Pardon me now, I have to get back to hating myself! ~ RexBeach

Your time would be better spent dealing with truth...but suit yourself. ~ wtc911

It's the same thing, ain't it?

171 posted on 01/23/2007 9:11:06 AM PST by null and void (<----- Shocked and odd...)
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To: shrinkermd

Why buy the cow...


172 posted on 01/23/2007 9:12:03 AM PST by zbigreddogz
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To: All
Actually this and the article preceding it was really just a NYT anti-family diatribe.

Judging by some of the responses I think they achieved their goal.

173 posted on 01/23/2007 9:12:07 AM PST by mware (By all that you hold dear.. on this good earth... I bid you stand! Men of the West!)
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To: paulat

LOL! The spell checker changed my text!


174 posted on 01/23/2007 9:12:23 AM PST by Lazamataz (You are not your mind. You are not your emotions. You are not your pain. All you are is love.)
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To: Just another Joe
Maybe because men are afraid to get married anymore.

BINGO.

175 posted on 01/23/2007 9:12:35 AM PST by Centurion2000 (If you're not being shot at, it's not a high stress job.)
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To: Lazamataz

I've used that excuse...


176 posted on 01/23/2007 9:13:43 AM PST by null and void (<----- Shocked and odd...)
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To: shrinkermd
Because divorce is expensive (but worth it).


BUMP

177 posted on 01/23/2007 9:13:54 AM PST by capitalist229 (Get Democrats out of our pockets and Republicans out of our bedrooms.)
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To: GOP_Party_Animal

I wish I would of known this 20 years ago.....I would of had kids. We need to get this out to our young kids.


178 posted on 01/23/2007 9:14:12 AM PST by Fawn (NEVER GO TO 'APPLIANCE KING' IN BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA--THEY SCAM YOU!!!)
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To: Lurking in Kansas

I know you're ribbing me, but still:

" Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: [It is] good for a man not to touch a woman. But opposing fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband... He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord; But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please [his] wife."

Only if one's motivation is to be able to focus his entire life on the LORD does Paul permit remaining single; elsewise, he commands marriage.


179 posted on 01/23/2007 9:14:58 AM PST by dangus (Pope calls Islam violent; Millions of Moslems demonstrate)
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To: null and void

Well, unless and until you work to change that law, I guess it would encourage one to choose wisely. Making marriage easier to get out of certainly hasn't won sweeping Freeper approval either.


180 posted on 01/23/2007 9:16:51 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
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