Single adult women (and men too!): how content are you not to be in some kind of relationship right now?

I'm 23 and I don't plan on getting married until I get bored with being single. But I love being single and I'm not in a rush to get a girlfriend unless I meet someone amazing.

I think I'll only get married and have kids because there is nothing else to do when your in your late 30's or 40's and all your friends are settled down and your too old to do all the stuff you did in your 20's. So its like the next step... what else are you gonna do? Just work and come home and watch TV? .. Well I guess you can keep dating, but thats gotta get boring

I think this really depends on the parties involved, and whether or not religion is spurring things. For many American men, marriage really isn't ideal. However, I do not say this because of the lack of servitude on the woman's part. Marriage in the modern age, outside of religion, has become interlaced with and bogged down by a lot of social stigma. There is so much negative surrounding the idea of marriage, and the individuals in a married couple, that people really don't have a great chance of making it in any long-term commitment. What you said about the women getting fat is an example of the stigma, especially considering that the generalization is only half true. Men also get fat in marriage, and in long-term commitments that are not legally bound. Some men who don't work while the woman provides the income of the household also get fat, and refuse to do their share of the housework, and prepare meals for the woman for when she arrives home from an 8+ hour day at work. People have children with a boyfriend or girlfriend that they were with for the wrong reasons, then get married for the wrong reasons, and have no solid foundation to base the relationship on from day 1. So, the question is if you are willing to shed your stereotypical view of the relationship world, and find what works for you. If you don't want marriage, there are many great women around that are happy to oblige. Find what makes you happy, and go for it. :)

If nobody bothered me about it I would still be bothered. And they do bother me about it at least several times a week. Whenever I go out with a woman I keep it secret from my mother so she won't pester me about it and she doesn't know about most of them. My sisters-in-law are constantly trying to set me up with 'friends-of-friends' and even my brothers and sisters get into the act. Even my boss at work has tried to set me up a couple of times. That being said, I still think you're right about the pressure being higher for men than women.

One reason that pressure is higher is that child-bearing age vanishes sooner than a lot of people think. If a woman doesn't get married and/or have children) by 35 or so, she probably never will. Men can have children almost right up to the end, which is why all those ancient customs marrying 15-year-old girls to 60-year-old men persisted for so long (and still persist in some parts of the world).

No matter how you slice it, all societies in the history of the world have valued children or they vanished but quickly. Since we've delayed adulthood to the early twenties that narrows the window that women have for childbearing considerably. When you throw in advanced degrees and high-power careers that window all but vanishes. While some women manage to have children well into their forties and rarely fifties, 17-30 is the prime child-bearing epoch. It ain't fair, but you can't blame anybody for it, it just is (unless you wish to blame God).

I live alone and I'm pushing 40, and if I had a magic wand (or better yet a time machine) I'd talk/magic some sense into my 25-year-old self. I used to quote the silly saw 'marriage is a young man's folly and an old man's comfort' all the time, but I ought to have realized that the saw was coined in a time when most people were getting married in their teens. A 16-year-old young man is a LOT younger than a 26-year-old young man.

32 and single, meaning SINGLE. I rarely date. I'm just not very lonely. If I were to parter up, it would be with a woman who wants to work together to meet OUR life goals. Unfortunately, most of the women I meet want a man (any man, doesn't matter who) to work toward her wants at the time (any time.)

Now, I won't go as far as to say, 'all women are like this,' because I know that it simply isn't true. Honestly, though, I have quite a few things on my plate, far more than I was ever able to handle when I had a girlfriend, finance, or live-in. I've never understood women who want you because you have a life full of interest that you pursue, usually involving self-improvement, and your woman wants you to drop all those things that make you interesting! And then they want to call you boring!

I especially hate it when a woman holds you responsible for her entertainment.

Or the girl that alternately complained of losing me to my job, and being broke. Where did she think the money came from?

My family pressures the heck out of me. They don't get that there just aren't enough compelling reasons for me to want a life partner. I love women, especially from arm's length.

Although, that is probably more the 'hedgehog's dilemma' than anything else.

Why, with a divorce rate over 50%, would I think my relationship would be any different? I have a little money and property, but I am reserving that for the benefit of my mother, sister, and her children (my 'actual' family). I have too much to lose in a divorce. Not even risking it.

I'm 27 single and a mom... I don't plan on getting married and the thought of never ever finding someone doesn't bother me. With the divorce rate as high as it is in this country marriage has become a joke. This may sound childish or selfish but I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it without anyone elses input. I alone will raise my child how I see fit, I alone use my money on what I feel is needed, I alone will do with my time what I feel is right. I don't want anyone in my life giving me their unwanted two cents. And I'm very happy with the way it's gone so far.

a) I'm in my early thirties, recently out of a relationship (of almost 8 years) several months ago.

Am single, and prefer remaining so for a while. I think its a good period of "emotional" rest for me, not necessarily because of having felt restricted in my past relationship, but I invested of myself, and don't think that at this time in my life, I have the desire nor motivation to invest in someone else again, at least not for a while.

Right now, am focused on bettering myself, enjoying the little things, varying my work, being there for my friends and occasionally going out on a date, for fun.

b) When my ex and I moved in together, we dealt with much antagonism from both his family and mine (very religious families), but neither one of us allowed for our families (or anyone else) to pressure us into marriage or anything we didn't want to do.

Being single now, I still deal with the occasional criticism from my folks about being unmarried in my thirties, and waiting too long to have children, etc.

Quite frankly, I choose to not bother with the "ideals" of most in society and what others think is right or wrong.

While I will gladly listen to others' advice and criticism, and be open to discuss opposite points of views, don't have to follow what anyone else thinks.

I think I know what's suitable for me, more than anyone else does.

I've tried both, and living alone is the least complicated. I notice that being happy in solitude bothers the 'happily' married most but never worked out why.

a) I am perfectly content — nay, eager — never to get married. In fact, I would gladly sign away my right to get married to an American gay couple. They deserve it more.

b) I find it ridiculous. Marriage and parenthood is nice (to some people), but it isn't necessary by any means.

Sadly, men who do not marry by the time they are 35 typically are alcoholic and self destructive and end up not living very long. Many of my friends have meant that fate and I do think (biologically speaking) men need someone to take care of (and take care of them)...In my experience, men live for women and women live for the ideal man. Sad, but true.

im fine with it most of the time...but sometimes i get lonely.

and then i hear about how effed up someone's relationship is and i laugh at how stupid i was for thinking i wanted to be with someone!