In this era full of changes in the concept of love, young people's attitudes towards marriage and love have changed dramatically. No longer embracing the traditional concept of marriage, they are more rational about their emotional lives. Let's explore this topic together and analyze the reasons why young people are delaying the age of first marriage and the challenges they face.
Postponing the age of first marriage: the rise of educational levels
According to the Chinese Population Census Yearbook-2020, the average age of first marriage in mainland China in 2020 was 28.67 years, nearly 4 years later than 24.89 years old in 2010. This postponement trend is partly attributable to the significant increase in the level of education. The gross enrolment rate in tertiary education on the mainland is already close to 60 per cent, and young people are in schooling for longer periods of time, resulting in a corresponding delay in their entry into marriage.
This prolonged education is also indirectly affecting young people's attitudes about marriage and love, especially women. Studies have shown that highly educated women are more likely to look for partners who are the same or higher educated than themselves. This suggests that higher levels of education may have changed young people's expectations of mate selection.
The irrationality of mate selection requirements increases
Irrational mate selection requirements also make it more difficult for young people to marry and fall in love. Overly strict requirements, such as requiring the other party to have economic strength, social status, etc., will greatly limit the scope of mate selection. This phenomenon is common among young people, but it is sometimes impractical.
Restrictions on social circles
The fixity of social circles is one of the biggest love dilemmas faced by young people. According to a survey, more than half of the single youth surveyed said their social circle was relatively fixed. This problem is particularly pronounced in certain professions and professions, such as IT and nursing, where gender segregation is evident. This also leads to more same-sex interactions, making it difficult to expand the social circle of the opposite sex.
The role of the third-party agency
When it comes to breaking down established social circles, third-party organizations can play a key role. The Communist Youth League organization has the potential to serve young people in marriage and dating, by organizing social activities that young people like, providing more opportunities and promoting mutual interaction.
Love is no longer in vogue?
There is a segment of young people who claim that they no longer need to be in a relationship or get married. However, this attitude may cause them to miss out on the precious experience of loving and being loved. Although being in love is challenging, it is also full of happiness and joy. Life is a process of constant interaction with various people, and intimacy with a lover is one of the most important.
Look at the change in love
Young people tend to adopt a negative mindset and find it difficult to see the strengths of the other person and only see the weaknesses. To build a positive relationship emotion, you need to be inclusive and recognized, not perfectionist. Understand that no one is perfect, and love is about inclusion and mutual growth.
Don't be deceived by traffic passwords
On the internet, there are many opinions that claim "long live singleness", emphasizing that one's life is easy and easy. However, this view often presents only one aspect of life, rather than the whole life. Many young people may have been misled by the "singles" voice on social media, and these views should be viewed rationally. Many views may arise out of traffic needs and are not necessarily true opinions.
Change the atmosphere of public opinion
The media should play a leading role in disseminating more authentic and positive marriage and love stories. At the same time, relevant departments should increase the punishment of false information and regulate online social behavior.
In this era of change, young people need to be more rational about marriage and love, tolerate each other's imperfections, broaden their social circles, and not be misled by false information. Love still exists, but the concept of marriage and love has changed dramatically, let us adapt to this new era together.