Many of us live such busy lives that we are not likely to know our next door neighbour!
- The man of my dreams is out there somewhere!
An article by Bernard Salt in The Australian, October 25, 2012 ‘Girls, looking for a single guy? Try the inner city’ seems to assume that singles are more likely to meet a potential match more readily in their neighbourhood than the world at large. While this may have been the case but a few decades ago, it is not so today. Indeed these days many a single….and couple and family…do not even know who lives next door to their apartment or home. While there may be higher densities of single men and women in various suburbs of a city it does not mean that it is easy for them to connect or socialise where they live.
It would be interesting to research where couples living together or married today resided when they first met. I predict that the majority did not live in the same neighbourhood. Given that most singles of both sexes work five days a week and many travel a considerable distance to do so, much of their socialising is likely to occur away from home. Indeed the advent of the internet, online dating and social networking has made it possible for the single person to be home alone while seeking to connect with people who live near and far for friendship and romance.
Looking to the future, census stats indicate that by 2026 approximately 31% of households in Australia will be occupied by a person on their own. While the web will make it possible for this huge sector of our society to make connections online, such virtual relationships cannot replace face to face contact and friendships.
If we are not to become ‘a lonely crowd’ I suggest serious thought be given now to planning for a future where communities are created that facilitate connecting and a sense of belonging. Maybe then Salt’s assumptions re the power of propinquity will once again make it more likely that singles will form friendships and meet potential partners close to home.
