As a whole, it seems that Generation Y is extremely uninterested in any sort of commitment or relationship. This can be attributed to the hook-up culture in which we live, the divorce rate of our parents and technology and apps such as Tinder.
According to a report from pewsocialtrends.org, “Millennials have also been keeping their distance from another core institution of society — marriage. Just 26 percent of this generation is married.”
While this may mean that Generation Y is less willing to just settle for anyone, many speculate that is due to the similar '60s and '70s “free love” vibe for which our generation is starting to be known.
Today, it seems that the art of dating is a lost cause for many people. Many of my friends claim the only time they had really ever been on a date was after they had already started dating their boyfriend. Many of them commented that it seems that guys don’t feel they need to put in the effort anymore, because we have gotten so used to the idea of just casually hooking up.
Nowadays, it seems that any kind of dating is purely online. We text each other, “like” pictures and even more recently go through an app called Tinder.
Sites such as Tinder are widely known as “hit it and quit it” sites, mainly used for casual flings and hookups. The unwritten rule is that it is geared toward an 18- to 30-year-old booty-call-seeking demographic such as our Generation Y. Essentially, Tinder is the newest and simplest way to score a new hook up without having to worry about one of you wanting a relationship.
It seems that our generation is ready for something new and ready to define marriage and relationships. We are putting love as an afterthought and focusing on different areas of our lives first. We have altered what it means to date and be single in our society.
Reach the columnist at Kassidy.McDonald@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @kassmcdonald
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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