In India, staying single way past the ‘marriageable age’ is considered a taboo. As soon as you hit 25, (unfriendly) neighborhood aunties start giving your family unsolicited advise about matchmaking. However, a recent study has surfaced stating that staying single may be the secret to eternal happiness! Paul Dolan, a behavioural science professor at the London School of Economics and author of the book, Happy Ever After: Escaping the Myths of the Perfect Life is busting the myths surrounding marriage and how it affects women.
At the Hay Festival in Wales, Paul spoke about how married people are happier, only when their spouse is in the same room, otherwise, they really aren’t. “Married people are happier than other population subgroups, but only when their spouse is in the room when they’re asked how happy they are. When the spouse is not present: f—–g miserable,” he told an international newspaper.
And he had some interesting advise to give, “I am going to do a massive disservice to that science and just say: if you’re a man, you should probably get married; if you’re a woman, don’t bother.”
He also went on to share that married women as a subgroup are unhappier and unhealthy when compared to unmarried women of the same age who have never had children. While addressing married men, Paul stated that marriage is more beneficial to them, “You take less risks, you earn more money at work, and you live a little longer. She, on the other hand, has to put up with that, and she dies sooner than if she never married. The healthiest and happiest population subgroup are women who never married or had children.”
With reference to the content of his book, Paul said that the stigma around single women needs is actually completely unnecessary because it looks like they are doing something right! “You see a single woman of 40, who has never had children — ‘Bless, that’s a shame, isn’t it? Maybe one day you’ll meet the right guy and that’ll change.’ No, maybe she’ll meet the wrong guy and that’ll change. Maybe she’ll meet a guy who makes her less happy and healthy, and die sooner,” he added.
BRB, buying this book for my nosy relatives.
GIFs – Giphy
Also Read: Five Women Reveal How Their Sex Lives Changed After Marriage!
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