[Seo Mideum's Book Review] Half of the Population Will Be Single in 2040

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomibeum Seo] “By 2040, the single population will account for 47%, and those with spouses under 64 years old will be 31%.”

This is a projection made by Kazuhisa Arakawa, a leading expert on singlehood research in Japan, based on the 2018 estimates from the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research. Not only is the population getting married decreasing, but even among those who do marry, late marriages and divorces are increasing. Arakawa estimates the population aged 15 and over in 2040 to be about 100 million, with 46 million singles and 52 million married individuals. The number of singles exceeded the 39 million elderly population.

The biggest issue pointed out for singles is loneliness. There is a strong concern that they may live alone and die lonely, but this can be interpreted differently depending on the type of loneliness. There is voluntary loneliness and exclusion-induced loneliness. Exclusion-induced loneliness, caused by failure to adapt to the environment, is actually a significant stress. According to the author, a few years ago in Japan, people who ate alone (honbap) were ostracized and pushed to eat in the restroom, leading to the term “restroom meals” gaining attention.

The author points out that the assumption that all people who are alone are lonely is incorrect. Some people are not lonely at all when alone, while others feel lonely even when surrounded by many people. The author explains, “Surprisingly, some people who were happily playing with friends until yesterday suddenly commit suicide. Being with others can make one feel their loneliness even more intensely.”

According to the author, what truly matters in loneliness is the hidden self-affirmation rather than the visible environment. When self-affirmation is abundant, whether alone or with others, the negative impact on life is minimal. This goes beyond innate traits and can be regulated. The author recommends a ‘90-day selfie challenge.’ Taking selfies for 90 days improves makeup skills and photography techniques, enriches facial expression control, and enhances the face itself, thereby increasing attractiveness.

Perhaps the rise of solo living is a result of changes in the social environment. The author argues that humans originally tend toward solo living but develop a stronger tendency toward group living in crisis situations such as external invasions or natural disasters. Thus, solo living is explained as a natural outcome of social stability.

The author also claims that being single does not mean zero productivity. Based on research by Canadian scholars showing that groups with unmarried uncles or aunts raise the next generation better, he argues that “homosexuals caring for nieces and nephews, teaching arts or music, or providing financial help in medical or educational fields help families and indirectly increase reproductive potential as ‘super uncles,’ contributing to higher reproduction rates.”

Finally, the author emphasizes, “A solo society and an individualizing society are not necessarily a hopeless future. Whether married or not, whether having children or not, whether living with someone or alone, we must build new communities that suit each individual.” He stresses, “Numerous people connected by ties such as family, community, and workplace should cooperate within ‘belonging communities’ and also create ‘connecting communities’ that perform community roles by connecting with each other.”

The Solo Society is Coming | Written by Kazuhisa Arakawa & Nobuko Nakano | Translated by Taeseon Yoo | Book by Book | 356 pages | 18,000 KRW

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.