From Christine Emba‘s “The Reason Gen Z Isn’t Dating,” posted in the N.Y. Times on 3.3.26.
“Multiple studies show that young people aren’t dating, having sex or forming partnerships.
“A recent survey of young adults from the Institute for Family Studies and Brigham Young University’s Wheatley Institute found that only 30 percent of its respondents were actively dating, despite about half of them indicating that they were interested in finding a relationship. They cited a lack of confidence in what the researchers termed ‘dating efficacy’: Fewer than 40 percent believed themselves to be attractive to potential partners or felt comfortable discussing their feelings with them.
“Only around a quarter felt confident in approaching a potential partner or in their ability to stay positive after a dating setback — a rejection, a bad date or a breakup.
“If trends continue, one in three adults currently in their 20s will never marry, contributing to an epidemic of loneliness that is already generationally acute.”
Scott Galloway has been Paul Revere-ing this lonely and isolated state of affairs for the last few years, of course.