Everyone knows that the dating market feels a bit “off.” Something’s just not right.
In previous decades, people just got on with it. But today, that’s not happening.
The result of this process, though, isn’t just a lack of romantic love. It also seems like many of today’s young people are saying goodbye to the concept of a family entirely. Fertility rates are falling.
Clearly, there are other causes, like high housing costs and spiritual worldviews. However, this issue in the dating market also seems to be playing a significant role, and it’s spilling over into politics. JD Vance’s recent rant on the need to support men is an indication of this.
So, is it game-over for American families because of changes in sexual market dynamics? How bad is it going to get?
The Decline Of Traditional Family Structures
One indication that something is very wrong is the decline of traditional family structures. Marriage rates are collapsing like never before, and there seems to be no stopping it.
Previously, some people would have heralded this as a form of liberation. However, it is getting to the point now where even many women who want to have families can’t start them.
Part of the issue is men’s reluctance to get into the dating market. Many often wind up going to sexual offence solicitors because of accusations made against them.
However, there’s also the fact that the nuclear family isn’t what it once was. People are trying all sorts of new arrangements, and many of these just don’t have room for kids.
The Rise Of New Gender Roles
The rise of new gender roles is also challenging these traditional structures. The man as the breadwinner and the woman staying home with the kids feels very antiquated today, and anyone suggesting it would likely get into trouble.
Under modern setups, partners share domestic home-making duties and try to empower each other. However, the focus is more on career first and then family afterwards, not the other way around, which is what happened historically.
Economic Pressures
Of course, economic pressures are also playing a significant role. Financial instability means that many would-be parents simply aren’t prepared to take the risk, seeing it as something that could hurt them financially if they tried it.
Often, this choice comes directly from the reality of their lives. Many young people can’t afford to take care of themselves in such an unequal economy, let alone dependents.
Technology
Finally, technology is changing how people meet and date. People are finding it more challenging to maintain relationships because of the sheer number of choices out there. Many young people know that if their current relationship ends, there are always plenty of other individuals who can take up the slack. This situation is evolutionarily novel and doesn’t match up well with human history at all, where the number of potential mates was small.
Ultimately, these changes are causing the US birthrate to fall below replacement levels. For many, this heralds the end of the American family until something changes.
