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Only 1 in 3 eligible young adults are actively dating
Posted on 2/14/26 at 9:33 am
Posted on 2/14/26 at 9:33 am
quote:
According to new study from the Wheatley Institute and the Institute for Family Studies, today’s young adults are in a "dating recession" — 2026 is all Netflix and no chill.
Our 2026 "State of our Unions" report, which surveyed 5,275 single adults between the ages of 22-35, found that only one in three of eligible young adults are actively dating. Nearly three quarters of women (74%) and two-thirds of men (64%) had not a single date, or dated only a few times, in the last year.
So, what’s throwing cold water on what’s supposed to be the most sexually charged phase of adult life?
One of the most significant barriers to dating is an epidemic loss of self-confidence among young adults. Only about one in three said they felt comfortable approaching someone they were interested in, and less than 40% said they felt confident in their ability to talk about their feelings with a dating partner.
That’s not altogether alarming — vulnerability with a new person is always uncomfortable. Dating has always been a high-risk, high-reward game. What’s more alarming than that fear of intimacy is our finding that only 36% of young adults say they’re confident they can read social cues on dates. They don’t know how to be with someone else.
This hints at a bigger cause: kids aren’t just avoiding dates, they aren’t socializing at all. Last year, the Institute for Family Studies found that the average time young adults spent in person with friends in a given week has fallen by 50% since 2010. Other research has found that American adults are spending more time alone today — even post-pandemic — than ever before.
quote:
Still, the ‘dating recession’ is not for lack of desire. Despite their loner tendencies, 86% of our survey respondents said they hope to get married one day.
That, at least, is encouraging: our research also suggests married adults, particularly married parents, consistently report the highest levels of personal well-being and happiness. Recent research found married mothers and fathers 18 to 55 are almost twice as likely to be "very happy" with their lives, compared to their single and childless peers.
Unfortunately, if today’s trends continue, at least one in three adults who are in their twenties today will never marry. That means fewer people will have children, too. A dating recession will make those numbers even bleaker.
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Posted on 2/14/26 at 9:44 am to RLDSC FAN
When you tell several generations that being a parent sucks and normalize promiscuity this is what you get.
Posted on 2/14/26 at 9:45 am to RLDSC FAN
quote:
One of the most significant barriers to dating is an epidemic loss of self-confidence among young adults. Only about one in three said they felt comfortable approaching someone they were interested in, and less than 40% said they felt confident in their ability to talk about their feelings with a dating partner.
Thanks #MeToo
Posted on 2/14/26 at 9:45 am to RLDSC FAN
quote:
Only 1 in 3 eligible young adults are actively dating
Well when you don't know what's a guy or a girl it makes it tough
Posted on 2/14/26 at 9:50 am to RLDSC FAN
Dating apps have women thinking they have so many more options but the men they’re chasing aren’t attracted to them.
Posted on 2/14/26 at 9:54 am to RLDSC FAN
.
This post was edited on 2/17/26 at 4:57 pm
Posted on 2/14/26 at 9:55 am to RLDSC FAN
Because of social media nobody knows how to walk up and talk to potential partners in real life
Also, crippling porn addictions keep people just content beating off every night instead of the real thing
Also, crippling porn addictions keep people just content beating off every night instead of the real thing
Posted on 2/14/26 at 9:56 am to RLDSC FAN
quote:
One of the most significant barriers to dating is an epidemic loss of self-confidence among young adults.
When you don’t get matches or swiped on, it’s sort of a confirmation that you’re not attractive therefore your self esteem and confidence plummet
The apps are poison
Posted on 2/14/26 at 9:58 am to RLDSC FAN
I don't think there is one thing to blame here. You have:
Covid putting kids who are now in the dating pool at a socially developmental disadvantage at an impressionable age.
The fear of messing up is amplified due to a greater permanence. If a failed pickup attempt is caught on camera, someone's status may be ruined for years, rather than a couple of weeks as would have been the case 15 years ago.
Social media makes young men feel like if they aren't 6' and lean they don't have a shot at all.
Social media makes young women feel like they are inadequate as well.
Online relationships are becoming more common than ever. Most of a young adults' time is spent on a phone or on places like Discord or gaming lobbies.
Pornography can satiate a % of the population's lustful desires that they would otherwise act upon in a social setting.
And probably a ton more.
Covid putting kids who are now in the dating pool at a socially developmental disadvantage at an impressionable age.
The fear of messing up is amplified due to a greater permanence. If a failed pickup attempt is caught on camera, someone's status may be ruined for years, rather than a couple of weeks as would have been the case 15 years ago.
Social media makes young men feel like if they aren't 6' and lean they don't have a shot at all.
Social media makes young women feel like they are inadequate as well.
Online relationships are becoming more common than ever. Most of a young adults' time is spent on a phone or on places like Discord or gaming lobbies.
Pornography can satiate a % of the population's lustful desires that they would otherwise act upon in a social setting.
And probably a ton more.
This post was edited on 2/14/26 at 9:59 am
Posted on 2/14/26 at 10:01 am to ShoeBang
quote:Does it not suck?
When you tell several generations that being a parent sucks and normalize promiscuity this is what you get.
It’s expensive AF.
Liberals have wrecked our institutions.
Everything is overpopulated and stale now.
Young women are fricking insane.
Everyone gets divorced.
Just helped my buddy take care of and put to rest his 5 year old daughter.
I’m open to marriage and kids, but it will have to be with someone I truly cannot picture myself living without. The average person runs headfirst into these situations and from what I can tell, it’ll ruin your life. I will do everything in my power to avoid being stuck in a shite situation.
This post was edited on 2/14/26 at 10:01 am
Posted on 2/14/26 at 10:14 am to chalmetteowl
quote:
Thanks #MeToo
Tom Brady’s SNL HR skit aged like wine.
But, these threads always boil down to two things:
1. Women date up, and never down.
2. A guy with a hard d**k will go places a man with a gun won’t.
Posted on 2/14/26 at 10:22 am to RLDSC FAN
Feminism has succeeded, as intended.
Posted on 2/14/26 at 10:23 am to RLDSC FAN
Millennial and gen z think sex is dirty
Posted on 2/14/26 at 10:25 am to RLDSC FAN
Porn is prob a huge contributor to this
Posted on 2/14/26 at 10:31 am to RLDSC FAN
Doesn’t make sense. Between 16/17 and 25 I had a date at least 2-3 times a month, even when not “dating” someone specific or exclusively. And I’m no real catch. Sometimes I was very attracted to them physically, sometimes moderately so, was mostly a good time either way. Some of them had repeats (with or without being exclusive at the time) some were expensive others weren’t. Must suck to be young now.
Posted on 2/14/26 at 10:31 am to BabyTac
I feel more like porn just makes the checking out of the dating game more easily manageable.
But the reasons young men are doing it isn’t DUE to porn.
But the reasons young men are doing it isn’t DUE to porn.
This post was edited on 2/14/26 at 10:31 am
Posted on 2/14/26 at 10:31 am to NFLSU
quote:
Dating apps have women thinking they have so many more options but the men they’re chasing aren’t attracted to them.
This is definitely a big part of it. Dating apps have spoiled and overvalued girls for sure.
Seems like if you’re a decent looking dude these days with even a shred of confidence, you should be able to clean up pretty easily. Girls still like confidence, and that seems to be severely lacking from guys these days.
This post was edited on 2/14/26 at 10:50 am
Posted on 2/14/26 at 10:36 am to blueboy
The consequences of feminism seems to be a surplus of single moms and liberal nutjobs in the dating pool for my age demographic.
Posted on 2/14/26 at 10:43 am to BabyTac
Idk when I was young I watched porn all the time and still went out all the time to meet girls.
Posted on 2/14/26 at 10:48 am to RLDSC FAN
Modern women generally are nothing like the women of previous generations.
Men providing and women being homemakers is not the goal of women anymore.
I don’t need a woman that makes money. It’s great if so but it’s not what I need. And at the drop of a hat you can lose half of your shite if they “aren’t happy”.
Not a really great deal for young men
Men providing and women being homemakers is not the goal of women anymore.
I don’t need a woman that makes money. It’s great if so but it’s not what I need. And at the drop of a hat you can lose half of your shite if they “aren’t happy”.
Not a really great deal for young men
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