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April 09, 2007
"Singled Out: How Singles are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After" by Bella DePaulo
As a long time single myself, I was intrigued by the possibilities the title of this book suggested. Here was another educated always single reviewing and addressing our social bias against people who chose not to couple or marry. And there is a bias, both in everyday existence and in government structures like the tax system. DePaulo does a good job of listing and illustrating these biases in a relatively concise fashion. Unfortunately, she also clearly has an axe to grind, and her rage at the situation colors much of her interpretation of daily life and slights toward singles that may or may not be there. I needed to remind myself to sit back and not let her rabidity put me off of her main arguments, which are very valid.
I was also hoping for more constructive input regarding building a fulfilling single life within our current social structure, but there was relatively little material there on what makes single life "happily ever after." De Paulo spent her time speaking against the established paradigm, even in the chapter "The Way We Could Be" that was a prime spot for a new vision of singledom.
So, on the up side De Paulo presents a lot of relevant, valid, and interesting food for thought on the bias against singles in our couple-centric society. On the down side, you have to dig through a lot of angst to get to the relevant material. It's worth a look, especially if you're a sociology buff, but brace yourself for a somewhat less than stimulating read.
ISBN: 0-312-34081-8
Jennifer, reference
Posted by jnardine at April 9, 2007 09:14 AM