Chapter 9

David Komorowski
Chapter 9

Summary: In this chapter we look at the question of what it is to be single as well as types of cohabitation. The chapter starts in covering the topic of the diversity of singles which include categories of voluntary, involuntary, temporary, and stable. It then covers the advantages and disadvantages of being single later in life as well as giving statistics on who is/isn’t living alone with more than 79% being white. To me, this somewhat does make sense because mostly minorities are among the poverty stricken in which I believe living with multiple people happens to make sense more economically in their situation. After this is spoken about the book goes into macro-level factors, demographic influences, and individual reasons for marriage. For macro-level factors that impact marriage the rate at which occurs are the economy (which I heavily agree with), war, and technology. The book also shows between demographic variables (sex ratios, social class) and individual reasons (waiting for a soul mate, fearing divorce) that there are quite a few things to consider—whether we have before or not—before we get married. The book then describes the differences between certain racial and ethnic singles—African American, Latino, and Asian. These differences include structural factors, values and attitudes, etc. After this certain myths about being single are discussed. Some examples are that singles are selfish and well off financially. Near the end of the chapter we then look at cohabitation trends as well as types of cohabitation which include trial marriage, substitute marriage, and premarital cohabitation. Among other questions that are answered about cohabitation are the costs, whether it helps or hurts marriage—also listing several effects it can have on marriage including the selection effect, inertia effect, and others—as well as the impact it has on children. The chapter finishes with same sex couples and their war over same sex union as well as communal living arrangements.

What I learned: One thing that I learned that was also a shock to me was that the law can have an impact on cohabitation and whether or not we marry the one that we live with. More specifically I’m talking about the example in the ‘Cohabitation and the Law’ section in which a North Carolina sheriff fired a dispatcher because she did not marry her live-in boyfriend. I honestly found this troubling at the fact that the boss of someone, especially in the police force, would be so concerned with their subordinate’s personal life that they would rather not work with that person if they’re not married with somebody they live with. I believe a funny slippery-slope argument can be made here in which you can ask, “Hey if that girl’s live-in roommate was another girl who she’s just friends with, shouldn’t they have to get married too?” It just seems not to make sense to have the law impact someone in that sense at all. I do like the fact that it’s not enforced too heavily but I’m not sure if I agree that it should exist.
Along with this another thing that I learned was a lot about the cohabitation effects that occur. I believe the inertia effect and the cohabitation effect hold some truth because I can see a marriage happening to come about from living with someone for a long time. I can also see it being an alternative to marriage for many people who fears divorce/don’t have the money. Along with these two I also believe that the selection effect holds some truth as well—this states that couples who live together have different characteristics than those who do not. I think that cohabitation can hold positive and negative aspects for marriage—one positive being that the couple can get the feel of what marriage may be like and one negative being that one person may feel trapped and be scared away from marriage.

What could’ve been better: I believe that the communal section of the chapter near the end could have been expanded a little bit more. A communal (different families living together) is a unique setting in which many problems can arise. With that being said the book states that they have existed since 100 B.C.E. and yet the rest of the chapter has about thirty pages on a much smaller time scale compared to this sections length of about less than a page.