Singleton (lifestyle)

Sociologist Eric Klinenberg reports that before the 1950s, no society had large numbers of people living alone.

Historically, this has happened when elderly people outlive their spouses, and when men have migrated for work.

In modern times, large numbers of people have begun to live happily alone in cities and with the help of communication technologies like the telephone, email, and social networking services.

Klinenberg has found that the ability of women to work, own property, and initiate divorce creates more opportunities for living alone; in countries like Saudi Arabia where women do not have autonomy, few people live alone.

[7] In wealthy countries, people are more likely to choose the privacy, individualism, and sometimes the loneliness of living alone.