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The 21st century is the age of living single.
21世纪是单身人士的年代。
Today, the number of single adults in the U.S.-and many other nations around the world-is unprecedented. And the numbers don't just say people are staying single longer before settling down. More are staying single for life. A 2014 Pew Report estimates that by the time today's young adults reach the age of 50, about one in four of them will have never married.
如今，美国及世界各地其他国家的单身人士数量前所未有。这些数字并非说明在安家立业之前，人们的单身生活会更久。越来越多的人单身是为了享受生活。2014年，一项皮尤报告估计：当如今的年轻人活到50岁时，他们中约四分之一的人没有结过婚。
The ascendancy of single living has left some in a panic. US News & World Report, for example, cautioned that Americans think the country's moral values are bad and getting worse, and one of the top reasons for their concern is the large number of people remaining single.
单身生活的优势让某些人感到恐慌。比如，美国新闻和世界报道提醒道：美国人认为他们国家的道德价值观不正，而且还越来越糟，而这一担心的最主要原因是因为一大批人都保持单身。
But instead of fretting, maybe we should celebrate. Don't rush into choosing a mate just because it's Valentine's Day.
但是不要担心，或许我们应该庆祝这一现状。千万不要因为情人节即将来临就急匆匆的找个对象。
I'm a social scientist, and I've spent the past two decades researching and writing about single people. I've found that the rise of single living is a boon to our cities and towns and communities, our relatives and friends and neighbors. This trend has the chance to redefine the traditional meaning-and confines-of home, family and community.
我是位社会科学家，过去20年，我一直都在研究单身人士，并进行写作。我发现，单身人士越来越多是对我们城市、城镇、社区、亲戚、朋友、邻居的一种恩惠。这一趋势可能会重新定义家、家庭和社区的传统意义，并为这些概念界定界限。
Ties That Bind
绑定人们的纽带
For years, communities across the country have been organized by clusters of nuclear families living in suburban homes. But there are some signs that this arrangement isn't working out so well.
多年来，全国的社区都由一群生活在郊区的核心家庭组成。但有些迹象却表明这一安排并没有带来多好的效果。
These houses are often too isolating-too far from work and from one another. According to a national survey ongoing since 1974, Americans have never been less likely to be friends with their neighbors than they are now, with neighborliness lowest in the suburbs.
这些家庭通常都十分孤立--远离自己的办公地点，远离彼此。一项自1974年就开始进行的全国调查显示，美国人与自己的邻居成为朋友的可能性达史上最低，而在郊区，与邻居成为朋友更不可能。
But studies have also shown that single people are bucking those trends. For example, they are more likely than married people to encourage, help and socialize with their friends and neighbors. They are also more likely to visit, support, advise and stay in touch with their siblings and parents. In fact, people who live alone are often the life of their cities and towns. They tend to participate in more civic groups and public events, enroll in more art and music classes, and go out to dinner more often than people who live with others.
但一些研究也表明：单身人士正在抵制这些趋势。比如，相比已婚人士，他们更容易鼓励、帮助自己的朋友和邻居，与他们来往。他们也更可能拜访、支持、建议和联系自己的兄弟姐妹及父母。事实上，独自生活的人士通常都住在城市和城镇。相比已经成家的人士，他们往往能加入更多的公民团体，参与更多的公众事件，报名更多的艺术音乐课程，出去吃饭的次数也更为频繁。
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