#demographics — Public Fediverse posts

DATE: August 25, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
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TITLE: Individualism and income appear to shape relationship status across 59 countries

URL: https://www.psypost.org/personal-demographics-and-cultural-values-jointly-predict-singlehood/

Whether a person remains single is linked to a combination of personal circumstances and the cultural values of the country they live in. A large study published in PLOS One found that personal traits like age and income relate to relationship status differently depending on how much a society values individualism and adaptability. These findings suggest that singlehood is shaped by broad cultural environments rather than just individual choices.

Over the past few decades, the traditional family structure has shifted in many parts of the world. In the United States, Canada, and various European and Asian nations, the population of single adults has grown steadily. Researchers want to understand the broad societal forces driving this trend. Past sociological research has mostly focused on personal characteristics, such as education levels or economic stability.

Psychologists Marta Kowal and Katarzyna Adamczyk, based at the University of Wrocław and Adam Mickiewicz University respectively, wanted to expand on this past research. They suspected that personal demographic characteristics might operate differently depending on the surrounding culture. The researchers decided to examine how national culture interacts with personal circumstances to predict relationship status.

To measure culture, the researchers relied on a framework known as the Minkov-Hofstede model. This model divides national cultures into two main spectrums. The first spectrum is individualism versus collectivism. Individualistic cultures value personal freedom, independence, and self-reliance. Collectivistic cultures prioritize tradition, strict social rules, and group loyalty.

The second cultural spectrum is flexibility versus monumentalism. Flexible cultures, often found in East Asia, value adaptability, humility, self-control, and long-term goals like acquiring a good education. Monumentalist cultures, which the model associates with regions like Latin America and the Arab world, value an unchanging and proud sense of self. Monumentalist societies encourage people to follow their impulses, seek immediate gratification, and remain invariant in their values.

To conduct the study, Kowal and Adamczyk analyzed an existing dataset from the World Values Survey. The researchers utilized a large sample of 71,169 individuals across 59 countries. The data, collected between 2017 and 2021, included detailed interviews conducted at the participants’ homes.

The researchers categorized participants based on their relationship status. People who were married or living together as married were classified as partnered. Those who were single and never married were classified as single. For the main analysis, the researchers excluded people who were divorced, widowed, or separated.

The researchers then gathered personal details for each participant, including their age, sex, hometown size, education level, income, and employment status. Next, they assigned each participant a cultural score based on their country of residence. They used established national scores for both the individualism and flexibility spectrums.

Finally, the researchers used a statistical technique that allowed them to look at data on multiple levels at once. This method let them evaluate how national cultural trends might alter the effects of personal demographics on a person’s relationship status. A secondary analysis that included divorced and widowed individuals as single yielded the exact same statistical patterns.

The analysis revealed several consistent patterns across all countries. People were more likely to be single if they were younger, male, and living in larger towns. Higher education levels, lower income, and unemployment were also associated with a greater likelihood of being single.

These demographic associations align with expectations from past sociological research. Younger people are still in the phase of searching for a partner. Educational expansion delays entry into the workforce, which often pushes back the timeline for marriage. A lack of economic stability, characterized by unemployment or low income, can discourage people from committing to serious relationships.

The sex and location differences also matched established patterns. Women often face more social pressure to marry, which may make them less likely to remain single compared to men. Living in larger urban areas often correlates with a lower adherence to traditional family values, creating environments where singlehood is more socially accepted.

National culture also played a direct role in predicting relationship status. People living in highly individualistic countries were more likely to be single. Individualism grants people the freedom to behave according to their own beliefs, making a single lifestyle an easier path to choose.

People in less flexible, or more monumentalist, countries were also more likely to be single. Because monumentalist cultures encourage people to follow their immediate impulses and desires rather than prioritizing long-term goals, they may promote short-term dating over settling down into a long-term partnership.

The study uncovered notable interactions between personal traits and cultural values. In more individualistic countries, the link between being single and having a lower income or being unemployed was much stronger. Individualistic societies expect young people to become self-reliant and secure their own financial resources before starting a family. If a person lacks those resources in an individualistic culture, they are highly likely to remain single.

The connection between being male and being single was also stronger in individualistic nations. The researchers proposed that individualistic cultures emphasize independence. This cultural emphasis aligns with the traditional social expectation that men should be self-reliant, potentially making singlehood an expected path for men in those societies.

In monumentalist countries, older age was more strongly associated with singlehood than it was in flexible countries. Monumentalist cultures encourage people to live authentically according to their personal desires rather than conforming to societal expectations. Since older adults tend to conform less to social pressures as they age, they may be more inclined to live independently in societies that celebrate personal authenticity.

The researchers noted a few limitations to their work. The data used in the analysis was observational, meaning it cannot prove cause and effect. While lower income and unemployment predict a higher likelihood of singlehood, it is also possible that living alone leads to different financial outcomes. The relationship between these factors could go in both directions.

The analysis also grouped all single and never-married people into one unified category. Single individuals are a highly diverse group with different dating histories and personal desires. Some people actively choose to remain single, while others are involuntarily single.

Future research could expand on these findings by tracking people over time to observe how their relationship status evolves. Researchers could also look at other cultural dimensions to see how the freedom to choose new social groups affects the likelihood of finding a partner.

The study, “Sociodemographic and cultural factors are related to singlehood rates: A multilevel analysis across 59 countries from the World Values Survey,” was authored by Marta Kowal and Katarzyna Adamczyk.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/personal-demographics-and-cultural-values-jointly-predict-singlehood/

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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Singlehood #RelationshipStatus #Individualism #CulturalFactors #WorldValuesSurvey #Sociology #Demographics #Urbanization #MonumentalistCulture #FlexibilityVsMonumentalism

Geospatial Analysis of Urban Population Model Discrepancies Through Land Use and the Built Environment - A Case Study of Croatia
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https://doi.org/10.3390/geographies6020043 <-- shared paper
--
H/T Olga Bjelotomić Oršulić
“Using official Croatian census data as a reference, [the researchers] analysed three global population datasets across seven Croatian cities to investigate how population allocation differs between built-up and non-built-up areas.
Although the datasets often produced similar population totals, their spatial allocation differed substantially. GHS-POP concentrated over 1 million more inhabitants within built-up areas, while WorldPop allocated approximately 290,000 more inhabitants to non-built-up land-cover classes, demonstrating how similar population totals can mask substantial differences in spatial population patterns.
The question is not only how many people are estimated, but also where the model places them…”
#GIS #spatial #mapping #gridded #population #urban #dataanalysis #shrinkingcities #census #censusvalidation #WorldPop #GHSPOP #GPWv4 #builtupareas #sustainability #SDG #casestudy #Croatia #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #populationdecline #demographics #urbanplanning #planning #city #cities #PopulationData #RemoteSensing #UrbanAnalytics #OpenData #SDG #model #modeling #urbanisation #density #QGIS #landcover
@MDPI

📊 Think "Replacement Migration" is just an internet conspiracy theory?

Think again. This is a literal, official policy framework published by the United Nations Population Division back in 2001.

The report openly calculates the massive influxes of foreign workers required by developed nations (US, Europe, Japan) to stave off economic collapse, dropping birth rates, and failing pension systems.

https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/sites/www.un.org.development.desa.pd/files/unpd-egm_200010_un_2001_replacementmigration.pdf

#Demographics #Macroeconomics #PublicPolicy #Immigration #UN

Sea Levels Rising Dramatically In Some Areas Due To Land Subsidence [global]
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https://phys.org/news/2026-05-sea-areas-due-subsidence.html <-- shared technical article
--
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-72293-z <-- shared paper
--
[#VLM = vertical land motion; #ASL = absolute sea-level; #RSL = relative sea-level; #GIA = (global) Glacial Isostatic Adjustment; #inSAR = Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar; #GNSS = Global Navigation Satellite System (~GPS); #OE24 = paper, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01357-2, interpolated VLM reconstruction based on the joint analysis of GNSS, tide gauges (TGs), and satellite altimetry]
#GIS #spatial #mapping #remotesensing #earthobservation #sealevel #verticallandmotion #absolutesealevel #relativesealevel #GlacialIsostaticAdjustment #geomorphometry #SLR #sealevelrise #coast #coastal #flood #flooding #subsidence #landmass #landsubsidence #global #globalsealevelrise #climatechange #city #urban #farmlands #population #demographics #cities #planning #community #elevation #monitoring #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #altimetry

“There’s never enough time to do all the nothing you want.”*…

Over the past two decades, we’ve been reallocating our time away from offices, malls, and classrooms… and toward home and solitude. Hyunsoo Rim illustrates…

With our Covid-induced lockdowns now a moderately foggy memory for most, the last few years have turned out to be a continued normalization for many of the habits that defined the pandemic era.

Peloton bikes are now doubling as coat racks; the banana bread craze has cooled; Zoom’s share price is almost back to where it started; millions of people have gone back to clothes shopping in person; and companies like Del Monte are stuck with mountains of unsold canned fruit that’s no longer flying off the shelves.

But one seismic lifestyle change has proven far more permanent than any fitness fad or panic-buying spree — and it turns out to be part of a much longer trend that’s been building for decades: Americans are spending more time at home, and alone. And not everyone has the means to break that growing trend…

[Rim uses infographics to chart American’s use of time…]

… According to the annual American Time Use Survey (ATUS) — a self-reporting survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics — an average American’s typical day still breaks down pretty much the same as it did 20 years ago. Roughly a third still goes to sleep, a fifth to leisure and sports, and, perhaps most surprising to anyone feeling burned out, just one-sixth to work. The rest goes to household chores, meals, and everything else. The survey does, of course, represent the average, with many retirees likely skewing the work figures down.

But if you look closer, the routines underneath tell a different story about how the collective American experience has changed.

Over the past two decades, Americans have gained about 30 minutes of sleep per day — now averaging over nine hours, more than ever — and spend roughly 11 more minutes on household activities such as cooking, cleaning, and pet care.

Where did those extra hours come from? It seems like we’ve carved them out of work commutes, mall trips, and in-person classes… activities that usually have us interacting with others out in public in some way.

Some of this shift can certainly be explained by demographic factors — America is an older country than it was in 2003, as birth rates have dropped. Nevertheless, on aggregate, the figures are pretty staggering for a nation of 340+ million people — and the sharp rise in the pandemic era suggests at least a decent amount of the shift is behavioral.

Indeed, in 2003, the average American spent 7.7 hours per day at home, according to the ATUS data compiled by IPUMS. By 2024, that rose to 9.1 hours, with the pandemic only accelerating the climb…

… what’s more striking is how time once spent outside or with others has steadily moved in the opposite direction…

… As more of our daily lives have moved home and online, the same shift is reshaping how we unwind. Since 2003, time spent socializing and communicating — from hanging out with family and friends to hosting events — has fallen 24%, while travel time is down 26%…

… But not everyone is experiencing the shift in the same way. As evidence for the K-shaped economy — where some groups thrive while others struggle — becomes harder to ignore, income is proving to be a strong differentiator.

In fact, households earning under $35,000 now spend about 10 hours a day at home, almost an hour and a half longer than those earning $150,000 or more. The pattern holds for time spent alone, too, with a two-hour daily gap between the lowest- and highest-income groups…

… wealthier Americans aren’t just spending less time at home; they’re more likely to pay their way out of it, with restaurant meals instead of cooking, pilates classes instead of home workouts, or washer-dryer combos instead of hours tied up in chores.

For the very wealthiest, that logic even goes further: according to a recent survey by Long Angle, nearly two-thirds of multimillionaires now outsource housekeeping, while about half pay for gardening services and two-fifths employ nannies.

Of course, time at home and alone isn’t inherently negative — as researchers note that, for many, solitude can be valued as a way to rest, think, or create. But when more of your day is taken up by unpaid chores and low-cost, home-bound leisure, that retreat indoors starts to look less like a choice…

Americans are spending more time at home and alone — and money determines who can opt out. Eminently worth reading in full: “Home. Alone.” from @sherwood.news.

* Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes (August 28, 1988)

###

As we contemplate our calendars, we might recall that it was on this date in 1967 that kids across America could “go out” even as they stayed in: they were invited for the first time into Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, as the series premiered on NET (which later became PBS). The show had had earlier local incarnations in Canada, then in Pittsburgh, where the national show was birthed and produced. Michael Keaton, who worked for the Pittsburgh public television station WQED at the time, often helped out with Roger’s show. And future horror director George A. Romero worked on the show shooting short films.

source

“There’s never enough time to do all the nothing you want.”*…

Over the past two decades, we’ve been reallocating our time away from offices, malls, and classrooms… and toward home and solitude. Hyunsoo Rim illustrates…

With our Covid-induced lockdowns now a moderately foggy memory for most, the last few years have turned out to be a continued normalization for many of the habits that defined the pandemic era.

Peloton bikes are now doubling as coat racks; the banana bread craze has cooled; Zoom’s share price is almost back to where it started; millions of people have gone back to clothes shopping in person; and companies like Del Monte are stuck with mountains of unsold canned fruit that’s no longer flying off the shelves.

But one seismic lifestyle change has proven far more permanent than any fitness fad or panic-buying spree — and it turns out to be part of a much longer trend that’s been building for decades: Americans are spending more time at home, and alone. And not everyone has the means to break that growing trend…

[Rim uses infographics to chart American’s use of time…]

… According to the annual American Time Use Survey (ATUS) — a self-reporting survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics — an average American’s typical day still breaks down pretty much the same as it did 20 years ago. Roughly a third still goes to sleep, a fifth to leisure and sports, and, perhaps most surprising to anyone feeling burned out, just one-sixth to work. The rest goes to household chores, meals, and everything else. The survey does, of course, represent the average, with many retirees likely skewing the work figures down.

But if you look closer, the routines underneath tell a different story about how the collective American experience has changed.

Over the past two decades, Americans have gained about 30 minutes of sleep per day — now averaging over nine hours, more than ever — and spend roughly 11 more minutes on household activities such as cooking, cleaning, and pet care.

Where did those extra hours come from? It seems like we’ve carved them out of work commutes, mall trips, and in-person classes… activities that usually have us interacting with others out in public in some way.

Some of this shift can certainly be explained by demographic factors — America is an older country than it was in 2003, as birth rates have dropped. Nevertheless, on aggregate, the figures are pretty staggering for a nation of 340+ million people — and the sharp rise in the pandemic era suggests at least a decent amount of the shift is behavioral.

Indeed, in 2003, the average American spent 7.7 hours per day at home, according to the ATUS data compiled by IPUMS. By 2024, that rose to 9.1 hours, with the pandemic only accelerating the climb…

… what’s more striking is how time once spent outside or with others has steadily moved in the opposite direction…

… As more of our daily lives have moved home and online, the same shift is reshaping how we unwind. Since 2003, time spent socializing and communicating — from hanging out with family and friends to hosting events — has fallen 24%, while travel time is down 26%…

… But not everyone is experiencing the shift in the same way. As evidence for the K-shaped economy — where some groups thrive while others struggle — becomes harder to ignore, income is proving to be a strong differentiator.

In fact, households earning under $35,000 now spend about 10 hours a day at home, almost an hour and a half longer than those earning $150,000 or more. The pattern holds for time spent alone, too, with a two-hour daily gap between the lowest- and highest-income groups…

… wealthier Americans aren’t just spending less time at home; they’re more likely to pay their way out of it, with restaurant meals instead of cooking, pilates classes instead of home workouts, or washer-dryer combos instead of hours tied up in chores.

For the very wealthiest, that logic even goes further: according to a recent survey by Long Angle, nearly two-thirds of multimillionaires now outsource housekeeping, while about half pay for gardening services and two-fifths employ nannies.

Of course, time at home and alone isn’t inherently negative — as researchers note that, for many, solitude can be valued as a way to rest, think, or create. But when more of your day is taken up by unpaid chores and low-cost, home-bound leisure, that retreat indoors starts to look less like a choice…

Americans are spending more time at home and alone — and money determines who can opt out. Eminently worth reading in full: “Home. Alone.” from @sherwood.news.

* Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes (August 28, 1988)

###

As we contemplate our calendars, we might recall that it was on this date in 1967 that kids across America could “go out” even as they stayed in: they were invited for the first time into Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, as the series premiered on NET (which later became PBS). The show had had earlier local incarnations in Canada, then in Pittsburgh, where the national show was birthed and produced. Michael Keaton, who worked for the Pittsburgh public television station WQED at the time, often helped out with Roger’s show. And future horror director George A. Romero worked on the show shooting short films.

source

“There’s never enough time to do all the nothing you want.”*…

Over the past two decades, we’ve been reallocating our time away from offices, malls, and classrooms… and toward home and solitude. Hyunsoo Rim illustrates…

With our Covid-induced lockdowns now a moderately foggy memory for most, the last few years have turned out to be a continued normalization for many of the habits that defined the pandemic era.

Peloton bikes are now doubling as coat racks; the banana bread craze has cooled; Zoom’s share price is almost back to where it started; millions of people have gone back to clothes shopping in person; and companies like Del Monte are stuck with mountains of unsold canned fruit that’s no longer flying off the shelves.

But one seismic lifestyle change has proven far more permanent than any fitness fad or panic-buying spree — and it turns out to be part of a much longer trend that’s been building for decades: Americans are spending more time at home, and alone. And not everyone has the means to break that growing trend…

[Rim uses infographics to chart American’s use of time…]

… According to the annual American Time Use Survey (ATUS) — a self-reporting survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics — an average American’s typical day still breaks down pretty much the same as it did 20 years ago. Roughly a third still goes to sleep, a fifth to leisure and sports, and, perhaps most surprising to anyone feeling burned out, just one-sixth to work. The rest goes to household chores, meals, and everything else. The survey does, of course, represent the average, with many retirees likely skewing the work figures down.

But if you look closer, the routines underneath tell a different story about how the collective American experience has changed.

Over the past two decades, Americans have gained about 30 minutes of sleep per day — now averaging over nine hours, more than ever — and spend roughly 11 more minutes on household activities such as cooking, cleaning, and pet care.

Where did those extra hours come from? It seems like we’ve carved them out of work commutes, mall trips, and in-person classes… activities that usually have us interacting with others out in public in some way.

Some of this shift can certainly be explained by demographic factors — America is an older country than it was in 2003, as birth rates have dropped. Nevertheless, on aggregate, the figures are pretty staggering for a nation of 340+ million people — and the sharp rise in the pandemic era suggests at least a decent amount of the shift is behavioral.

Indeed, in 2003, the average American spent 7.7 hours per day at home, according to the ATUS data compiled by IPUMS. By 2024, that rose to 9.1 hours, with the pandemic only accelerating the climb…

… what’s more striking is how time once spent outside or with others has steadily moved in the opposite direction…

… As more of our daily lives have moved home and online, the same shift is reshaping how we unwind. Since 2003, time spent socializing and communicating — from hanging out with family and friends to hosting events — has fallen 24%, while travel time is down 26%…

… But not everyone is experiencing the shift in the same way. As evidence for the K-shaped economy — where some groups thrive while others struggle — becomes harder to ignore, income is proving to be a strong differentiator.

In fact, households earning under $35,000 now spend about 10 hours a day at home, almost an hour and a half longer than those earning $150,000 or more. The pattern holds for time spent alone, too, with a two-hour daily gap between the lowest- and highest-income groups…

… wealthier Americans aren’t just spending less time at home; they’re more likely to pay their way out of it, with restaurant meals instead of cooking, pilates classes instead of home workouts, or washer-dryer combos instead of hours tied up in chores.

For the very wealthiest, that logic even goes further: according to a recent survey by Long Angle, nearly two-thirds of multimillionaires now outsource housekeeping, while about half pay for gardening services and two-fifths employ nannies.

Of course, time at home and alone isn’t inherently negative — as researchers note that, for many, solitude can be valued as a way to rest, think, or create. But when more of your day is taken up by unpaid chores and low-cost, home-bound leisure, that retreat indoors starts to look less like a choice…

Americans are spending more time at home and alone — and money determines who can opt out. Eminently worth reading in full: “Home. Alone.” from @sherwood.news.

* Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes (August 28, 1988)

###

As we contemplate our calendars, we might recall that it was on this date in 1967 that kids across America could “go out” even as they stayed in: they were invited for the first time into Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, as the series premiered on NET (which later became PBS). The show had had earlier local incarnations in Canada, then in Pittsburgh, where the national show was birthed and produced. Michael Keaton, who worked for the Pittsburgh public television station WQED at the time, often helped out with Roger’s show. And future horror director George A. Romero worked on the show shooting short films.

source

“There’s never enough time to do all the nothing you want.”*…

Over the past two decades, we’ve been reallocating our time away from offices, malls, and classrooms… and toward home and solitude. Hyunsoo Rim illustrates…

With our Covid-induced lockdowns now a moderately foggy memory for most, the last few years have turned out to be a continued normalization for many of the habits that defined the pandemic era.

Peloton bikes are now doubling as coat racks; the banana bread craze has cooled; Zoom’s share price is almost back to where it started; millions of people have gone back to clothes shopping in person; and companies like Del Monte are stuck with mountains of unsold canned fruit that’s no longer flying off the shelves.

But one seismic lifestyle change has proven far more permanent than any fitness fad or panic-buying spree — and it turns out to be part of a much longer trend that’s been building for decades: Americans are spending more time at home, and alone. And not everyone has the means to break that growing trend…

[Rim uses infographics to chart American’s use of time…]

… According to the annual American Time Use Survey (ATUS) — a self-reporting survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics — an average American’s typical day still breaks down pretty much the same as it did 20 years ago. Roughly a third still goes to sleep, a fifth to leisure and sports, and, perhaps most surprising to anyone feeling burned out, just one-sixth to work. The rest goes to household chores, meals, and everything else. The survey does, of course, represent the average, with many retirees likely skewing the work figures down.

But if you look closer, the routines underneath tell a different story about how the collective American experience has changed.

Over the past two decades, Americans have gained about 30 minutes of sleep per day — now averaging over nine hours, more than ever — and spend roughly 11 more minutes on household activities such as cooking, cleaning, and pet care.

Where did those extra hours come from? It seems like we’ve carved them out of work commutes, mall trips, and in-person classes… activities that usually have us interacting with others out in public in some way.

Some of this shift can certainly be explained by demographic factors — America is an older country than it was in 2003, as birth rates have dropped. Nevertheless, on aggregate, the figures are pretty staggering for a nation of 340+ million people — and the sharp rise in the pandemic era suggests at least a decent amount of the shift is behavioral.

Indeed, in 2003, the average American spent 7.7 hours per day at home, according to the ATUS data compiled by IPUMS. By 2024, that rose to 9.1 hours, with the pandemic only accelerating the climb…

… what’s more striking is how time once spent outside or with others has steadily moved in the opposite direction…

… As more of our daily lives have moved home and online, the same shift is reshaping how we unwind. Since 2003, time spent socializing and communicating — from hanging out with family and friends to hosting events — has fallen 24%, while travel time is down 26%…

… But not everyone is experiencing the shift in the same way. As evidence for the K-shaped economy — where some groups thrive while others struggle — becomes harder to ignore, income is proving to be a strong differentiator.

In fact, households earning under $35,000 now spend about 10 hours a day at home, almost an hour and a half longer than those earning $150,000 or more. The pattern holds for time spent alone, too, with a two-hour daily gap between the lowest- and highest-income groups…

… wealthier Americans aren’t just spending less time at home; they’re more likely to pay their way out of it, with restaurant meals instead of cooking, pilates classes instead of home workouts, or washer-dryer combos instead of hours tied up in chores.

For the very wealthiest, that logic even goes further: according to a recent survey by Long Angle, nearly two-thirds of multimillionaires now outsource housekeeping, while about half pay for gardening services and two-fifths employ nannies.

Of course, time at home and alone isn’t inherently negative — as researchers note that, for many, solitude can be valued as a way to rest, think, or create. But when more of your day is taken up by unpaid chores and low-cost, home-bound leisure, that retreat indoors starts to look less like a choice…

Americans are spending more time at home and alone — and money determines who can opt out. Eminently worth reading in full: “Home. Alone.” from @sherwood.news.

* Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes (August 28, 1988)

###

As we contemplate our calendars, we might recall that it was on this date in 1967 that kids across America could “go out” even as they stayed in: they were invited for the first time into Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, as the series premiered on NET (which later became PBS). The show had had earlier local incarnations in Canada, then in Pittsburgh, where the national show was birthed and produced. Michael Keaton, who worked for the Pittsburgh public television station WQED at the time, often helped out with Roger’s show. And future horror director George A. Romero worked on the show shooting short films.

source

“There’s never enough time to do all the nothing you want.”*…

Over the past two decades, we’ve been reallocating our time away from offices, malls, and classrooms… and toward home and solitude. Hyunsoo Rim illustrates…

With our Covid-induced lockdowns now a moderately foggy memory for most, the last few years have turned out to be a continued normalization for many of the habits that defined the pandemic era.

Peloton bikes are now doubling as coat racks; the banana bread craze has cooled; Zoom’s share price is almost back to where it started; millions of people have gone back to clothes shopping in person; and companies like Del Monte are stuck with mountains of unsold canned fruit that’s no longer flying off the shelves.

But one seismic lifestyle change has proven far more permanent than any fitness fad or panic-buying spree — and it turns out to be part of a much longer trend that’s been building for decades: Americans are spending more time at home, and alone. And not everyone has the means to break that growing trend…

[Rim uses infographics to chart American’s use of time…]

… According to the annual American Time Use Survey (ATUS) — a self-reporting survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics — an average American’s typical day still breaks down pretty much the same as it did 20 years ago. Roughly a third still goes to sleep, a fifth to leisure and sports, and, perhaps most surprising to anyone feeling burned out, just one-sixth to work. The rest goes to household chores, meals, and everything else. The survey does, of course, represent the average, with many retirees likely skewing the work figures down.

But if you look closer, the routines underneath tell a different story about how the collective American experience has changed.

Over the past two decades, Americans have gained about 30 minutes of sleep per day — now averaging over nine hours, more than ever — and spend roughly 11 more minutes on household activities such as cooking, cleaning, and pet care.

Where did those extra hours come from? It seems like we’ve carved them out of work commutes, mall trips, and in-person classes… activities that usually have us interacting with others out in public in some way.

Some of this shift can certainly be explained by demographic factors — America is an older country than it was in 2003, as birth rates have dropped. Nevertheless, on aggregate, the figures are pretty staggering for a nation of 340+ million people — and the sharp rise in the pandemic era suggests at least a decent amount of the shift is behavioral.

Indeed, in 2003, the average American spent 7.7 hours per day at home, according to the ATUS data compiled by IPUMS. By 2024, that rose to 9.1 hours, with the pandemic only accelerating the climb…

… what’s more striking is how time once spent outside or with others has steadily moved in the opposite direction…

… As more of our daily lives have moved home and online, the same shift is reshaping how we unwind. Since 2003, time spent socializing and communicating — from hanging out with family and friends to hosting events — has fallen 24%, while travel time is down 26%…

… But not everyone is experiencing the shift in the same way. As evidence for the K-shaped economy — where some groups thrive while others struggle — becomes harder to ignore, income is proving to be a strong differentiator.

In fact, households earning under $35,000 now spend about 10 hours a day at home, almost an hour and a half longer than those earning $150,000 or more. The pattern holds for time spent alone, too, with a two-hour daily gap between the lowest- and highest-income groups…

… wealthier Americans aren’t just spending less time at home; they’re more likely to pay their way out of it, with restaurant meals instead of cooking, pilates classes instead of home workouts, or washer-dryer combos instead of hours tied up in chores.

For the very wealthiest, that logic even goes further: according to a recent survey by Long Angle, nearly two-thirds of multimillionaires now outsource housekeeping, while about half pay for gardening services and two-fifths employ nannies.

Of course, time at home and alone isn’t inherently negative — as researchers note that, for many, solitude can be valued as a way to rest, think, or create. But when more of your day is taken up by unpaid chores and low-cost, home-bound leisure, that retreat indoors starts to look less like a choice…

Americans are spending more time at home and alone — and money determines who can opt out. Eminently worth reading in full: “Home. Alone.” from @sherwood.news.

* Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes (August 28, 1988)

###

As we contemplate our calendars, we might recall that it was on this date in 1967 that kids across America could “go out” even as they stayed in: they were invited for the first time into Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, as the series premiered on NET (which later became PBS). The show had had earlier local incarnations in Canada, then in Pittsburgh, where the national show was birthed and produced. Michael Keaton, who worked for the Pittsburgh public television station WQED at the time, often helped out with Roger’s show. And future horror director George A. Romero worked on the show shooting short films.

source

The “Giant Chair Squad” Post

https://novatopflex.wordpress.com/2025/10/01/the-giant-chair-squad-post/

What Caused the 'Baby Boom'? What Would It Take to Have Another?

https://www.derekthompson.org/p/what-caused-the-baby-boom-what-would

#HackerNews #BabyBoom #EconomicHistory #Demographics #SocialTrends #FutureGenerations

What Caused the 'Baby Boom'? What Would It Take to Have Another?

https://www.derekthompson.org/p/what-caused-the-baby-boom-what-would

#HackerNews #BabyBoom #EconomicHistory #Demographics #SocialTrends #FutureGenerations

What Caused the 'Baby Boom'? What Would It Take to Have Another?

https://www.derekthompson.org/p/what-caused-the-baby-boom-what-would

#HackerNews #BabyBoom #EconomicHistory #Demographics #SocialTrends #FutureGenerations

What Caused the 'Baby Boom'? What Would It Take to Have Another?

https://www.derekthompson.org/p/what-caused-the-baby-boom-what-would

#HackerNews #BabyBoom #EconomicHistory #Demographics #SocialTrends #FutureGenerations

What Caused the 'Baby Boom'? What Would It Take to Have Another?

https://www.derekthompson.org/p/what-caused-the-baby-boom-what-would

#HackerNews #BabyBoom #EconomicHistory #Demographics #SocialTrends #FutureGenerations

@rationaldoge demographics typically put people to sleep, but something everyone should definitely pay attention to for informed decision-making.

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/33198955-upside

#demographics #Upside #Gronbach #books

#Demography and #globalMacro #economy: The #population of #India is to outgrow that of #China in 2023.
The Indian #demographics (plenty of work force) look much better than the Chinese (ageing):