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Review Of Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise And Appeal Of Living Alone

1320 Words6 Pages
With the advent of globalisation and a constantly progressing technological advancement, contemporary societies are experiencing a seismic shift in norms and values. Increasingly obvious, is the prospect of many individuals across the world deciding to live alone. In New York University sociology professor, Eric Klinenberg’s most recent book, ‘Going Solo: The extraordinary Rise and Appeal of Living Alone’, he explores the various motivations and structural factors behind the trend of living alone. The book offers a respite to the long-standing discrimination against people who choose to live alone, with accounts from a variety of what Klinenberg would call ‘singletons’. Upon reading the book, it has dawned on me how the trend of living alone is a result of a globalised attitude of individualism that inevitably presents itself as a social force of change, encouraging more to follow suit. Throughout the course of the book, Klinenberg categorises each chapter according to various themes and situations of living alone. Even then, much of the book is supported by anecdotal evidence from the ethnographic research that he has done. In assessing the rising trend towards living alone, most of the motivations point towards the upward social mobility of people living in developed nations who are therefore able to afford to choose between options of solo or communal living. Even as young professionals are earning enough to afford housing themselves, it is technological innovation and
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