Over the recent years, fewer young adults aged 18-29 are getting married compared to the same age group who lived decades ago. The percentage of married young adults dropped from 32% in 2005 to only 16% in 2014. Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals living with a partner outside of marriage remains the same.
Singlehood is often preferred, especially for individuals focused on their goals. According to Psychology Today, a person chooses to remain unattached for various reasons, such as freedom of choice, the wisdom of age, and relational constraints.
An Emerging Attitude Towards Singlehood
A new study conducted by a group of researchers provides unique insight into "Lying Flatism" and how it affects a person's attitudes toward singlehood. The study suggests that individuals who embrace this ideology are more likely to believe that happiness can be attained even without a romantic relationship. This leads to reduced negativity towards singlehood.
Lead author Chee-Seng Tan from the Department of Psychology and Counseling at Jalan Universiti in Malaysia describes Lying Flatism as a peaceful and innocent protest against social inequities, where a person's efforts are not enough to change society's industrial and structural aspects. According to him, those who openly embrace this ideology aim to live simple lives and avoid conforming to social standards.
The research team conducted an online experiment to investigate the connection between Lying Flatism and a person's attitude toward singlehood. The participants included 232 single Malaysian young adults who were asked to describe their feelings towards this lifestyle. They were also asked to report their perception of singlehood and their beliefs about happiness.
The study found that individuals who expressed their interest in the concept of Lying Flatism were also more likely to believe that a romantic relationship is not a requirement for them to feel happy. This belief has reinforced their positive perception of being single. Moreover, the participants who were asked to express support for Lying Flatism reported to have felt even better about the philosophy after writing about it. This suggests that teaching the concepts of Lying Flatism could serve as an intervention with clinical applications.
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What is Lying Flatism?
The concept of Lying Flatism is considered a new lifestyle embraced by young adults as they try to cope with the over-competition in a society with limited resources. It was introduced in April 2022 on an online post entitled "Lying down flat signifies justice" on Baidu Tieba, a forum in Mainland China.
Lying Flatism does not focus solely on a person's attitude toward romantic relationships. It refers to a state of living where an individual does not have desires, does not focus on anything, and is unwilling to move forward. People who practice this ideology, called the lying flatists, claim to have a reduction in their worldly desires, reject job promotions, and prefer not to buy a house or car.
Lying flatists choose to maintain the lowest possible standard of living instead of working hard to achieve a better life. They prefer to focus on their feelings and live in their current state of residence. It should be noted, however, that Lying Flatism differs from the minimalist lifestyle, which focuses on utilizing practical items, adopting simple living, and keeping only what is essential in a person's daily routine.
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