Sad? No way!

How singles enjoy life to the full

The cliché of the sad, lonely single person is a thing of the past.(Bild: Halfpoint - stock.adobe.com)

Valentine's Day, the day of love! But in Austria, around 1.7 million people live without a steady partner, and worldwide there are almost 300 million singles. In a survey, 28 percent said they were "single or unattached," most of them in Salzburg and Lower Austria (32 percent each) and Vienna (30 percent). But in a society that believes that a partner is necessary for a fulfilling life—and where many singles are considered "old maids," "pitiful," or "flawed"—it can sometimes be difficult to remain confident. Jane Mathews addresses the challenges, opportunities, and possibilities of living alone in her new book.

In December 2018, the marketagent institute surveyed 1,500 Austrians between the ages of 18 and 69 online. Among them were 423 singles. Most single people were in the 18 to 29 age group (46 percent), while the lowest density of singles, at 18 percent, was among 30 to 39-year-olds.