In some countries, many more people are choosing to live alone nowadays than in the past. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

It is true that, in present-day society, it has become far normal for people to live alone, particularly in large cities in the developed world. From my own standpoint, I truly believe

this

phenomenon has both beneficial and detrimental consequences

equally

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To begin

with, the rise in one-person households can be seen as positive for both personal and broader economic reasons. On an individual level, people who choose to live alone seem to be more independent and self-reliant than those living with family members. Indeed, a young adult who lives alone,

for example

, can learn how to prepare for his or her intake, pay the bills and do chores, all of which are valuable life skills.

Therefore

, an increase in the number of

such

individuals can be viewed as a positive development. From an economic perspective, the growth in the number of people living alone appears to drive up greater demand for housing.

As a result

, homeowners and estate agencies can benefit from

this

trend, which

subsequently

contributes to the development of the economy.

On the other hand

, these personal and economic arguments can be considered from the opposite angle.

First,

despite some positive feelings of increased independence, living alone for a long time may result in the onset of negative senses of insecurity, loneliness and worry

due to

the dearth of emotional support and daily conversation that families and flatmates can provide, which can exert severe pressure on the minds of those living alone and could lead to antisocial behaviours or, more seriously, autism.

Second,

from a financial point of view, higher demand for housing is more likely to push up the rent prices.

While

this

benefits some businesses, it could

also

be a burden for individuals living alone in big cities when they do not get stable jobs to cover soaring living costs. In conclusion, I hold the view that the surge in the number of one-person households has both beneficial and detrimental effects on individuals and the economy.