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T H E     R I S E     O F   T H E   S O L O   C I T I Z E N      2013




A FAITH POPCORN PREDICTION                                     WWW.FAITHPOPCORN.COM
T H E                           R I S E   O F   T H E   S O L O   C I T I Z E N            2013




A FAITH POPCORN PREDICTION                                                                 WWW.FAITHPOPCORN.COM




  SOLOHOMES
  SINGLE HOUSEHOLDS RISE
                                                                      householdofone
                                                                       331 MILLION SOLO HOMES BY 2020
  B Y 3 0 % O V E R PA S T D E C A D E                                              • 36.3 MIL IN U.S.
                                                                                    • 3 1 . 6 M I L I N J A PA N

 singleSENIORS                                                                      • 18.2 MIL IN CHINA


                                                                                                MELTDOWN
17                                       65+
                        AGE
                        MIL




                                                                        T H E N U C L E A R FA M I LY I S N O M O R E




SHAREDBOND
SINGLES OUTNUMBERED
B Y A C O U P L E D C U LT U R E


EMBRACING
SINGLE-SEX
SOCIAL
CLUBS...
...AWAY FROM
UNWANTED
MALE                                                                                         SINGLE
ATTENTION.                                                                                    IS THE
                                                                                                NEW
W W W. FA I T H P O P C O R N . C O M
                                                                                             BLACK
INTRODUCTION
As marriage equality has evolved over the last year we have become wildly aware of
one overlooked group: The Single. It's official. The nuclear family has had a meltdown.
In the last decade Single households have increased by 30% worldwide. By 2020 there
will be 331 million single households globally. The US will lead with 36.3 million followed
by Japan, 31.6 million, and China, 18.2 million. Singles come from every nationality, age
demographic, religion, sexual orientation and gender. But they have one thing in
common. Living uncomfortable and ignored in a married person’s world. In 2013, it’s
changing on every level.




                     1 STANDARD
                     2 TREND
                     3 FAMILY
                     4 WOMEN
                     5 LIFESPAN
STANDARD
Singledom is creating the new aspiration.
New single role models will emerge to set
the social standard. In the future even the
President will be single.
In 1970 a person who wanted to
remain single their whole life was
considered “sick” by 80% of the pop-
ulation. As 50% of all marriages end in
divorce, is it crazy to be single or
insane to be married? Singles will no
longer be considered less than their
married counterparts. Soon, tradition-
al marriage won’t be considered the
ideal or even the norm.
Major sociological and cultural changes have made
remaining single a viable preference:

• Crumbling Gender Barriers
Growing wage equality and female dominated growth
industries are ending women’s dependence on marriage.

• Current Tax Laws
England’s “couple penalty” actually make being married
more expensive than being single. Many couples will get
tax divorces, ending their marriage on paper while their
relationship continues unchanged.

• Democratization of Education
The advent of distance learning allows us to choose and
change regularly who we want to become, who we want
to be with and what direction we’ll go over and over
throughout our lifetime.
TREND
Single is the new black.
Single culture will define
the mainstream trends
of tomorrow.
In much the same way that gay culture
inspires mainstream Trends, Singles are
becoming the new leading edge. They are
cultivators of taste and spending on art, new
cuisine, hobbies and theater. Without the
responsibilities and financial commitments of
marriage, Singles are able to indulge in more
luxury purchases without having to justify or
feel guilty about their splurges and whims.

Singles spend 33% more on themselves than
their married friends with children, accounting
for 1.5 trillion dollars annually. Smart marketers
will look to attract Singles in order to find a
place into the general zeitgeist.

Why go after the Single Consumer?

• Celebration
Single status is being celebrated in the culture. In
2012 China created “Singles Day” to honor its growing
solo population, including parties, karaoke and
massive online discounts which drove sales to record
levels.

• Technology
Singles own more smartphones (49%) than married
people (43%) and utilize more leading edge apps and
programs, like location based tracking and ambient
discovery.

• Dating
Singles are participating in a 24/7 dating ritual in
restaurants, clubs, and both men and women are
heavy consumers of beauty products.
3
    family
    Children of single
    parent families will be
    better prepared for
    the Future.
    Preliminary studies indicate that they are
    more adept at handling conflict,
    responsibility, disappointment and have a
    clearer sense of life priorities than two-parent
    children. Their participation in their own
    upbringing helps them become more of a
    partner with their parent and depend more
    on their extended community.

    In many ways singles make better
    parents than their married friends.
    Single homes, free of the stress that
    weighs upon many marriages, provide
    a more ideal environment for a child.

    How will single parenting change the child-rearing
    landscape?

    • Co-op parenting
    Single parents are coming together, whether through
    informal networks or communal living arrangements,
    providing a trusted organic support system.

    • Outsourcing
    Singles will give over parenting tasks to aids that
    transcend the traditional roles of tutors and nannies. A
    new industry will be birthed wherein highly educated
    child care professionals serve as life coaches,
    personal assistants and paid-godparents.

    • Single Motherhood
    53% of all children born to women under 30 are born
    to single mothers. This number will increase as more
    research proves the benefits of Single-parent
    households.
4
    WOMEN
    Single Women will become
    the new bachelors, avoiding
    long term committed
    relationships.
    Men and women will adapt to The Single-arity
    differently. For women, being single will be easier,
    and more beneficial than it is for men simply
    because women are better self-nurturers and thus
    better able to care for themselves.

    The number of single women exploded in the last
    three decades. In 1979 only 18% of women under
    50 were unmarried. Today 51% find themselves
    single and happy to be so.

    Their mounting power in society (that we detailed
    in last year’s prediction, The SHE-Change) will
    make it difficult to find men of equal stature. The
    growing number of single-sex social clubs like
    Grace Belgravia, where women can share informa-
    tion, frustrations, make business and social con-
    tacts all away from unwanted male attention are an
    indicator of the new female independence.

    Single women will continue to grow in power and
    influence.

    • Voting Power
    Barack Obama has always been a favorite amongst
    female voters, but in the 2012 election, it was the
    unmarried women who cinched his victory, many of
    them Hispanic.

    • Finances
    Single women are out earning men, buying more
    homes and outperforming them in the stock market.
    Even Warren Buffet is said to invest like a woman by
    his fiscally monogamous style.

    • Education
    By 2016, women are projected to earn 64% of associ-
    ates degrees, 60% of bachelor’s degrees, 63% of
    master’s degrees, and 56% of doctorates. The propor-
    tion of women in law school increased from 3.7% in
    1963 to 44% in the academic year 2007– 2008.
5
    lifespan
    “Till death do you
    part” is unrealistic in a
    world where people
    live past 100.
    There are 17 million single Americans over
    the age of 65. The unmarried Boomer popu-
    lation has grown by 50% since 1980. The
    divorce rate among Baby Boomers has
    doubled in the last 20 years. 82% of
    divorced women 60+ have no desire to get
    married again.

    As we live longer and the number of
    life stages people experience increas-
    es, marriages will have an expiration
    date with an option to renew. People
    will have several of these marriages
    throughout a lifetime, with long
    stretches of being single in between.

    Marriage will no longer be able to keep up with life:

    • Divorce Redefined
    Newly single Boomers are redefining divorce, turning
    dysfunctional marriages into convenient cohabitation
    arrangements, mutually beneficial financial relationships,
    and deep friendships maintaining family bonds.

    • Fertility
    New breakthroughs in fertility medicine will make having
    babies at seventy a safe and ordinary practice. Premium
    sperm and eggs will be so plentiful that Singles will be
    able to pick them up at Spermbucks or bid for specialty
    samples on Egg-Bay.com.

    • Partners
    People will no longer seek a life-partner, but instead will
    have “lives-partners”; someone to live with, someone to
    have children with, someone to vacation with and
    someone to have sex with in tandem.
singles
Singles will disrupt every facet of our culture
             Government and religious organizations will need to adapt to Singles’
             relationships, living situations and lifestyles. Look for churches to ritual-
             ize different types of relationships beyond marriage. Unfair legislation
              that doesn’t treat Singles as equal citizens will be overturned. Powerful
              forces in government will fight for the equality of Singles; economically,
               politically and socially.

              Singles will also be the first to engage in relationships with artificial
              intelligence. As behavioral technology and robotics advance,
              programs and androids of every shape and size will begin to fulfill the
               roles traditionally handled by a spouse, a friend or date. There is
               much money and energy being invested in the development of the
                first life like sex robot. Think a three dimensional holographic Siri with
                a “Christian Grey” persona. More importantly, through technology,
                our robotic partners will be able to think, feel and love us back.

                The rise of the Single will have a mega impact on Brands and prod-
                       ucts. Brands will feel the weight of the Single revolution. To
                                win, it’s message, product size, and retail experience
                                   will have to be reinvented. Japanese appliance
                                       brands are redesigning household products for
                                          smaller living spaces. In Korea restaurants
                                              have started providing solo diners their
                                                own spaces complete with iPods for a
                                                 more private experience, while Le
                                                  Pain Quotidien’s signature communal
                                                 table is always full of mingling
                                                 Singles.

                                                Many brands today still see themselves
                                               as “Family Brands”, a dangerous posi-
                                             tion when “Single Brands” will dominate
                                            the consumer landscape.

                                          Single-Arity is the Next Big Thing (NBT)
                                         locally and globally. Marketing, religion,
                                        technology, education, transportation, gov-
                                       ernment will all need to change or face extinc-
                                     tion. The rise of the solo citizen will redefine the
                                   human experience. Welcome or unwelcome, The
                                  Single-arity is here for good, or bad.

                                  Write to me at Faith@Faithpopcorn.com and
                                  share your thoughts and what you've observed.
                                  I'm single, are you? Best Future, Faith

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SINGLEARITY

  • 1. T H E R I S E O F T H E S O L O C I T I Z E N 2013 A FAITH POPCORN PREDICTION WWW.FAITHPOPCORN.COM
  • 2. T H E R I S E O F T H E S O L O C I T I Z E N 2013 A FAITH POPCORN PREDICTION WWW.FAITHPOPCORN.COM SOLOHOMES SINGLE HOUSEHOLDS RISE householdofone 331 MILLION SOLO HOMES BY 2020 B Y 3 0 % O V E R PA S T D E C A D E • 36.3 MIL IN U.S. • 3 1 . 6 M I L I N J A PA N singleSENIORS • 18.2 MIL IN CHINA MELTDOWN 17 65+ AGE MIL T H E N U C L E A R FA M I LY I S N O M O R E SHAREDBOND SINGLES OUTNUMBERED B Y A C O U P L E D C U LT U R E EMBRACING SINGLE-SEX SOCIAL CLUBS... ...AWAY FROM UNWANTED MALE SINGLE ATTENTION. IS THE NEW W W W. FA I T H P O P C O R N . C O M BLACK
  • 3. INTRODUCTION As marriage equality has evolved over the last year we have become wildly aware of one overlooked group: The Single. It's official. The nuclear family has had a meltdown. In the last decade Single households have increased by 30% worldwide. By 2020 there will be 331 million single households globally. The US will lead with 36.3 million followed by Japan, 31.6 million, and China, 18.2 million. Singles come from every nationality, age demographic, religion, sexual orientation and gender. But they have one thing in common. Living uncomfortable and ignored in a married person’s world. In 2013, it’s changing on every level. 1 STANDARD 2 TREND 3 FAMILY 4 WOMEN 5 LIFESPAN
  • 4. STANDARD Singledom is creating the new aspiration. New single role models will emerge to set the social standard. In the future even the President will be single. In 1970 a person who wanted to remain single their whole life was considered “sick” by 80% of the pop- ulation. As 50% of all marriages end in divorce, is it crazy to be single or insane to be married? Singles will no longer be considered less than their married counterparts. Soon, tradition- al marriage won’t be considered the ideal or even the norm. Major sociological and cultural changes have made remaining single a viable preference: • Crumbling Gender Barriers Growing wage equality and female dominated growth industries are ending women’s dependence on marriage. • Current Tax Laws England’s “couple penalty” actually make being married more expensive than being single. Many couples will get tax divorces, ending their marriage on paper while their relationship continues unchanged. • Democratization of Education The advent of distance learning allows us to choose and change regularly who we want to become, who we want to be with and what direction we’ll go over and over throughout our lifetime.
  • 5. TREND Single is the new black. Single culture will define the mainstream trends of tomorrow. In much the same way that gay culture inspires mainstream Trends, Singles are becoming the new leading edge. They are cultivators of taste and spending on art, new cuisine, hobbies and theater. Without the responsibilities and financial commitments of marriage, Singles are able to indulge in more luxury purchases without having to justify or feel guilty about their splurges and whims. Singles spend 33% more on themselves than their married friends with children, accounting for 1.5 trillion dollars annually. Smart marketers will look to attract Singles in order to find a place into the general zeitgeist. Why go after the Single Consumer? • Celebration Single status is being celebrated in the culture. In 2012 China created “Singles Day” to honor its growing solo population, including parties, karaoke and massive online discounts which drove sales to record levels. • Technology Singles own more smartphones (49%) than married people (43%) and utilize more leading edge apps and programs, like location based tracking and ambient discovery. • Dating Singles are participating in a 24/7 dating ritual in restaurants, clubs, and both men and women are heavy consumers of beauty products.
  • 6. 3 family Children of single parent families will be better prepared for the Future. Preliminary studies indicate that they are more adept at handling conflict, responsibility, disappointment and have a clearer sense of life priorities than two-parent children. Their participation in their own upbringing helps them become more of a partner with their parent and depend more on their extended community. In many ways singles make better parents than their married friends. Single homes, free of the stress that weighs upon many marriages, provide a more ideal environment for a child. How will single parenting change the child-rearing landscape? • Co-op parenting Single parents are coming together, whether through informal networks or communal living arrangements, providing a trusted organic support system. • Outsourcing Singles will give over parenting tasks to aids that transcend the traditional roles of tutors and nannies. A new industry will be birthed wherein highly educated child care professionals serve as life coaches, personal assistants and paid-godparents. • Single Motherhood 53% of all children born to women under 30 are born to single mothers. This number will increase as more research proves the benefits of Single-parent households.
  • 7. 4 WOMEN Single Women will become the new bachelors, avoiding long term committed relationships. Men and women will adapt to The Single-arity differently. For women, being single will be easier, and more beneficial than it is for men simply because women are better self-nurturers and thus better able to care for themselves. The number of single women exploded in the last three decades. In 1979 only 18% of women under 50 were unmarried. Today 51% find themselves single and happy to be so. Their mounting power in society (that we detailed in last year’s prediction, The SHE-Change) will make it difficult to find men of equal stature. The growing number of single-sex social clubs like Grace Belgravia, where women can share informa- tion, frustrations, make business and social con- tacts all away from unwanted male attention are an indicator of the new female independence. Single women will continue to grow in power and influence. • Voting Power Barack Obama has always been a favorite amongst female voters, but in the 2012 election, it was the unmarried women who cinched his victory, many of them Hispanic. • Finances Single women are out earning men, buying more homes and outperforming them in the stock market. Even Warren Buffet is said to invest like a woman by his fiscally monogamous style. • Education By 2016, women are projected to earn 64% of associ- ates degrees, 60% of bachelor’s degrees, 63% of master’s degrees, and 56% of doctorates. The propor- tion of women in law school increased from 3.7% in 1963 to 44% in the academic year 2007– 2008.
  • 8. 5 lifespan “Till death do you part” is unrealistic in a world where people live past 100. There are 17 million single Americans over the age of 65. The unmarried Boomer popu- lation has grown by 50% since 1980. The divorce rate among Baby Boomers has doubled in the last 20 years. 82% of divorced women 60+ have no desire to get married again. As we live longer and the number of life stages people experience increas- es, marriages will have an expiration date with an option to renew. People will have several of these marriages throughout a lifetime, with long stretches of being single in between. Marriage will no longer be able to keep up with life: • Divorce Redefined Newly single Boomers are redefining divorce, turning dysfunctional marriages into convenient cohabitation arrangements, mutually beneficial financial relationships, and deep friendships maintaining family bonds. • Fertility New breakthroughs in fertility medicine will make having babies at seventy a safe and ordinary practice. Premium sperm and eggs will be so plentiful that Singles will be able to pick them up at Spermbucks or bid for specialty samples on Egg-Bay.com. • Partners People will no longer seek a life-partner, but instead will have “lives-partners”; someone to live with, someone to have children with, someone to vacation with and someone to have sex with in tandem.
  • 9. singles Singles will disrupt every facet of our culture Government and religious organizations will need to adapt to Singles’ relationships, living situations and lifestyles. Look for churches to ritual- ize different types of relationships beyond marriage. Unfair legislation that doesn’t treat Singles as equal citizens will be overturned. Powerful forces in government will fight for the equality of Singles; economically, politically and socially. Singles will also be the first to engage in relationships with artificial intelligence. As behavioral technology and robotics advance, programs and androids of every shape and size will begin to fulfill the roles traditionally handled by a spouse, a friend or date. There is much money and energy being invested in the development of the first life like sex robot. Think a three dimensional holographic Siri with a “Christian Grey” persona. More importantly, through technology, our robotic partners will be able to think, feel and love us back. The rise of the Single will have a mega impact on Brands and prod- ucts. Brands will feel the weight of the Single revolution. To win, it’s message, product size, and retail experience will have to be reinvented. Japanese appliance brands are redesigning household products for smaller living spaces. In Korea restaurants have started providing solo diners their own spaces complete with iPods for a more private experience, while Le Pain Quotidien’s signature communal table is always full of mingling Singles. Many brands today still see themselves as “Family Brands”, a dangerous posi- tion when “Single Brands” will dominate the consumer landscape. Single-Arity is the Next Big Thing (NBT) locally and globally. Marketing, religion, technology, education, transportation, gov- ernment will all need to change or face extinc- tion. The rise of the solo citizen will redefine the human experience. Welcome or unwelcome, The Single-arity is here for good, or bad. Write to me at Faith@Faithpopcorn.com and share your thoughts and what you've observed. I'm single, are you? Best Future, Faith