That is now the length of the average relationship in the United Kingdom. 1,953 single, children-less adults took a poll to throw open the doors of the nitty-gritty whys behind the ending of “true love.” Having shed light on the amount of time, down to the month, let’s talk about the reasons behind this generational landslide.
A shocking 54% of those individuals polled said, not money, not cohabitation, not children, but social media. If you read my previous post on social media and my distance from it, you know where I stand. If you didn’t, I’ll just put it simply: I don’t like Facebook, I don’t like Twitter, and I don’t like texting. I think they distract from the real world and create false images in our heads of how life should be. Which brings us back to the point: social media is the primary cause of breakups in this poll. FIFTY FOUR PERCENT.
Over half (54 per cent) felt that social media played a part in the demise of their relationship, with 34 per cent saying their ex-partner met someone new on social media/ was flirting with other people via social media. (Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2551615/Death-seven-year-itch-Average-relationship-just-2-years-9-months-social-media-blame.html#ixzz2t47pyg3H) – “Death of the seven year itch” by Katy Winter of the Daily Mail (UK)
Well. That’s pathetic.
I say to both men AND women, keep it in your pants! What the heck, people?!
A further fifth (23 per cent) said they had rushed into a relationship having thought they knew each other well from our social media profiles, while 17 per cent say their other half spent too much time on social media and not talking them.
Social media also allowed 12 per cent of respondents to see how happy other couples were and made them realise their relationship wasn’t a positive one. (Same source)
WOW. That’s like reading a dating profile and deciding that that individual is presenting themselves as marriage material, therefore (pause — I think I left the creme brulee in the oven!) (nope, never put it in. scatterbrained.) I’M GOING TO MARRY THEM. *sigh*
Remember what I said in the article linked above about how we create these fake, beautiful worlds that look perfect and happy to anyone viewing our Facebook pages? Point taken yet? Everyone struggles. Everyone lives the same way you do: they put their pants on one leg at a time every morning, and brush their teeth every night. They spill their coffee on their white shirts and they fight with their spouses. I don’t understand how we came to measure our happiness based on how good we look in a picture, but it’s time to wake up, world. Stop staring at your phones, your computers, your tablets. Get up and take your spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend/significant other out to dinner. Cook something for them. Turn off your electronics. Take a hiatus. DO SOMETHING. Make it better. You DO have the power!
Tomorrow’s progress is determined by today’s innovators. Today’s try-ers. Today’s go-get-ers.
If we do not innovate, if we do not try, then next year, the average relationship will be down to a year.
I’m disgusted by the world and where we’re going.
Let’s do something about it! Let’s shake the ground.
Knack, out.
the knack initiative 