Alice Evans

He's not building rapport. He's not becoming a funny, charismatic guy. So this isn't just the gender issue. It's a solitude issue of people losing the capacity, losing the social skill to charm and make friends. And if you don't have a network that is socially active, then even if you wanted to go out, no one is. And so it's all reinforcing, right?

He's not building rapport. He's not becoming a funny, charismatic guy. So this isn't just the gender issue. It's a solitude issue of people losing the capacity, losing the social skill to charm and make friends. And if you don't have a network that is socially active, then even if you wanted to go out, no one is. And so it's all reinforcing, right?

Yes, totally.

Yes, totally.

I think we can think about this in two ways. So certainly, as women increasingly enter the labour force and get higher skills, then they can be more economically independent and they can choose to be alone. So they would only marry if a guy is charming, you know, if they have fine love. But of course, the phones may be hurting that.

I think we can think about this in two ways. So certainly, as women increasingly enter the labour force and get higher skills, then they can be more economically independent and they can choose to be alone. So they would only marry if a guy is charming, you know, if they have fine love. But of course, the phones may be hurting that.

Or if the guy offers a desirable package of goods, whether that's attractiveness, entertainingness or money, right? You know, money is impressive for many of us. So I think that the most disadvantaged guys certainly may struggle to offer an appealing package. And as you rightly say, the marriage rates are plummeting chiefly among the most disadvantaged men.

Or if the guy offers a desirable package of goods, whether that's attractiveness, entertainingness or money, right? You know, money is impressive for many of us. So I think that the most disadvantaged guys certainly may struggle to offer an appealing package. And as you rightly say, the marriage rates are plummeting chiefly among the most disadvantaged men.

It's the men who are earning least who are most likely to stay at home with their parents to be single, who can't necessarily offer an attractive package of goods. I should just say that it's not entirely that young men are getting less educated, rather that the most disadvantaged men are struggling in education. So I certainly think that aspect is partly about economics.

It's the men who are earning least who are most likely to stay at home with their parents to be single, who can't necessarily offer an attractive package of goods. I should just say that it's not entirely that young men are getting less educated, rather that the most disadvantaged men are struggling in education. So I certainly think that aspect is partly about economics.

100% and created by the broader economic situation now.

100% and created by the broader economic situation now.

So I think that if it's the case that technology is the major friction, then we need to look at the political economy because each tech company, to be successful, they want to distract us and hoover up our attention for as long as possible, for as much as possible. So the market mechanism is really against coupling.

So I think that if it's the case that technology is the major friction, then we need to look at the political economy because each tech company, to be successful, they want to distract us and hoover up our attention for as long as possible, for as much as possible. So the market mechanism is really against coupling.

And my concern is that tech companies are just becoming so much more engaging, more affable, more charismatic, more shocking. Mr. Beast, oh, what's he going to do now? That's so engaging, right? So my concern is, what if tech outcompetes our social connections? And that already seems to be happening, not just in coupling, but the wider rise in solitude.

And my concern is that tech companies are just becoming so much more engaging, more affable, more charismatic, more shocking. Mr. Beast, oh, what's he going to do now? That's so engaging, right? So my concern is, what if tech outcompetes our social connections? And that already seems to be happening, not just in coupling, but the wider rise in solitude.

And so I honestly don't know the answers, but here are a couple of things we could do. One is we could think about how do we regulate technology in some way. So Jonathan Haidt has really done fantastic work in encouraging phones-free schools, for example. And that would be important in enabling young people to actually talk to each other.

And so I honestly don't know the answers, but here are a couple of things we could do. One is we could think about how do we regulate technology in some way. So Jonathan Haidt has really done fantastic work in encouraging phones-free schools, for example. And that would be important in enabling young people to actually talk to each other.

To play in the parks, to chat, to make jokes, to learn how to make jokes, to become less anxious. I think that's really important. But it's clearly not a sufficient solution because us as adults are also vulnerable to just getting sucked into all these things.

To play in the parks, to chat, to make jokes, to learn how to make jokes, to become less anxious. I think that's really important. But it's clearly not a sufficient solution because us as adults are also vulnerable to just getting sucked into all these things.