Swedish singles shelved the microwave meals as they geared up for the country’s Biggest Singles Party.
Last week some 3,000 single Swedes descended on the tiny town of Strangnas in the country’s centre to celebrate their unattached status where finding a partner is not necessarily high on the agenda, as The Local found out.
Sweden’s Biggest Singles Party is the brainchild of ‘professional single’ 44-year-old divorced mother of three Maria Kjell. Her status is due to the fact she simply enjoys the freedom. “I can go wherever I want and do whatever I choose – I don’t have to ask anybody. If I’m in a relationship and it’s not really good I always feel bad when I do things for myself.”
Kjell is part of a burgeoning group of satisfied singles who are determined to enjoy life without the worry or need of full-time companionship. Kjell had noticed that many singles tended to suffer or wallow in self-pity and thus the massive party idea was born.
“Some people are ashamed to be single and can’t enjoy it because they are bitter, sad and stuck in a period of suffering,” Kjell claims. “There are those who have been married for 20-something years who have only had a social life with couples. When they become single, they don’t get invited out anymore.”
Sweden’s high rate of divorce has also been suggested as reason for seeking independence. Since 1960, the divorce rate has risen from around 12 percent to over 20 percent. At this rate, almost 45 percent of married couples today will separate prior to ‘death doing them part’.
The all-day event featured Salsa classes, massage, wine-tasting, golf, tips for internet dating and the mandatory disco. It is expected that significant flirting also occurred.
Oh hai Sir Euro….yes humans are usually “social” but being single doesn’t mean you’re alone, we have friends, we have the family we were born into. And not everyone gets cancer or ends up unable to take care of themselves, some people can live independently – without carers or nurses – until the day they die. You are the one who needs to “face reality”, there is such a thing as independence, you can have it your whole life, but it doesn’t mean you don’t want or need relationships with others. It just means that if one person (or group of people) tries to dominate you or otherwise treat you like crap, you can leave them and find others who will treat you well and equally without becoming homeless or depressed.
I don’t get it. If people are single, they want to flirt around and meet a partner. If they are in a relationship, they seek for freedom. I say make up your mind and embrace your choice. You can’t have the best of both worlds. Its not fair to your partner.
To Sir Euro is back: whooow!!
UNAGRAPS exclusively compares the situation of single people living alone and couples without children. The French tax system is built on the “ability to pay” concept(facultés contributives). This concept does not take into account that a one person household has approximately the same fixed expenses (rent, gas/electricity), home insurance, subsciptions, purchase of basic utilities…..). The French Statistical bureau concludes that as a result, the living stadard of a one person householder is approx 30% inferior to the living standard of the couple without children. Collateral effects are that tax credits for identical situations (installation of a heater or fixing an apartment for handicapped people) is double for the couple: do they need two heaters? Two access planes or lifts..??
Furthermore, the heirs of a person without direct heirs (children) pay 60%inheritance tax! If you read French, visit our site Regards from France, Ulla Anderson/unagraps
LOOK, HUMAN BEINGS ARE SOCIAL BEINGS. IF YOU PUT A PERSON IN A DESERT ISLAND IT WONT PASS TOO MUCH TIME UNTIL HE/SHE CREATES THEIR OWN IMAGINARY FRIENDS.
NO RESPONSIBILITY GIVES YOU LOTS OF FREEDOM, THAT IS RIGHT. BUT WE NEED OTHERS TO LIFE. THE MODERN IDEAS OF INDEPENDENCE SEEMED TO BE GREAT. PEOPLE HAVE THEIR SALARIES, PAY THEIR BILLS AND DON´T NEED ANYONE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. UNTIL THEY START GETTING OLD AND ALONE. DEPRESSION IS THE VERY LOYAL COMPANY OF MORE THAN 65% OF THE PEOPLE OVER 40 YEARS WHO LIVE ALONE IN INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES. THEY HAVE BUYED SO MANY THINGS, WELL FURNITURED APARTMENTS, TRAVELLED, ETC… THEY LOVE THEIR SINGLE LIFE. AND THAT SOUNDS SO GREAT
BUT EVERYONE, LUCKILY, GETS OLD. OR JUST SICK, AND WE START NEEDING SUPPORT FROM OTHERS. SPECIALLY EMOTIONAL SUPPORT. I KNOW MANY SINGLE PEOPLE THAT HAVE GOT SICK, SOME OF THEM OF CANCER… AND JUST IMAGINE HOW THEY END. AS THEY ARE INDEPENDENT PEOPLE WHO SEEK MAXIMUM FREEDOM AND NOT RESPONSABILITIES AT ALL, THEY USE TO HANG AROUND THE SAME PEOPLE. AND WHEN THEY ARE IN NEED, THEY JUST FACE REALITY. BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE THERE TO CARE FOR THEM AND SUPPORT THEM. BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST ENJOYING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY-FREE AND MAXIMUM FREEDOM LIVE!!!
HAHAHA, THIS IS SO FUNNY.
APART OF IT IS WRONG OR RIGHT, OR IF IT IS RELIGIOUS RIGHT OR WRONG… LETS FACE REALITY. WE NEED EACH OTHER. WE NEED TO SHARE, TO EXPERIENCE AND WE CANNOT DO IT JUST BY OURSELVES.
THIS IS SUCH AN EGOIST WORLD. WE JUST THINK ABOUT OURSELVES, F..CK THE OTHERS. WE JUST CARE ABOUT OURSELVES. SO MUCH YOU HAVE SO MUCH I WANT YOU… SO INHUMAN.. AND THEN THEY DIE ALONE, LIVE IN DEPRESSION. WEARING THEIR NICE CLOTHES AND TRYING TO LOOK GOOD WITH EXPENSIVE SURGERY… BUT THE HAPPINESS AND SATISFACTION OF CARING FOR SOMEONE WHO ALSO CARES FOR YOU… OF TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN THAT SOMEDAY WILL GIVE THEIR LOVE IN RETURN… THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THAT..
WHATEVER IT IS A SPIRITUAL THING, AN UNIVERSAL LAW DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, OR JUST THE PURE REALITY… IN THIS LIFE YOU GET IN RETURN WHAT YOU GIVE TO OTHERS, IN A WAY OR ANOTHER
IF WE JUST GAVE TO OTHERS THE SAME WE WANT FOR OURSELVES. THIS WOULD WOULD BE VERY VERY DIFFERENT…
HEY ULLA, I AM THE 4TH OF A FAMILY OF 5 BROTHERS AND SISTERS. WITH A SINGLE MOM. THERE IS PLENTY OF FAMILIES WITH 3 ,4 OR EVEN MORE KIDS. IF TAKING CARE OF JUST ONE BABE IS VERY DIFFICULT, SPECIALLY ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING, JUST IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR FAMILIES HAVING 2,3 OR MORE KIDS. THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO SOME SORT OF SUPPORT, AID AND HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT. AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT SUCH HELP,AID, IS NEVER ENOUGH.
PEOPLE WITH SUCH FAMILIES NEED ALL KIND OF SUPPORT, AND THANKS GOD THEY GET IT. SO IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT GET A CHEAPER TRAIN OR BUS TICKET OR GET REDUCED FEES FOR THE THEATRE OR EDUCATION… WHY SHOULD YOU? THIS NOT UNEQUAL TREATMENT, THIS IS FAVORING THOSE WHO ARE IN REAL NEED. THOSE SUPPORT LAWS AND AID PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN CREATED TO ASSURE THOSE CITIZENS EQUAL RIGHT TO ACCESS TO ALL THE SERVICES OFFERED IN SOCIETY.
YOU HAVE ONE SALARY, YOU GO YOU BUY A BREAD AND YOU EAT IT ON YOUR OWN. BUT JUST IMAGINE IF YOU, WITH JUST ONE SALARY, HAD TO PUT THE SAME BREAD ON THE TABLE AND SHARED BETWEEN 5 PEOPLE OR MORE. IS IT THE SAME? NO, I DON´T THINK SO.
AND IF YOU INHERITATE A HOUSE, AND YOU ARE A SINGLE CHILD, IT IS NOT THE SAME IF YOU DIE AND YOU HAVE TO LET ONE APARTMENT TO 4 CHILDREN. IT MEANS THAT 3 OF THEM WILL HAVE TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO LIVE. SO THE SITUATION IS TOTALLY UNFAIR. WHILE SOME PEOPLE JUST GET EVERYTHING FOR THEM.
FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, SPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE MORE THAN JUST ONE CHILD, THEY HAVE TO FACE A HARD LIFE, UNLESS THEY ARE VERY WEALTHY. IT IS NOT THE SAME HAVING A SALARY AND SPEND IT IN CLOTHES AND FOOD FOR YOUR 4 CHILDREN, THAN GETTING IT AND BE ABLE TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT BECAUSE YOU DON´T HAVE DE RESPONSIBILITY OF TAKING CARE OF OTHER PERSONS.
IT IS INCREDIBLE HOW EGOIST WE HAVE BECOME, REALLY. SOME PEOPLE DON´T EVEN HAVE CHILDREN, NOR EVEN A COUPLE, BECAUSE THE IDEA OF SHARING THEIR MATERIAL POSSESIONS AND MONEY WITH OTHER JUST FREAK THEM ALL OUT!! NO DOUBT WHY MOST OF THE PEOPLE LIVING ALONE END UP WITH DEPRESSIONS AND DYING ALONE. BECAUSE IF YOU ARE ALONE AND OLD, YOU BETTER HAVE MONEY TO PAY FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU AND HELP YOU. BECAUSE NO ONE IS GOING TO DO IT FOR FREE.
IF YOU WANT TO LIVE ALONE AND HAVE YOUR MONEY FOR YOURSELF, AND IF YOU DON´T WANT TO HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY WITH CHILDREN, GO ON, CONGRATULATIONS. BUT DON´T ASK ANYONE IN THE FUTURE TO HELP YOU FOR FREE, OR BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU. AND OF COURSE DON´T SMASH YOUR HEAD TO THE WALLS BECAUSE YOU DON´T GET THE SAME TAX DISCOUNTS THAN THAT WOMAN WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR AND HAS TO FEED 3 MOUTHS AND BUY BOOKS, CLOTHES AND PAY MEDICINES FOR HER CHILDREN… AND FOR SURE HAVING A **** OF SALARY WORKING AT A SUPERMARKET OR CLEANING. BECAUSE THOSE MOTHERS RARELY HAVE HAD TIME OR MONEY TO FINNISH A HIGHER EDUCATION…
IT IS INCREDIBLE, HOW EGOIST WE HAVE BECOME… THERE IS PLENTY OF PEOPLE DIYING OF DEPRESSION AND FEELING HORRIBLY ALONE JUST BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO SHARE THEIR EFFORTS, MONEY AND MATERIAL THINGS WITH ANYONE ELSE IN THEIR LIFES… THEY WANTED ALL FOR THEMSELVES. AND WHEN CHRISTMAS COME THEY RUN TO THE STREET TO SEEE IF THERE IS A STRANGER THEY COULD TALK TO, OR THEY JUST SIT IN FRONT OF THEIR HUGE PLASMA TV EATING THEIR SINGLE-RATION PRE-COOKED NOODLES… HOW SAD…
MY MOTHER USED TO COOK HUGE POTS FOR ALL OF US. SHE HAD 5 CHILDREN, AND SHE WAS THE 1ST OF A FAMILY OF 8 CHILDREN. WE HAD NOT TOO MUCH MONEY, BUT WE HAD PLENTY OF LOVE, LIFE AND ADVENTURES TO REMEMBER FOREVER. MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ALONE PASS THEIR DAYS EATING ALONE, GOING TO BED ALONE, AND DAYS PASS LIKE THAT UNTIL THEY ARE OLD AND IT IS TOO LATE FOR THEM BECAUSE THE BEST OF LIFE IS GOING, AND THERE IS NO ONE THEY LOVED AND HELPED TO GREW UP THAT COULD LOVE THEM AND HELP THEM BACK WHEN THEY ARE OLD…
TOO SAD…
@Ulla – in Norway it could be http://www.ensliges.no/
Hello,
I am president of a French association which defends the interets of “one person households” mainly in the area of taxation – income, housing, inheritance…- and in any area in which singles are treated inequitably: travel, loans, membership fees, benefits, and generally attitudes. I wish to find out if there are similar associations in other countries. If you have information please send me an e-mail at unagraps@fraternet.org
Thank you, Ulla Anderson
Greetings from SingularCity in Los Angeles! Hooray for Maria Kjell and her efforts to free single people from the negative stereotypes like the ones expressed by skyrfox.
We have a similar singles empowerment movement taking place in the United States and specifically by Singular magazine, the first glossy lifestyle magazine for single adults as well as singularcity.com, a content-rich social networking website for the same audience.
As single people continue to become a growing majority, nearing 50 percent in the U.S., we are saying enough with these ridiculous ideas about single people being flaky, promiscuous and immature. We’re saying enough with the discrimination against single people. We are successful, contributing members of our society and will no longer tolerate these old fashioned ideas that say you have to be married in order to be a “good” person.
why bothering with pitiful morals ? (ever been in Southern Europe ?)
Heatenism is the way! (Asatru, neo-paganism, etc)
Yeah … is normal for them,life is mean: sex,drunk and what?that’s why they want more freedom because they are not able to live like human in couple.They don’t know what’s mean religion,Christianity ,church and God.