For Lots of Young People, the 'Romance Recession' Is Real

If modern dating feels like work, Faith Hill's feature in the Atlantic suggests that's because, increasingly, it is. She starts at a $100 "mindful singles" event in Manhattan—three-minute hugs, eye-gazing, heart-to-heart exercises—meant to counter swipe culture. Alas, "about 90 seconds into a three-minute hug with a stranger, I began to think that dying alone might not be so bad after all," she writes. From there, Hill explores a broader "romance recession": fewer young adults in relationships, fewer dates, less sex, but no shortage of people who still want long-term love.

Hill weaves data and interviews into a portrait of strained gender dynamics, economic precarity, and tech-fueled burnout. Women worldwide are "opting out" of unsatisfying arrangements, while many men say they feel inadequate or frozen between old and new expectations. Apps create an illusion of endless choice while turning dating into a time- and cash-intensive grind that many simply can't or won't pay. Some singles double down with pricey coaching and curated events, and others pursue kids via co-parenting platforms or embrace rich lives built around friends, work, and community, even as the longing for partnership lingers. Hill doesn't offer easy fixes so much as a clear-eyed map of how we got here—and the improvisations people are making now. Read the full piece.