Unrestricted access to the internet wrecked Gen Z's love life

Life in your 30s at the sharp edge of a romantic recession is not great.

- Elaine Moore

A Reddit user who goes by the name Disastrous-Ad has a secret to share: He is 27 years old and has never had a girlfriend. In fact, he has never even held hands with a girl, let alone kissed one.

Fellow members of Reddit's r/lonely forum ("for all the lonely people") know exactly how he feels. "I relate to this so much. Same age, same situation," replies one. "It's hard. But it's a growing reality if it helps you feel less bad."

Welcome to life at the sharp end of the romantic recession, where today's under-30s are more likely to be single than either their parents or grandparents were at their age.

On TikTok, Nashville-based creator Jordy makes videos explaining what it is like to go through your 20s without a partner. "This era of dating is actually HORRIFYING," commiserates one of her followers. "No boyfriends no talking stage no situationships no NOTHING."

THE AGE OF ABSTINENCE Every generation is supposed to rebel against the ones that came before - making choices that baffle their elders. But who could have predicted that Gen Z's rebellion would be one of abstinence?

The potential culprits for this romantic estrangement span high house prices (which force young people to live at home), pandemic social distancing, overprotective parents and a growing political divide driving a wedge between liberal young women and more conservative young men.

But the real villain is the internet. Growing up with access to an online content free-for-all appears to have produced a generation with progressive attitudes and puritanical habits, whose people are increasingly likely to be teetotal, prefer not to see nudity in films and opt out of relationships.