About the book
The growth in the number of single people is often interpreted as a symptom of individualization and a fear of commitment of epidemic proportions. People are assumed to be ‘shopping around’ for someone to love and suffering the stress that comes with choice. They lack devotion and fail to show commitment, we are told. Instead of seeing exclusive relationships as the ultimate in connectivity, Simone van Saarloos wonders how we can live in relationships in an individual manner. In The Monogamy Drama she claims that singles are improving the world: they spread their social risk, enter into varied relationships and practice diversity. Freedom is something you celebrate in connection with others. Being single is not a transitional phase or a temporary status, it is an art. Simply forget about regarding monogamous relationships as the norm and try to build relationships in other ways, she argues.