Single women are happier than married ones?

Question: Sir, I was reading a study in the ‘Times of India’. It said that women are happier being single. Now, when I read this as an Indian woman, brought up in the Indian culture, this is very conflicting because women in India are looked down upon if they are single.

If there is any single girl in your family, then they just want you to get married as soon as possible. So, how do I reconcile this conflict?

Acharya Prashant (AP): There is no rigid rule in this regard. The report that you are quoting says, “Single women are happier.” I am assuming that by the happiness they mean a higher kind of happiness that includes contentment.

So when it comes to that happiness, that Real happiness, there is no rule that a single woman would be happier than a wedded woman, or a family woman, or somebody who is in the relationship, or vice versa.

It depends on the quality of your relationship.

If indeed the study is true, if it passes the test of scientific data gathering and objective evaluation that single women are indeed happier than married women, it only reflects on the quality of decision-making of young people.

You see, it is not necessary that you have to have a bad partner or a troubling relationship, it is not necessary that not being with…