But more people are unhappy, too, at least by some measures, and unhappy in new ways. But as the social consequences of modernity broaden and ramify, fresh descriptions and analyses are required of social scientists. Their common theme is that the way we live now has its costs. But not unmixed goods. Since 1960 the divorce rate has doubled.
Cohabitation is seven times more frequent.
10 high school seniors report having had sexual intercourse. The average age of first marriage for men has increased from 23 to 27 and for women from 20 to 25. The proportion of children not living with two parents has tripled. The number of children living with a never-married mother has increased by a factor of 13. The teenage suicide rate has tripled.