The prevalence of living alone or in small family units has increased over these two decades. There are several factors contributing to this increasing trend, including escalating living cost and the rise of individualism.
The increasing living cost is an underlying factor resulting in the change of living style. Undoubtedly, the cost of living especially rent are exorbitant. People can no longer afford the rent of a larger housing, therefore, they are only able to rent a smaller flat and live in a smaller unit. On the other hand, due to the increasing population intensity and high urban development, the business build the housing smaller to earn more money. In Hong Kong, there is even sub-divided flat that divide a flat to two or more unis. It is no doubt that why people can only live individually or in small family units.
Individualism is another reason why people tend to not live in a large family units. In the past, people emphasis on the concept of family and relationship. However, people nowadays value freedom and individualism more. Some of the teenagers may claim that they want to move out once they get a job. They hold an opinion that it is inconvenience to live with parents and are less value spending time with parents and would rather to enjoy romantic time with their partners or enjoy “me time” alone. Therefore, the younger generation is tend to live themselve or with their partners.
Inconclusion, it is a inevitable trend that people tend to live in a small family unit, which implying the fading of the value of focusing on family.