Well I've been here for 17 years and I personally know a lot of people who aren't considering marriage as they aren't considered marriageable as they can't afford a house and don't want to work soul-draining hours for substandard pay.<p>The two Chinas: affluent business owners, government beneficiaries, and a small ultra-professional and investing class versus the average joe are really far apart.<p>This means for young people the choices are stark: relax with your friends, maybe make some money now and then or flutter between jobs you see as more of a passing interest or do something small for cash (part time work, online selling, art, piecework translation or media, etc.), taking the ire of your parents who wished you would work harder, or face a truly depressing grind and probably move alone to a polluted overpriced east coast megacity.<p>I don't think the choices are as bad in western countries, since although the work ethic may be high the hours in China are long and unpaid overtime and deference to managers is certainly expected for the upwardly mobile. Also in the west you usually don't have to move for a decent income, with the social isolation that entails.<p>There are also a small but increasing number of gay and lesbian couples.