Because we're individualistic assholes.
It's a well-known phenom. We don't really have any mechanism other than college through which to meet people and most people aren't marrying around college age. Additionally, higher rates of divorce mean that single men and women have few mechanisms other than bars and work through which to meet someone.
Bars have their drawbacks. Back when I was dating, everyone complained about how everyone at work was same gender. Taht's because there's gender segregation in the workforce, with (then) about 80 of women crammed into three ocupations: nursing, teaching, clerical.
If you're an engineer, you opps for meeting other women on the job... not great.
In the olden daze, your family acted as your dating service. But we resist that as old-fashioned. And man, really, I know I wouldn't be into the people my father and mother liked. feh.
These days, people think it's none of their business if a friend or acquaintance is single. They don't want to get involved, don't want to be blamed if things go poorly, etc.
So, you have dating services.
Shame on you for not sending me your cupid type! :)))
Bitch | Lab http://blog.pulpculture.org