Opinion

ROOKE: The Problem With DINK Couples Is That They’re Doing It All Wrong

OPINION
[Screenshot/TikTok/johnefinance][Screenshot/Twitter/offtheraiIs]

[Screenshot/TikTok/johnefinance][Screenshot/Twitter/offtheraiIs]

Mary Rooke Commentary and Analysis Writer
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The new buzzword for childless married couples, DINK (double income, no kids), started a social media trend where the camera flips back and forth between a husband and wife, highlighting all the things they get to do with their child-free lives.

When watching something this obnoxious, the immediate reaction is to tell them how vapid their lives are. A DINK couple’s whole schtick is that they can play video games and eat snacks all day, and somehow, that’s supposed to make parents feel like they missed out on a great adventure. (ROOKE: Men Don’t Need Therapists, They Need Better Women)

The urge for parents to tell them how awful their lives are comes from a primordial perspective that children make everything about life better. Being able to care for someone more than you do yourself is a gift that is slowly dying in our culture. Most of these couples are nothing more than consumerist losers who are ending their bloodline. They should be mocked for being so shortsighted and selfish.

DINK couples are a product of the decline of the strong nuclear family. Our culture is inherently selfish and has long stopped praising those who live lives worthy of admiration. Instead, we get to look up to superstar Taylor Swift. (ROOKE: America’s Kids Are Struggling. It’s Time To Start Talking About Their Parents)

They were raised to believe having children young would ruin their lives and naturally are following societal expectations. But after the initial shock wears off, the reality is that DINK couples are not a new phenomenon. It’s just that our nation is in a death spiral that promotes legacy-ending brutalities like birth control and abortion, prolonging their married, childless stage.

It’s not that partaking in this part of our culture shouldn’t be chastised, because it should be and often. It’s an effective strategy if we ultimately want these couples to have children. But after the razzing is over, there needs to be a societal accounting of the fact they have two incomes, and the best things they have to brag about are $8 lattes and unlimited TV time. This sounds more like prison than freedom.

It’s likely a combination of the terrible economy and our boring culture that leads them to believe this is the best they can do with their money. Still, it would be really impressive to see DINK couples do something better with their double income than join the cattle car of consumerism. (ROOKE: Why Are So Many American Men Killing Themselves? The Answer’s Obvious)

It’s unbelievably lame that these couples are parading around with two incomes only to be able to flex on parents about not having to share their chocolate with a doe-eyed six-year-old. That’s it. That’s all you get for the sacrifice of never hearing the patter of little feet running after the sound of the open candy wrapper and giggling when you reluctantly give them a bite.

Parents get love, affection, and admiration in return for giving up sleeping in on a Saturday. No amount of 12-hour movie days or cookie snacks can replace that.

If DINK couples were using their money to build beautiful churches or promote art, music, or anything of real value, it would be something to write home about. But they aren’t. Their minds are controlled by what’s at Costco because modern Western culture has nothing to offer that inspires the desire to have a legacy worthy of children.

Mary Rooke is a reporter at the Daily Caller.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller.