‘You’re both genetic dead ends’: Family values right-wingers infuriated by burgeoning ‘DINK’ movement on TikTok
'DINK' TikTokers are coming under criticism from conservatives on X for their lifestyle, which stands for "Dual Income, No Kids."
Several videos on DINKTok highlight the financial and other benefits couples experience by not having children.
One such video created by a DINK couple boasted about being able to "go to Florida on a whim," getting "a full eight hours of sleep and sometimes more," and spending "our discretionary income on $8 lattes."
That particular video is going viral on X, as family values conservatives lament the movement.
Wrote one account: "There are going to be a lot of 'DINKs' in the future in their 50s to 80s that are going to be regretting this strategy."
Other DINK critics included billionaire Elon Musk, who previously said that birth control and abortion could cause civilization to "crumble."
"There is an awful morality to those who deliberately have no kids: they are effectively demanding that other people’s kids take care of them in their old age," Musk said Monday night. "That’s messed up."
Musk is currently on a personal crusade to repopulate the Earth, part of the longtermist and protonatalist movement that worries about the impact declining population rates could have, a belief that aligns with conservative Christian commenters, who similarly worry about declining birth rates.
The editor-in-chief of the conservative publication the Post Millenial sharply criticized the video as well, writing: "You're DINKs, and absolutely no one will give a shit about you when you get old."
On TikTok, though, the movement has a much better reception.
The video above has more than 178,000 likes. Others garnered even more attention.
One "DINK vlog" created by a newly married woman detailed the couple going to Costco without having "kids to feed" to grocery shop and eat pizza.
@engelthang Hi welcome to the DINK vlog we have snacks ????????????????#newlyweds #justmarried #dinks #dinkvlog #doubleincomenokids #costcorun #newlywedlife ♬ original sound - Kate
One person commented jokingly, "I'm a SINK... Single Income No Kids," to which the video creator replied: "Hey to be a DINK you gotta be a SINK first."
And by that same logic, many married couples spent time as DINKs as well—even if some now oppose the TikTok trend.
A similar acronym floating on TikTok is DINKWAD, or Double Income No Kids With a Dog.
Nonetheless, criticism of the trend has been widespread on X, where users have dubbed DINK video creators "genetic dead ends."
Another user called the trend "incredibly stupid but par for the course when IQ has dropped below acceptable levels while comforts and society have proliferated to a ridiculous degree," adding: "imagine ending your genetic line for creature comforts."
"I’m convinced these DINK videos are reverse propaganda to compel us to have more kids," joked someone else.
Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.
The post ‘You’re both genetic dead ends’: Family values right-wingers infuriated by burgeoning ‘DINK’ movement on TikTok appeared first on The Daily Dot.