TikTok is full of Dinks. Literally. Clout chasing young couples have rebooted the 1980s trend of being a DINK: Dual Income, No Kids. And like all retooled tired 80s nostalgia, it’s way worse the second time around on the cesspool of social media.
Re-popularized on the Communist Chinese Party app TikTok, this trend that is infecting America like a virus has its roots in the Yuppie fad of the 1980s. The Chinese spy app features thousands of 20–30-year-old kidless couples sharing the glamorous lifestyle of their double paychecks leading to jet-setting adventures and luxurious lifestyles. After all, argue proponents of the admittedly self-absorbed, narcissistic, materialistic lifestyle: kids cost money that they could be using on themselves.
But can money and ‘freedom’ from the responsibilities of having children really bring DINKs happiness? Wokespert Glenda Manors shares what she thinks about the DINK phenomenon in the GWU! Guide: 6 Ways to Spot a DINK.
1 Duds in Designer Clothes
DINKs spare no expense when it comes to fashion. You can spot them strutting down the street in the latest designer labels, from Gucci to Prada. Their closets are bursting at the seams with luxury brands, and they’re not afraid to show it. But as Manors points out: clothes don’t make the man. “So they have nice clothes. Who cares? Who are they even wearing them for?”
2 Exotic Vanity Escapes
While others are stuck in the daily grind, Manors says that many DINKs are online personalities or pretenders and flaunt their jet-setting to far-flung destinations at the drop of a hat on social media. “From sipping cocktails on a tropical beach to exploring ancient ruins in far-off lands, these couples have the photographic proof to show how much fun they are having, even if they have no one to share it with,” sighs Manors.
3 Gourmet Gastronomy Gloat
Forget cooking at home, says Manors. “DINKs prefer to dine at only the trendiest restaurants. With their refined palates and penchant for fine dining, they’re regulars at Michelin-starred eateries, where every meal is a culinary masterpiece. No ordering off the kids menu for these self-indulgent OINKY DINKS.”
4 Tech Savvy Stupidity
DINKS are always at the forefront of technology, with the latest gadgets and gizmos made in China at their fingertips. “From cutting-edge smartphones to state-of-the-art $6000 replica film cameras, they’re early adopters of all things tech,” nods Manors who continues that these high priced toys with built in spyware are just ‘things.’ “They wiii eventually break and ultimately leave them unfulfilled.”
5 Luxury City Lonely Living
Just steps from the metro, the inside of a DINKs home is a sleek, modern oasis filled with designer furniture, high-end appliances, and luxurious amenities, not a high chair askew or single toy cluttering the carpet. “Their living spaces in the heart of the city are the epitome of style and sophistication, with every detail meticulously curated only lacking the warmth of a family that makes a house a home.”
6 Career-Driven Insanity
With no little ones to care for, DINKs are able to focus wholeheartedly on their careers, even if that career is just taking pictures of yourself pretending to read in a cafe. “Whether climbing the corporate ladder or pursuing social media endeavors, these couples are unstoppable forces in the professional world,” Manors acknowledges. “But no matter how successful they become, their corporate managers or TikTok followers won’t be there to hold their hand at the end on the deathbed of their empty lives.”
