- Several "double-income no-kids" couples' videos have gone viral on X, generating backlash.
- Some lamented them for their choice, calling them "genetic dead ends."
Elon Musk has weighed in on viral videos of people talking about being childless and carefree by saying there is an "awful morality to those who deliberately have no kids."
The billionaire, who has 10 known children, has long been outspoken about his views on having kids.
When Business Insider disclosed Musk had twins with the Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis last year, the billionaire tweeted, "doing my best to help the under population crisis," and that "a collapsing birth rate is the biggest danger civilization faces by far."
His latest comment comes in response to a video of a self-described DINK couple, which stands for "double-income no-kids," posted to X.
In the video, the couple described the benefits of having no children, including going to workout classes and Trader Joe's on the weekends, enjoying skiing and golfing, and spontaneous vacations, among other benefits of their position.
BI reached out to the original poster of the video, a financial influencer named John Eringman, for comment.
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.
— Wall Street Silver (@WallStreetSilv) December 5, 2023
pic.twitter.com/BZU2xNQrmZ
A popular X account under the name Wall Street Silver, which has more than a million followers, shared Eringman's video, saying that when these couples reached their 50s to 80s, they would be "regretting this strategy."
The video also caught the attention of Musk, who replied with his own take.
"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," he wrote. "That's messed up."
While some agreed with Musk, others said they didn't believe wanting care when older should be the sole purpose of having children.
"I know lots of people in their old age and their kids are living in the basement and they aren't taking care of their parents," Erin Elizabeth, an alternative-health advocate, replied.
"It is, but also, many many people have kids, and they don't visit or take care of their parents in their old age," another response read. "That's not the reason people should be having kids."
Another video a day earlier by a DINK couple named Lilly Anne and Evan Hall, both 21 and from Utah, generated debate.
"We're DINKs," Lilly Anne said in the video. "We're going to get asked daily when we plan on having kids."
"We're DINKs," said her partner. "Of course we're going to go out to eat every night after work."
@lillyanne_ Living the best life, the D.I.N.K life #dink #nokids #couple #fyp
♬ original sound - Lilly
Lilly Anne added that they didn't have to ask their family for financial help and didn't ever require babysitters. Hall said they also went to Costco and bulk-bought all the snacks that they wanted.
Other benefits to DINK-life that they mentioned included a disposable income to spend on what they wanted and the freedom to go to football games and play golf whenever they wanted.
"We're DINKs," Lilly Anne said at the end of the video. "We're going to get asked at every single family event what we're doing with our life."
The video amassed 3.7 million views on TikTok, with people in the comments either agreeing that they, too, enjoyed their childless lifestyles or chiming in with how much they loved their own kids.
Largely, though there was disagreement, the commenters seemed respectful of each other's opinions on the matter.
But that all changed when Lilly Anne's video was reposted to X.
"You're both genetic dead ends congrats," wrote one X user on sharing the video on December 4. There, it racked up 22 million views and generated more insults in replies.
"Enjoy your highly depressive and meaningless existence," wrote one person, while another described the video as "really sad narcissism."
Another simply labeled the couple "Spoiled baby millennials" (though they are both technically Gen Z).
Lilly Anne and her partner did not seem offended by the backlash. They posted two more TikToks in which they showed their lack of concern over the noise.
"Evan and I watching you guys blow up my comment section over a lighthearted joke," the comment reads on one of them, in which Lilly Anne sips her coffee and smiles at the camera.
BI has reached out to Lilly Anne for comment.