The DINK Phenomenon
Have you ever heard of the acronym DINK? The acronym DINK is commonly used to describe a couple that is Double Income, no kids. Basically while many people are single parents, raising several children on one salary, or others have two minimal incomes but still have a host of children to support, DINKs have two incomes and no children to spend their money on! Can you imagine all the things you could do? Eat out often, take adult vacations, and sleep late because there are no kids to get ready for school. Pat Buchannan recently wrote a bestselling novel called “The Death of the West.” In his book he discusses how the DINK lifestyle is a lifestyle that mocks the traditional lifestyle, beliefs of old, and the traditional skill set. With no children to tend to, the wife rarely stays home, but instead earns an income just like the husband. There are six factors that Buchanan says contribute to the way these DINK’s choose to live their lives.
1. The way the economy is now. After men began making the move from the family farm to a more structured factory life, it left much room for the woman, who had been originally staying home to tend to the family, instead make the move along with their husbands to an office environment. Many worked as their husband’s secretaries or assistants.
2. The family income. Originally the government and companies would pay men what they called “family” wage, so that the wives and children would not have to work, but could instead stay home and tend to their families. Then women began to enter the work force. As their pay increased and men’s pay dropped, the family itself began to pay the toll. Young men could no longer afford to get married and support a family, because they were not making enough money. Women now had money, and therefore did not need to get married in order to find someone to support them, and eventually their children.
3. Population control. Many people after the scares in the 60’s about overpopulation decided that they would not have children at all and contribute to the overwhelming overpopulation problem that was said to have dire consequences. They didn’t want to produce more offspring would eat food, drink water, and possibly drain America of its resources.
4. Women’s liberation. As many women began to understand their rights and push for more, the women’s lib, or feminism movement began. Women no longer chose to identify happily with the roles of wife or mother or enjoy keeping the house for their husbands. Instead they were independent and on their own.
5. Joys of marital relations. Many people see a marriage as necessary for , but not needed for reproduction. People now enjoy the sexual bonds of marriage, but do not feel the calling to seal their marriage with a child.
6. Morals declining. Beginning in the 50’s the general morals of the US citizens began to decline. More people were having casual sex, taking birth control, divorcing, and watching pornography. With the morals of the nation declining, it’s no wonder that few saw the ordinary notion of the family with children as the ideal.
