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A Couple Who Angered People By Not Having Kids, And More Of This Week's 'One Main Character'

Darcy Jimenez
Darcy Jimenez
A Couple Who Angered People By Not Having Kids, And More Of This Week's 'One Main Character'
Remember: not getting upset about things that don't concern you is always an option.
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Every day, somebody says or does something that earns them the scorn of the internet. Here at Digg, as part of our mission to curate what the internet is talking about right now, we rounded up the main characters on Twitter from this past week and held them accountable for their actions.



This week, we've got another company using AI to harness a dead person's voice, a racist comment from a sports personality and people hating on DINKs.



Tuesday

The Calm app

The character: Calm, sleep app, creepy AI dweebs

The plot: This week, Variety reported that the app "Calm," used by many to aid in meditation and catching Zs, has received approval from Jimmy Stewart's family to have an AI-powered copy of Stewart's voice narrate "It's a Wonderful Sleep Story" for its paying customers.



After seeing Variety's tweet about it, most of the internet started making a variety of gagging sounds. Some AI diehards were pleased, but the overall crowd wasn't having a wonderful life.


The repercussion: In spite of the scrunched up faces of a number of X users, Calm didn't reverse course. Heck, they've even gotten some fluff pieces that are basically free advertising. Sometimes, doing the gross thing that most people hate pays.



Grant Brunner



Wednesday

Chris Russo

The character: Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, old man, possible racist

The plot: Chris Russo (no relation to me, the writer) has been on radio and TV for so many decades, and he's become a New York institution on hot takes about sports and yelling into microphones. If you're going to be talking publicly for most of the day, five days a week, year in and year out, you're bound to say something stupid eventually. Well, Chris has done that on several occasions in his life already, and now he's put his foot in his mouth yet again.



The repercussion: Shohei Ohtani, the most popular athlete in the world, wanted to keep his free agency news quiet. It's his right to remain silent about where he signs and who he meets with. And he also happens to be Japanese. The extremely poor choice of words by Russo were so offensive and so out of left field it really takes you a moment to reckon with the analogy he made.

How does this old man still have a job? Who is he gate-keeping from being on the air instead? Someone less racist and out of touch? Way to go ESPN for not dropping him on the spot after this one.



Jared Russo


Monday

DINKs

The character: Evan and Lilly, TikTok users, proud DINKs

The plot: Congrats, there's another economic trend-related term for you to learn! This time, it's "DINK," meaning "dual income, no kids" — and a couple of DINKs on the internet have really rubbed people up the wrong way recently.

In the TikTok video below, couple Evan and Lilly list the benefits of a child-free life — going out to eat every night, buying whatever they want, and so on — and a bunch of people are, for some reason, really mad about it. The X user who shared their video in the below post, for example, called them "genetic dead ends." Yikes.



The repercussion: It's bizarre when people get angry about anything that doesn't affect them, but it's particularly weird to get so upset about other people choosing not to have kids. Is it out of genuine (but misguided) concern for the future of the human race, or is it just envy at seeing someone else live a somewhat carefree and financially stable life? One couldn't possibly say.

Perhaps unsurprisingly for the app formerly known as Twitter, the couple received some pretty nasty responses — but thankfully, there were nice, normal people coming to their defense, too.



Darcy Jimenez



Read the previous edition of our One Main Character column, which featured an extremely normal guy who wants to live forever, someone who's very proud of their dishonest behavior and an X user with an insensitive take on mental health issues.

Comments

  1. Joi Cardinal 5 months ago

    first=-born's trhree hip [procedures for ciongenital; dysoplasia ciost $100000. A 27-week preemie after crrvical cancer was $1.4. I wfh as medical transcriptionist grossing $40./hour,as IC with no bennies. wish i'd had two more abortions

  2. QueenSwartha Mani Ha... 5 months ago

    "How does this old man still have a job?"

    I have zero interest in ball sports and sure don't give a shit about some idiot yank talking head, but this is some pretty ageist spillover from a bunch of writers who push an uber progressive woke ideology all of the time.

    1. Paristransfertairpor... 4 months ago

      The question of why an older individual continues to have a job can have various answers. Age alone should not be a determining factor for employment. Factors such as experience, expertise, work ethic, and performance are crucial considerations.

      The older individual may possess a wealth of knowledge and skills accrued over their career, making them a valuable asset to their workplace. Employers often recognize the importance of a diverse workforce,
      paristransfertairport
      which may include individuals of different ages contributing unique perspectives. Age should not be a sole criterion; rather, evaluating job performance, skills, and contributions is essential in understanding why someone remains employed.

  3. Ken Ham 5 months ago

    What's next for the Republicans, forcing everyone to have children.

  4. marburger 5 months ago

    Humans will continue to overpopulate the earth to an unsustainable level until we exhaust resources and our own pollution reaches lethal levels. Then, we will all die in a mass extinction event. Thanks, breeders.

  5. Ezio 5 months ago

    "Shohei Ohtani, the most popular athlete in the world" - are you absolutely hammered?

    1. QueenSwartha Mani Ha... 5 months ago

      Yeah, as someone from Aotearoa I thought:- who. But then I looked him up and realized I was familiar with him but had forgotten his name. The writer should have written:- "one of the most...."

  6. Brian 5 months ago

    I like how you said the DINK's rubbed people up the wrong way. That totally changes the context of the story before pressing play. I was expecting something a lot more risque.

  7. Brian Blake 5 months ago

    We didn't need the "genetic dead end" take but, honestly... Great you're DINKs, who asked? Why does anyone give a F?

    1. DukeofWulf 5 months ago

      Great, you work at a paper company, and play pranks on your coworker, who asked? Why does anyone give a F?

  8. moazam ali 5 months ago

    It's wonderful that you and your wife are enjoying a phase of life without kids and relishing the freedom it brings. The decision to have children is deeply personal, and it's great that you're considering the impact it might have on your lifestyle. Your perspective on the idea of bloodlines is interesting—after all, family connections can go beyond biological ties and extend to the bonds we form with others. It's true that one person's choice to abstain from having children doesn't necessarily mean the end of a genetic legacy, as familial connections are multifaceted. Whatever path you choose, may it bring you fulfillment and joy. Parenthood, if you decide to embrace it, can be a rewarding journey, but so too can a life focused on other pursuits. It's all about finding the balance that aligns with your values and aspirations.

  9. Peter Basch 5 months ago

    I have two millennial children. One has a 13 month-old baby, wonderful adorable child, that cost them pretty much everything they have. No regrets, just describing the situation. They live with the in-laws for now and have to leave their hometown in SoCal to own a home. The other has no kids and no intention to, and they have a lovely home in LA and a rich full life with friends, work, and family. Life offers us a full palette. "Genetic bloodline"... yikes. Selfish gene, indeed.

    1. Ezio 5 months ago

      This. I hesitate (only very slightly though) to call the notion of bloodlines *the* most primitive argument in favor of having kids, but it's up there (possibly below "who will take care of you when you're old?", as if care for the aging parents is an obligation one should be allowed to inflict upon anyone, ever, for any reason). It's hilarious how mad people get about the idea of not having kids, even more so if you consider that some people cannot have them anyways. Like, how are people hurt by the fact that others make a different life choice? But there is one answer - outside the actual crazies who would argue for kids on merit, I'm pretty sure a lot of folks have their nerves struck when they see someone who is able to afford a lifestyle they themselves would like, but don't have, and possibly because of the sacrifices they had to make to raise kids. You'll find nary a soul ready to say "shit, tbh, kids have prevented me from doing what I wish I could have done" without an immediate follow-up in "but kids are the most wondrous experience in the world and I would never change my choice to have them" self-soothing retort.

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