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Toxic media treats kids as luxury goods — and it’s destroying us

Nypost · · 765 words · By Bethany Mandel
Birth Rate Decline Generational Parenting Differences Cost of Living vs. Cultural Expectations
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What to know about Birth Rate Decline

When Princess Eugenie announced last week that she’s expecting her third child, she was showered in social-media congratulations — and cattiness.

Claims checked 5
Techniques found 5
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center67%
Right33%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

When Princess Eugenie announced last week that she’s expecting her third child, she was showered in social-media congratulations — and cattiness.

Why it matters

“Another leech in the oven,” read one response.

Common ground

“What a way to keep trying to live off public money,” went another.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Fear, Straw Man: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/10/opinion/were-treating-kids-as-luxury-goods-and-its…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 5 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 95% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Appeal to Fear 80% confidence
Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Straw Man 75% confidence
Misrepresenting an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing straw man helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Causal Oversimplification 85% confidence
Assuming a single cause for a complex issue.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing causal oversimplification helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Exaggeration / Hyperbole 80% confidence
Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 5 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 3
info Single Source 2
info
Claim 1: “Last month a study commissioned by LendingTree calculated that it costs $400,000 a year for a family with two children to feel financially secure in modern America.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The web search results for LendingTree provide general information about the company's services and reviews, but do not contain the specific study or the $400,000 figure mentioned in the claim.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — LendingTree helps you compare loans, insurance, mortgages, credit cards, and other financial products — so you can make smarter choices and save money. When banks compete, you win.
https://www.lendingtree.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — LendingTreeApply.com helps you compare top lenders and apply for personal loans, mortgages, auto loans, and refinancing. Get matched with the best rates in minutes — no impact to your credit score.
https://www.lendingtreeapply.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — LendingTree is an online loan marketplace that works with a network of more than 300 lenders. Loans generally range from $1,000 to $50,000, but some partners may offer up to $100,000. Because ...
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-loans/lendingtree-pe…
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Claim 2: “If you look at this nation’s plummeting birth rate”
CORROBORATED
Three independent sources (Population Reference Bureau, NPR, and another news report) all confirm that the U.S. birth rate/fertility rate is declining.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The U.S. birthrate is declining. Rose Paz’s choices help explain why. Ms. Paz, 22, grew up in Salt Lake City, the eldest of three children, born when her mother, an immigrant from Mexico, was 16.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/27/us/politics/us-birthrate-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The fertility rate in the U.S. has dropped steadily. Last year, there were roughly 710,000 fewer children born in the U.S. compared with the peak in 2007."Since 2007, there's been a decline in the gen…
https://www.npr.org/2026/04/09/nx-s1-5779627/birthrate-unite…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The birth rate for women ages 40 to 44 is lower in the United States today than it was during the baby boom years of the 1950s and early 1960s. However, the birth rate for women ages 40 to 44 has rise…
https://www.prb.org/resource/why-is-the-u-s-birth-rate-decli…
info
Claim 3: “Eugenie is joining several royal moms, including Catherine, Princess of Wales and Zara Tindall, who are embracing life with three or more kids”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence confirms the identities of Princess Eugenie, Catherine, and Zara Tindall, but does not provide the number of children each has to verify if they all have 'three or more'.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
https://www.royal.uk/the-princess-of-wales
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Zara Anne Elizabeth Tindall is a British equestrian, Olympian, and member of the British royal family. She is the daughter of Anne, Princess Royal, and Captain Mark Phillips, and the eldest niece of K…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zara_Tindall
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Princess Eugenie is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York. Her full title is Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and she is 12th in line to the throne. Like her sister Princ…
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c867plj4vgqo
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Claim 4: “Princess Eugenie announced last week that she’s expecting her third child”
CORROBORATED
Two independent news sources (Nbcwashington and Krdo) both report that Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank announced they are expecting their third child.
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — Britain’s Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, announced Monday that they are expecting their third child.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/entertainment/entertainment-ne…
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cross reference SUPPORTS — Britain’s Princess Eugenie is expecting her third child with her husband Jack Brooksbank, Buckingham Palace announced on Monday.
https://krdo.com/news/2026/05/04/princess-eugenie-pregnant-w…
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Claim 5: “exorbitant costs — $300,000 from birth through age 18 — that now supposedly accompanies raising kids.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources discuss the high cost of raising children; specifically, FOX 29 Philadelphia explicitly states the average cost to raise a child born in 2015 through age 17 is now more than $300,000.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Health does not allow for children. 18%. Children cost too much.Raising a child cost an average of €120,000 from birth to age 18, or about 17% of one's disposable income as of 2019.[154][155].
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluntary_childlessness
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — That's roughly $18,270 a year, a 9% increase from the previous estimate due to rising prices wreaking havoc on Americans' budgets. 8f1ac661-child. The average cost to raise a child born in 2015 throug…
https://www.fox29.com/news/cost-raising-child-jumps
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Raising a child in the U.S. costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.And to be sure, it's increasingly expensive to raise a child, with one study finding parents typically spend about $240,000 on each k…
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/millennials-gen-z-childless-mon…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.