Elon Musk says, “Overpopulation is the most zeroist lie ever”, the falling birth rate can end the world news
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and XAI, has ruled out the global debate to rule the global debate that concerns about overpopulation are “the most zeroist lies” ever. In a series of positions on X, Musk argued that the real threat to humanity is not overpopulation, but a dramatic, decline in birth rates. Calling it a “nihilistic”, Musk suggests that faith promotes a furnishing, anti-human world, an additional human life that sees human life as a burden rather than the driver of innovation and civilization. Given the historical population with countries such as Japan and South Korea, Musk believes that civilization is sleeping in collapse until the trend is immediately reversed.
Elon Musk challenges overpopulation story
Musk has long criticized the notion that the Earth is in danger of having many people. He often refers to the 20th century such as Paul Erlich’s The population bomb acts as misleading and old. Erlich predicted widespread starvation due to population growth, but has increased population since global food production. According to the United Nations, the availability of per capita food has actually exceeded 30 percent since 1961.Musk argues that this focus on overpopulation distracts from a more immediate and dangerous issue, which is declining fertility rates. She indicates demographic data that the birth rate in developed nations is below the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman. In 2024 alone, Japan’s population declined by more than 900,000, which was a historic decline inspired by a fertility rate of only 1.15. South Korea has performed worse in 2023, recording a fertility rate of 0.72, the lowest in the world.While some claims are contributing to the decline in birth rate by changing the nature of AI work and social interaction, Musk otherwise emphasized. “This demographic was essentially set in pace half a century ago and has nothing to do with AI,” he wrote. Instead, he sees AI as a possible solution to population collapse. Musk said, “AI is the only hope for turning it around.”
Falling birth rate and risk of decline of civilization
Musk has warned that low birth rate may be “slow down” of civilization. The shrinking population means less labor, more retired and unstable economic systems. The World Bank reported global fertility growing in 2020 from 4.9 to 2.3 to 2.3 in 1960, in which rich countries led the trend. For this, there are direct implications for maintenance of economic productivity, innovation and social services like pension and healthcare.To reverse the trend, Kasturi advocated family policies including tax encouragement, inexpensive childcare and parents’ holiday, as well as a cultural change as well as embrace family life. He has also suggested that AI can help reduce some economic results of the shrinking workforce.
Pushback and public debate
Nevertheless, critics argue that Musk’s framing looks at complex socio-economic issues. While some support their alarm at the decline in fertility, others take precautions that overpopulation is a valid concern in some areas. Environmentalists say that growing population in some parts of the world is already putting unstable pressure on delicate ecosystems, causing water scarcity, deficiency and lack of significant natural resources.Studies by OECD and World Bank suggest that economic pressure, high living costs and rigorous gender criteria are among the major drivers of low birth rate.However, Musk’s comments keep on increasing global discussion as governments face economic and social challenges of shrinkage population. Whether or not no one agrees with the findings of Musk, their warning taps into increasing concerns that the demographic future of humanity may be defined more than a decline than overgrowth.
