At a pro-Trump rally held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, this past Saturday, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk made waves with his candid remarks about parenthood.
When asked what advice he would give the younger generation regarding having children, Musk didn’t hold back.
“I think people worry too much about having kids, and it’s sometimes difficult to make ends meet and whatnot,” Musk said.
As the richest person in the world, with a reported net worth of $242 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Musk spoke from a position of experience. Despite financial challenges that many face, he believes there’s no better time to start a family.
“But honestly, there’s really no time like the present,” he emphasized. “Just have kids. You won’t be sorry. It’ll work out.”
Musk, who is a father to 11 children, has consistently voiced concerns about global population decline, urging people to have more children in order to avoid societal collapse.
He stressed his point further by warning: “Just have kids one way or another or humanity will die with a whimper in adult diapers!” This statement was initially shared in May on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.
In February, Musk also posted: “I’m doing my best to encourage more people to become parents and ideally have three or more kids, so humanity can grow.”
However, Musk has also expressed understanding towards those unable to have children, while criticizing those who choose not to. In a December post, he acknowledged: “I understand if someone couldn’t have children. However, I don’t think it’s cool to deliberately not have kids. It’s anti-human.”
In a further social media interaction in April, Musk agreed with a post that suggested children aren’t inherently expensive; rather, it’s people’s lifestyles that are the true financial burden.
His comments came at a time when inflation and rising interest rates have significantly impacted people’s cost of living, particularly for young families.
In fact, numerous surveys have highlighted growing concerns about the financial difficulties associated with raising children.
According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, the percentage of childless U.S. adults under 50 who claimed they were unlikely to ever have children rose from 37% in 2018 to 47% in 2023.
Of those surveyed in 2023, 36% cited financial concerns as the main reason for their decision not to have children.
Elon Musk is not alone in his views on this matter. Kevin O’Leary, famed investor and television personality from “Shark Tank,” has also downplayed the financial challenges of parenthood.
He has been quoted as saying, “Forget about money when it comes to kids” and advising people to “get married sooner; have more kids.”
O’Leary has expressed regret over not having children earlier in life, reflecting that he would have liked more time with them in his younger years.
