“I can’t emphasise this enough, there are not enough people.”
(Picture: Getty Images)Elon Musk, who has just been named TIME’s 2021 person of the year, recently revealed why he decided to have so many children - and it had people on social media raising their eyebrows.
In a Wall Street Journal virtual event last week, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO countered arguments that population control is needed worldwide.
Addressing his âlatest creation, the Tesla Bot, at the WSJ’s CEO Council Summit, Musk noted that the humanoid has the potential to substitute human labour efforts.
“There are not enough people, I can’t emphasise this enough. There are not enough people,” he said.
He added that there are many people that believe that the population is growing out of control, but “it’s completely the opposite.”
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ââ“If people don’t have more children, civilization is going to crumble. Mark my words,” Musk said.
People have reservations about having children over climate change concerns and inequality.
But when Musk was asked why he decided to have as many kids as he did, the father of six joked: ”I try to set a good example. Gotta practice what I preach.”
Musk has twins Xavier and Griffin, 17, triplets Kai, Saxon and Damian, 15, and X Æ A-Xii, 1.
People on social media had mixed reactions to Musk’s sentiments. Check out some of them below.
People cannot AFFORD children. Go tell the top 1% to have more children @elonmusk since they are the only ones who can afford them
— Cathamand (@cathamand) December 7, 2021
"I practice what I preach"@elonmusk
— Pope of Muskanity (@RationalEtienne) December 7, 2021
7 children was the average 200 years ago. pic.twitter.com/Dyx2HiVHkA
If @elonmusk can produce an unedited video of all of his children saying "I love you" to his face, I'll donate $4000 to the charity of his choice https://t.co/8NK6C4SN0x
— John F. Ketamine (@PapiHustle) December 7, 2021
which people elon https://t.co/lvzZhBJqVT
— Anyways, Here's Wonderwall (@donachaidh) December 7, 2021
Elon Musk wants people to have more babies!! 👶 “If people don’t have more children, civilization is going to crumble. Mark my words.” Musk called rapidly declining birth rates “one of the biggest risks to civilization.” No wonder he has 6 kids 🙃
— WOLF 🐺 (@WOLF_Financial) December 7, 2021
People literally cannot afford to have more children, I’m not bringing a child into this world if I can’t financially support it. I’m still paying off student debt ffs
— Gorillionaire (@Gorillionaired) December 7, 2021
The 50-year-old was born in Pretoria, South Africa was known to speed read the encyclopedia.
At 12 years old, he wrote the code for a video game called Blastar, which he sold to a computer magazine for $500.
“He was always different. He was my little genius boy,” his mother, Maye Musk, told TIME.
Elon Musk (@elonmusk) is TIME's 2021 Person of the Year #TIMEPOY https://t.co/8Y5BhIldNs pic.twitter.com/B6h6rndjIh
— TIME (@TIME) December 13, 2021
Musk is not only known for his billions, he’s known for winning NASA’s exclusive contract to land the first humans on the moon in nearly 50 years.
He also hosted Saturday Night Live in May and in October, the renowned car-rental l company Hertz made an announcement that it planned to add 100,000 Teslas to its fleet.
