Elon Musk’s Big Problem: Solving the Wrong Equation

Elon Musk is a polarizing figure, and it’s not hard to see why. He’s the richest person in the known universe, a visionary who has fundamentally transformed industries. From electric vehicles to space exploration, Musk has reshaped what’s possible. Yet, when it comes to tackling certain problems, he seems hopelessly off course.

Don’t get me wrong—I admire Musk’s ambition. He has almost single-handedly made electric cars mainstream, worked tirelessly toward the betterment of humanity, and set his sights on goals most of us wouldn’t dare to dream about. Chief among these is his plan to colonize Mars, a proposal I believe has real merit.

Why Mars Matters

Musk’s Mars colonization project is bold and makes sense in the long run. Humanity’s survival hinges on diversification. Earth is vulnerable to disasters ranging from asteroid impacts to catastrophic climate change or pandemics. Establishing a presence on another planet could ensure the survival of our species if the worst were to happen here.

The vision itself is breathtaking: Musk aims to send unmanned missions to Mars to prepare for human settlement. He hoped to follow this with a city of a million people. The journey would take six months aboard a colossal reusable rocket with 17 million pounds of thrust. Convincing people to volunteer for this mission would be a challenge, but Musk likely has strategies to address that.

However, the real problem is population. Musk believes that humanity is facing a demographic crisis: we’re not having enough babies to sustain the species. And here’s where things take a misguided turn.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

There’s no denying that birth rates have declined. In 1970, the average age of first-time mothers in the U.S. was 21.4; by 2022, it had risen to 27. Meanwhile, the average number of children per woman dropped from three in 1980 to fewer than two today. Fewer women are getting married, and economic, social, and personal factors are making parenthood less appealing.

This trend poses challenges for Musk’s Mars ambitions. If humanity doesn’t have enough people to sustain Earth, how can we afford to send a million to Mars?

The Wrong Solution

Musk’s response to declining birth rates is deeply flawed. He appears to support restrictive abortion laws as a way to ensure population growth. Let’s be clear: this kind of coercion is not only unethical but counterproductive. Attempts to control women’s reproductive choices through draconian measures will almost certainly backfire.

Forcing women into motherhood ignores a fundamental truth about human behavior: people don’t respond well to coercion. Women are more likely to reject societal expectations altogether if their autonomy is threatened. History has shown time and again that policies restricting reproductive rights fail to achieve their goals and often create new problems.

The Smarter Path

If Musk truly wants to encourage population growth, he should focus on making parenthood more feasible and appealing. That means addressing the real barriers to having children:

1. Economic Support: Raising children is expensive. Policies like affordable childcare, paid parental leave, and subsidies for education can ease the burden.
2. Healthcare Access: Ensuring that prenatal and maternity care are free or low-cost would remove a major obstacle for many families.
3. Work-Life Balance: Creating flexible, family-friendly workplaces can make it easier for parents to pursue careers while raising children.
4. Community Support: Safe, affordable daycare and early childhood education programs can make a world of difference.

If these kinds of systems are in place, people will be more willing to consider parenthood—and they’ll feel like it’s their choice, not an obligation imposed by societal or governmental pressure.

A Missed Opportunity

Musk’s Mars dream is worth pursuing. Colonizing another planet could be humanity’s greatest insurance policy against extinction. But if he hopes to achieve it, he needs to focus on solutions that align with human nature.

Using restrictive policies to force population growth is short-sighted, divisive, and doomed to fail. Instead, Musk should leverage his resources and influence to create an environment where starting and raising a family is not only possible but desirable.

Elon Musk is undoubtedly a genius in many respects. But when it comes to this issue, he’s solving the wrong problem with the wrong tools. And if he doesn’t course-correct, his Mars dream—and much of his broader vision for humanity—could remain just that: a dream.