Elon Musk is a Moron.

A heartwarming family-oriented scene set in a futuristic Martian habitat. The interior features cozy, modern furniture and technology integrated into the design, with a large window showing the red Martian landscape and domed structures outside. A family of four is gathered in the living space: parents, a child playing with a robot toy, and a baby in a high-tech crib. The room includes plants growing in hydroponic systems, emphasizing life and sustainability. The atmosphere is warm, optimistic, and inviting, highlighting the theme of family life on Mars.

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 is 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 would better ensure the survival of our species if the worst were to happen.

The vision itself is breathtaking: Musk aims to send unmanned missions to Mars to prepare for human settlement. He plans 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, I am hoping Musk has strategies to address that, but at this juncture I am not very certain.

Are We Really Out of People?

Musk is convinced that human population is collapsing. He’s not entirely wrong—birth rates are declining. In 1970, the average age for a first-time mom in the U.S. was 21. Now, it’s closer to 27. Back then, women had an average of three kids; today, it’s fewer than two. Marriage rates are dropping, and economic realities (hello, childcare costs) aren’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat for parenthood.

Musk sees this as a ticking time bomb. No babies, no future humans for his Mars colony. But his proposed solution? Well, let’s just say he’s flying this rocket straight into a wall.

Elon’s Flawed Fix

Apparently, Musk thinks we can solve the population problem by, wait for it… limiting women’s reproductive choices. Yep, he’s hitched his wagon to the idea of restrictive abortion laws. News flash: trying to control women’s bodies to boost birth rates is not just draconian—it’s dumb.

Forcing women to have babies is like trying to put out a fire with gasoline. People don’t like being told what to do, and women especially aren’t going to line up to birth a Mars crew if you strip away their autonomy. History shows us that heavy-handed approaches that aim to limit the people’s rights don’t work. In fact, they tend to backfire spectacularly.

And here’s where Musk could really use a lesson in human psychology.

How to Convince People, Human Nature 101

Let me tell you how humans actually operate. Say I want the living room painted. I don’t march into the room and shout, “Paint the walls blue, now!” That’s a recipe for an argument (and an unpainted living room). Instead, go subtle:

“If we were to paint the living room, what color would you pick?”
Casually leave a flyer for a huge paint sale on the counter.
Show pictures of throw pillows that you may or may not be planning to purchase ensconced in spectacular living room painted in the color that you want.
Before long, the living room gets painted—and the painter is convinced it was his brilliant idea. That’s how you inspire action, gently guide, never shove.

The Real Fix for Population Decline

If Musk truly wants more babies—and by extension, a surplus of humans for Mars—he needs to make parenthood attractive. This is how you do it:

Make Parenthood Affordable: Childcare, healthcare, and education are all ridiculously expensive. Lower the cost.
Support Families: Paid parental leave, flexible work schedules, and affordable daycare are vital.
Empower Parents: Create safe, enriching environments where kids can thrive. Happy kids mean happy parents who might want more kids.
Sell the Dream: Make having a family feel like a meaningful and rewarding choice, not a financial burden or societal obligation.

Musk has the resources to influence policies and systems that could make this happen. He could literally bankroll a revolution in family support. But if his plan is to coerce women into having babies? Good luck with that. Women are smart—they’ll shut down the baby factory and focus on their careers faster than you can say “SpaceX.”

The Bottom Line

Elon Musk is a genius, no question. But on this issue, he’s solving the wrong problem with the wrong tools. You can’t strong-arm humanity into repopulation. What you can do is create an environment where people want to have kids because it feels like a good idea.

If Musk wants his Mars dream to come true, he’d better pivot fast. Otherwise, he risks being remembered not as the man who led humanity to the stars, but as the guy who fumbled the easiest equation in history: make people think that what you are selling is what they want, and they’ll follow you anywhere—even to Mars.