Elon Musk's one-word take on alarming population decline in India and China

[SomewhereInTheMiddle]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: The Times of India

Elon Musk has once again sparked conversation around the issue of global population decline, with a simple yet powerful one-word response that reflects his deep concern about the future of humanity. The Tesla CEO retweeted a post on X (formerly Twitter), referencing a graph that projected a significant demographic shift in the coming decades, particularly in China and India, two of the most populous countries in the world.

The graph, originally shared by the Tesla Owners Silicon Valley account, illustrated the projected population changes from 2018 to 2100, showing a drastic population reduction in both countries. The post captioned the graph, “Population collapse is humanity's greatest threat… Elon Musk,” to which Musk replied with a brief but impactful, "Yes."

The graph paints a troubling picture: While India’s population is set to decline by roughly 400 million people by 2100, China’s population is expected to plummet by an even more staggering 731 million, dropping to just 731.9 million. Meanwhile, Nigeria's population is set to soar, with projections showing it overtaking China’s population by the end of the century.

Musk’s concise response underscores his long-standing alarm about the global demographic trends. Over the years, he has warned that population decline, fueled by factors like falling fertility rates, aging populations, and emigration, poses a growing threat to the world’s economy and development.



Read more: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/elon-musks-one-word-take-on-alarming-population-decline-in-india-and-china/articleshow/117032603.cms

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I am saddened to see Musk continuing to take a growing role as an influencer of public discussion, even policy, around the globe.

I am also shocked by some of the demographic trends in the mentioned graphs. Many people have been calling for population reductions for years, concerned about the stress humanity is placing on the globe and its delicate systems.

This article points out the economic and possible cultural costs of population decline.

Is there a way to balance these two seemingly competing priorities?

[gab13by13]

1. Musk may belong to the cult

that wants only 400 million people world wide.

[magicarpet]

8. Musk thinks the populations of the entire world should be only white skinned folks.

Expanding populations of tan, brown, black, or yellow complected skin are considered detrimental to White Supremacist and the Fascist New World Order.

[IronLionZion]

2. Family planning, birth control, contraception, etc. are good things

Wishing death upon people he doesn't like is a different issue entirely.

I had a vasectomy and won't be procreating. Childfree life for me.

[tanyev]

3. Man who thinks the colonization of Mars is necessary for human survival

also thinks population decline is a bad thing.

[lonely bird]

10. Only one thing wrong with your post

Eloon doesn’t think.

😉😁

[ck4829]

4. This is news? This is a story about him typing one word!

This is psychotic. This is psychotic.

[William Seger]

9. And pathetic

World in imminent danger -- WHAT DOES MUSK THINK!?

[ck4829]

13. BREAKING NEWS! Man says one word!

[William Seger]

19. Soon, he'll be in a position to destroy the economy with a one-word tweet

[Lonestarblue]

5. Much of the angst over population decline seems to center on its effects on building bigger and bigger corporations.

In a global economy, becoming the biggest often means control of a market. You need employees for that. At some point, we need a reset of thinking that profits must be increased exponentially every year. And with AI taking over, and taking jobs, what will be the effect on today’s workers and the potential loss of jobs? Predatory capitalism rules now, but must it rule forever?

[Dave Bowman]

6. These cultists sure are obsessed about making as many women pregnant at any cost.

[Blues Heron]

7. 8 billion people and hes worried about a population crash.

What a loon

[homegirl]

21. Time to tell

Elon - he won't be here in 2100, or even sooner. MAX until 2055!

[travelingthrulife]

11. Musk is the biggest threat to our economy and development.

[Wiz Imp]

12. It's idiotic. And the numbers quoted are not mainstream projections

See this graph: India's population is expected to grow, not drop significantly past the middle of the century, and if/when it starts to drop, the drop isn't expected to be all that significant. China's population is expected to decrease and Nigeria increase but Nigeria's will still not be a good bit below China's level. The UN projects population to peak at 10.4 billion in 2086.

[progree]

18. ⭐️⇧ ⇧ ⇧ Thanks much for the graph /nt

[Wiz Imp]

20. You're Welcome

[3Hotdogs]

14. Does anyone remember a book, "The Population Bomb?"

More people, want and need more stuff. Making more stuff causes more pollution. More pollution means....

[pimpbot]

15. Times of India is a trash rag

This is the trash we get out of online media these days. Take a one word tweet and craft it into some bullshit narrative about a topic.

Honestly we should block using Times of India as a source of LBN.

[JoseBalow]

16. "News"

[hay rick]

17. Discussing population is an inadvertent public service.

I don't care what Musk's view is, but serious discussion of the environment and human welfare is not possible without serious discussion of population trends. If Musk's blather sparks that discussion it's a start.

[ificandream]

22. The Times of India is not a reputable news source.

Just sayin' ...

[Cirsium]

23. "Labor shortages"

So called "labor shortages" means fewer desperate workers willing to work as slaves.

Musk, and that article treat human populations as though they were herds of cattle. "That herd is gettin' a little thin there, pardner. Hardly worth making the cattle drive this year."

There are so many ridiculous ideas from Musk i that article - it is all from Musk, by the way. Can you possibly take the following paragraph seriously?

"Musk’s concerns aren’t just theoretical. The businessman’s companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, have long been invested in the future of humanity, with Musk advocating for space exploration as a means of securing a sustainable future for the human race. In the context of population decline, Musk sees space exploration as part of a broader strategy to ensure that humanity can thrive long-term."

So what is the concern you have about lower birth rates? Right wingers don't like the freedom that gives to women. Billionaires don't like the possible loss of cheap labor and exploitable consumers. Bigots fear the loss of their "culture." All three of those apply to Musk, I would say.

I am not familiar with Times of India, but that article is awful. It is dishonest and poorly written, has Twitter links embedded throughout, and blocks attempts to quote anything from it.

[LeftInTX]

24. That's 75 years from now. They speak English in Nigeria. So Musk can still import workers!

However, I highly doubt Musk will be around in 2100.

[valleyrogue]

25. Big families are incompatible with women's rights. You cannot have both.

Nigeria will eventually have population decline as women get more and more rights there.

Birthrate declines are worldwide and are a good thing for the planet.

[Mike 03]

26. Your comments are spot on

Elon Musk and people like him see population statistics as a measure of growth in which individuals are not human beings but people who buy stuff. So they encourage unrestrained population growth and governments become less able to meet the needs of their citizens or protect them from threats.

We are right now unable to protect populations from the effects of climate change. Our philosophy in America is to wait for something to break and then "fix it" rather than prevent catastrophes. And in reality we rare "fix it"; we have a commission study a disaster and make recommendations which are often not followed in time to prevent or even mitigate the next calamity.

And prevention is also less costly than the trillions of dollars we spend "rebuilding".

At some point we will simply be told that we are on our own and that government no longer can afford to help us get back on our feet after disasters.

[Omaha Steve]

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