Billionaire Elon Musk told Fox News recently that falling birth rates keep him up at night. It's a drum he's been beating for years.Musk is one of the world's most visible individuals to elevate this point of view. Vice President JD Vance also talks about wanting to increase birthrates in the U-S. But it's not just them. There are discussions across the political spectrum about birth rate decline and what it means for the economy. One response to this decline is a cause that's been taken up by the right, and it has a name – Pronatalism. Many of its advocates met up recently in Austin, Texas, at "Natal Con." Pronatalists think they have a friendly audience in the White House. How do they want to use it?For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Email us at [email protected] more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
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Elon Musk is not shy about declaring when he feels civilization is at risk. Last month, he said the fate of civilization depended on the outcome of an election for one seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
I feel like this is one of those things that may not seem that it's going to affect the entire destiny of humanity, but I think it will.
Another existential risk, according to Musk, artificial intelligence.
Only 20% chance of annihilation.
That's a lot better than I thought.
That's him on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast earlier this year. But Musk has said the biggest danger civilization faces by far is falling birth rates. In a recent Fox News interview, he said it keeps him up at night.
The birth rate is very low in almost every country. And unless that changes, civilization will disappear.
And Musk isn't the only one in the Trump administration focused on this issue.
Please help me welcome your Vice President of the United States, J.D. Vance.
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