6-12-2024 (SINGAPORE) Tech magnate Elon Musk has sparked controversy by suggesting Singapore is “going extinct” alongside several other nations, following reports of the city-state’s plummeting birth rates. The remarks, made via his social media platform X on 5 December, have garnered over 41 million views and ignited fresh debate about global demographic challenges.
The Tesla chief executive and X owner was responding to a Newsweek article highlighting Singapore’s diminishing workforce and declining fertility rates. The report detailed the nation’s growing reliance on elderly workers and robotics, with Singapore boasting the world’s second-highest robot density to address its labour shortage.
This intervention comes as Singapore grapples with unprecedented demographic challenges. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Indranee Rajah, revealed in February 2024 that the country’s total fertility rate (TFR) had plunged to a historic low of 0.97 in 2023, marking the first time it has fallen below 1.0.
The stark figures from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority paint a concerning picture, with just 33,541 live births recorded in 2023—a 5.8 per cent decrease from the previous year and the lowest figure since records began in 1960. Meanwhile, the country logged 26,888 deaths in the same period.
Singapore (and many other countries) are going extinct https://t.co/YORyakBynm
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 5, 2024
Rajah attributed the decline to various factors, including pandemic-disrupted marriage plans, financial concerns around child-rearing, parental pressures, and work-life balance challenges. “Our low fertility reflects a global phenomenon where individual priorities and societal norms have shifted,” she explained.
Musk, a vocal advocate of population growth, has consistently warned about demographic decline in developed nations, particularly targeting countries like Japan and South Korea. His latest comments align with his longstanding position that population collapse poses a more immediate threat than climate change—a stance that drew criticism from American demographers in 2022.
