In a jaw-dropping social media exchange, Elon Musk has reignited the global debate on a silent crisisâplummeting fertility rates. đš Responding to Singaporeâs âbaby crisis,â Musk didnât mince words:
âSingapore (and many other countries) are going extinct.â
đ The Shocking Stats:
Singaporeâs Total Fertility Rate hit an unprecedented low of 0.97 in 2023, far below the replacement level of 2.1. This alarming trend threatens the very foundation of the nationâs economy and society.
đ Whatâs Driving This Crisis?
Shifting Marital Trends: A growing number of women aged 25â34 are choosing to remain unmarried, slashing birth rates.
Long-Term Decline: Fertility rates among women aged 25â34 have been spiraling downward since the 1990s.
đ€ Robotics to the Rescue?
As the population ages and the workforce shrinks, Singapore is leading a global pivot to automation:
Ranked 2nd worldwide in robot density, with 770 industrial robots per 10,000 workers.
Teslaâs humanoid robots hint at a future where automation shoulders the loadâbut is it enough to replace a thriving population?
đš The Bigger Picture
Elon Muskâs warning isnât just for Singapore. Itâs a wake-up call for every nation facing similar demographic cliffs. Fertility isnât just a personal choiceâitâs an existential challenge for our future.