In a jaw-dropping social media exchange, Elon Musk has reignited the global debate on a silent crisisāplummeting fertility rates. šØ Responding to Singaporeās ābaby crisis,ā Musk didnāt mince words:
āSingapore (and many other countries) are going extinct.ā
š The Shocking Stats:
Singaporeās 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 nationās economy and society.
š Whatās Driving This Crisis?
Shifting Marital Trends: A growing number of women aged 25ā34 are choosing to remain unmarried, slashing birth rates.
Long-Term Decline: Fertility rates among women aged 25ā34 have been spiraling downward since the 1990s.
š¤ 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.
Teslaās humanoid robots hint at a future where automation shoulders the loadābut is it enough to replace a thriving population?
šØ The Bigger Picture
Elon Muskās warning isnāt just for Singapore. Itās a wake-up call for every nation facing similar demographic cliffs. Fertility isnāt just a personal choiceāitās an existential challenge for our future.