Eugenics again
It ticks off a whole bunch of white Christian nationalist checkboxes
Mixed in with a whole bunch of misogyny, including the “tradwife” movement and other forms of anti-feminism, is a pronatalism movement. Elon Musk is, perhaps, the most notorious advocate of pronatalism, having sired numerous children by numerous women.[1]
But “[t]he [Donald] Trump White House is reportedly soliciting suggestions to boost births from married couples, even as it continues drastic reductions to social services and public health funding.”[2] Which certainly seems to be at cross-purposes.
Musk’s stated motivation helps clear the water: “Humanity is dying. The birth rate is very low in almost every country. And so unless that changes, civilization will disappear.”[3]
When conservatives start talking about ‘civilization,’ they really mean “Western civilization,” you know, the civilization that Mahatma Gandhi famously and perhaps apocryphally thought might be a good idea.[4] They don’t mean African civilization. They don’t mean Asian civilization. They don’t mean Latin American civilization. They mean white patriarchy with an emphasis on ‘the classics.’
Which means that when Musk wants people to have more babies, he means white people. Not Asians. Not Africans. Not Latin Americans. And when he simultaneously cuts the social safety net and health spending, he means well-off white people who don’t rely on direct government aid.
These are the genes he wants to spread. As if there was any genetic basis for socioeconomic status whatsoever. This is eugenics. Yes, the very same eugenics that was discredited decades ago. It’s hideous. And it’s wrong. Flatly so.
But then so is pronatalism. Many of earth’s environmental problems would be far more manageable if we had a much smaller population than we do. If it were small enough, our current lifestyles might even be indefinitely sustainable. But conservatives aren’t much for admitting there are environmental problems either, let alone the climate crisis.
So the way to look at this is as a big “F U” to scientists, to women, to people of color, to poor people, and of course to anyone who is either not cis or not heterosexual. It ticks off a lot of white Christian nationalist checkboxes. Which is what this is really about.
[1] Lisa Hagen, “They say they want Americans to have more babies. What's beneath the surface?” National Public Radio, April 25, 2025, https://www.npr.org/2025/04/25/nx-s1-5371718/pronatalist-birth-rate-musk-natal-conference
[2] Lisa Hagen, “They say they want Americans to have more babies. What's beneath the surface?” National Public Radio, April 25, 2025, https://www.npr.org/2025/04/25/nx-s1-5371718/pronatalist-birth-rate-musk-natal-conference
[3] Elon Musk, quoted in Lisa Hagen, “They say they want Americans to have more babies. What's beneath the surface?” National Public Radio, April 25, 2025, https://www.npr.org/2025/04/25/nx-s1-5371718/pronatalist-birth-rate-musk-natal-conference
[4] Quote Investigator, “Dialogue Origin: ‘What Do You Think of Western Civilization?’ ‘I Think It Would Be a Good Idea,’” April 23, 2013, https://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/04/23/good-idea/