Elon Musk's techno-polygamy: The high price of pronatalism

In a thought-provoking article from The Atlantic, the impact of Elon Musk's controversial pronatalist approach is examined, spotlighting his use of techno-polygamy as a potential solution to global declining birthrates.

Elon Musk's pro-natalist rhetoric has often been tied to his concerns about falling global birthrates and his commitment to reversing this trend. His candid statement at a Saudi conference, emphasizing the need to “make new humans” to ensure humanity’s survival, echoes his personal commitment to having numerous children. Musk, who reportedly has at least 14 children with multiple partners, represents a bold new era of family formation, powered by technology, wealth, and an unconventional approach to polygamy.

Musk’s approach, however, is more than just about making babies—it is about challenging traditional family norms. The billionaire has framed his large family as a social solution to declining birthrates, promoting a vision where advanced reproductive technology, including IVF and surrogacy, facilitates the creation of families far outside the boundaries of conventional norms. With a significant following, especially among right-wing commentators who see Musk as embodying "evolutionary theory," his personal choices in family life have taken on a broader ideological significance. However, this model of techno-polygamy comes with substantial societal and emotional risks, particularly for the children involved.

Family structure research suggests that while wealth and resources can provide advantages, they are not substitutes for a stable and supportive home environment. Studies consistently show that children from two-parent households, even those in the top income brackets, are more likely to achieve higher educational and financial outcomes compared to those raised in non-intact families. The Musk family, despite its financial privileges, may not be immune to these outcomes. While the children of the world’s richest man are unlikely to suffer from financial hardship, the complex family dynamics resulting from Musk's multiple partners and public family conflicts could lead to emotional and social challenges for his children.

Children from non-intact families, especially those with wealthy backgrounds, often face higher rates of depression, anxiety, and behavioral issues. This is a critical concern given Musk's approach to family formation, which has involved both surrogacy and IVF, and has resulted in children with a higher-than-usual male-to-female ratio. Some reports even suggest that Musk may have intentionally selected for male offspring, which raises concerns about the social implications of such demographic imbalances, such as increased male-to-female ratios and potential social unrest.

Moreover, Musk's choice to have multiple children through IVF, often in multiple births, further complicates matters. These births carry increased risks for mothers, which many clinics actively discourage due to the higher chance of complications. While Musk's family might be seen as the ultimate example of technological advancement in family formation, it also highlights the dangers of prioritizing quantity over quality in childbirth.

Critically, family scholars point to the negative outcomes for children whose fathers have relationships with multiple partners. These dynamics can result in fractured family relationships, with children often experiencing diminished paternal attention and strained family cohesion. In Musk’s case, ongoing media coverage of legal battles between him and some of his children’s mothers illustrates the fractious family environment that can emerge from such a non-traditional family structure.

In conclusion, while Musk’s approach to family formation is undoubtedly radical and futuristic, it represents a dead end when it comes to the well-being of children and the integrity of family life. The idea that the solution to declining birthrates lies in high-tech polygamy fails to account for the fundamental needs of children: a stable, loving family. For all his wealth and influence, Musk’s model is a reminder that technology and wealth cannot replace the fundamental importance of a stable, two-parent home.

By Vugar Khalilov