Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, reportedly fathered his third child with Shivon Zilis, a director at his brain-chip implant company Neuralink. The child was born earlier this year, and the name has not been disclosed. Musk had previously revealed that he and Zilis had twins through in vitro fertilization in 2022. Musk, who is the world’s second richest man, has fathered at least 12 children, with six of them born in the past five years, including three with Zilis and three with Canadian popstar Grimes. Musk has joked about helping with the underpopulation crisis and believes it is a significant danger civilization faces.
Musk has suggested that Europe is facing a fertility crisis, and he has long promoted the idea that the world population is declining, despite evidence to the contrary. The UN predicts that the world population will continue to grow, reaching 10 billion by the end of the century. This contrasts with Musk’s belief that civilization may face a decline, either ending with a bang or whimper. These views have been questioned by experts and researchers in population studies.
The news about Musk fathering a child with Zilis comes amidst allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior made against him by numerous female employees at his space exploration company, SpaceX. Musk allegedly engaged in sexual relationships with several female subordinates, including an intern who was offered a job after college and later ended the relationship. Other women reported that Musk asked them to bear his children multiple times, indicating a troubling pattern of behavior within the company.
Recently, eight former SpaceX engineers, four men, and four women, filed a lawsuit against Musk, claiming they were fired after raising concerns about harassment against women in the workplace. The engineers alleged that Musk’s behavior led to a pervasive sexist culture at SpaceX, where female engineers were subjected to harassment and their complaints were disregarded. The lawsuit accuses Musk of creating a hostile work environment that affected the well-being and emotional stability of the plaintiffs.
The lawsuit against Musk sheds light on the systemic issues of sexism and harassment within SpaceX, where female employees reported feeling disrespected and marginalized. Musk’s alleged behavior towards female subordinates and the culture of harassment described in the lawsuit raise concerns about the working conditions at his companies. Musk’s controversial statements about population decline and fertility crises also point to a broader pattern of behavior and beliefs that have come under scrutiny.
As the allegations against Musk continue to surface, it remains to be seen how he will address them and the impact they may have on his companies and public perception. The accusations of sexual harassment and the creation of a hostile work environment are serious issues that require proper investigation and accountability. Musk’s actions and statements regarding population, fertility, and fathering multiple children with different partners raise ethical and moral questions that deserve further examination in the context of his leadership roles and public persona.
