For a long time, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, has been seen as a symbol of the future, of technology, and of the ambition to conquer Mars. However, as the list of his children grows longer—from the children he shares with his ex-partner, the singer Grimes, to the secretly delivered twins with Neuralink executive, Shivon Zillis—a burning question arises: Is the billionaire following in his own father’s controversial footsteps?

The relationship between Elon and his father, Errol Musk, has always been a subject of contention, even an obsession for Elon. The tech mogul often describes his father as “terrible,” “awful,” and having caused deep psychological wounds. Errol Musk is notorious for his complex lifestyle, especially concerning romance and family.

The Ghost of Errol Musk

Similar to Elon, Errol Musk has multiple children with different women, but the biggest scandal involves him fathering two children with his former stepdaughter—whom he had raised since she was a child. This incident sent shockwaves through the global media and further deteriorated the father-son relationship.

The similarities are not limited to the number of offspring. Both men express strong, sometimes extreme, views on procreation. While Errol publicly boasts about “doing his duty” as a father, Elon Musk has repeatedly warned the public about the declining birth rate that threatens human civilization. Elon’s continuous childbearing—which he frames as “helping to solve the underpopulation crisis”—has led many to hypothesize: Is the fear of humanity’s future being used to mask psychological scars from his past?

The Difference Between “Legacy” and “Inheritance”

Despite the shared complexity in their personal lives, Elon Musk vehemently denies being like his father. He claims he acts for a greater purpose.

“I am doing the right thing, which is creating a new generation. What about him? He’s just… him,” Elon once shared, implying a difference in motivation.

Nevertheless, readers and analysts cannot help but draw parallels to an unconscious “inheritance.” Musk’s continuous expansion of his family, often in the absence of a single maternal figure, creates a fragmented family structure—exactly like the one he grew up in. This raises a critical question: Can a person build a perfect future for humanity, if they cannot resolve the complexities within their own family?

Ultimately, whether Elon Musk intends to be the Hero saving the birth rate, or is simply unknowingly recreating the Ghost of his father, the truth is that his dramatic personal life is becoming an inseparable part of his complex legacy—a legacy that continues to be written with every child born.