The Collinses, a married couple with three young children from Pennsylvania, are self-proclaimed “pro-natalists” – a growing movement that promotes having as many children as possible to combat declining birth rates.
Malcolm Collins, 36, and his wife, Simone, 35, have three children: five-month-old daughter Titan Invictus, and sons Octavian, three, and Torsten, two. The couple hopes to have a total of seven children.
In coming up with Titan Invictus – a name they chose because they feared a female name would be taken less seriously – the couple underwent genetic testing and embryo selection to ensure the child would not become obese or suffer from anxiety when they grew up.
It is one of many reasons why the pro-natalist movement is controversial, with many considering it a form of eugenics.
Indeed, the Collinses have been called “hipster eugenicists,” a label they denounce.
“We don’t think humanity can be perfected, we just want to give our kids the best possible roll of the dice,” Simone told The Telegraph.
The couple promotes ‘pro-natalism’, the idea of having more children to counter ‘fertility collapse’ and increase the birth rate
Simone and Malcolm Collins pictured with their three children, daughter Titan Invictus, far left, Octavian, three, center, and Torsten, two, right
Malcolm and Simone co-founded the non-profit initiative Pronatalist.org and made themselves the poster children of the movement, which is largely based in Silicon Valley.
Twitter CEO and Tesla boss Elon Musk is also a champion of pronatalism. Musk has had 10 children by three different women and believes “civilization will crumble” unless everyone has more children.
Musk has tweeted several times in recent years about the threat of a declining population. “If the alarming collapse in the birth rate continues, civilization will indeed die with a wail in adult diapers,” he tweeted in January.
The rich man and woman entrepreneurs argue that Silicon Valley’s elite are interested in pronatalism because they’re the ones paying attention to the birth rate data — and they don’t mind being “cancelled.”
“I don’t think it only appeals to Silicon Valley people,” Malcolm told the Daily telegram. “It’s more like anyone who’s familiar with modern science and familiar with statistics knows this is a problem, and they’re focused on it.
“The reason why you see Silicon Valley folks disproportionately drawn to this is that they’re obsessed with data enough and rich enough to look at things — and also have enough wealth and power that they’re not afraid to be cancelled .’
In recent months, the couple came to the media after publicly telling how they used genetic testing and selection to optimize the mental health traits of their unborn children.
In effect, if the couple’s own reproductive plans come true, they would create a bloodline of Collinses that will surpass the current world population in 11 generations.
Twitter CEO Elon Musk has had 10 children by three different women and believes ‘civilization will crumble’ unless everyone has more children
Pronatalists also believe that having more children is beneficial to society and the economy as it leads to a larger labor force and greater economic growth.
The movement includes several initiatives, including government policies that provide financial incentives for families to have more children, cultural campaigns that promote the idea that parenting is the most important role for women, and religious or ideological beliefs that emphasize the importance of procreation.
However, the movement is often criticized for ignoring the potential negative consequences of overpopulation, such as environmental degradation and resource depletion.
Concerns about birth rates in the developed world also walk a fine line between the racist and anti-Semitic “great replacement theory,” which holds that white Americans and Europeans are being “replaced” by non-white immigrants.
The Collinses are aware that much of the theory behind pro-natalism is often related to neo-Nazi principles, but the pair insist it’s not about spreading a particular race of people, but simply about getting more people on the planet. create – regardless of race, religion or background.
But the pro-natalist movement is controversial, with many considering it a form of eugenics and linked to racist and misogynistic ideologies, though the couple disagree.
The pair see the declining global birth rate as a major risk for the future and have made themselves the poster children of the pro-natalist movement, which advocates for policies to increase birth rates in the developed world.
The pair will, in fact, create a Collinses bloodline that will surpass the current world population in 11 generations
“People often compare our group to Handmaid’s Tale-esque thinking,” says Malcolm, “and I’m like, Excuse me, you know what happens when we, the voluntary movement, fail…? Cultures will eventually find a way to fix this; how gruesome those mechanisms are depends on whether or not our group finds an ethical way.
“If this were a species, it would be called an endangered species,” Malcolm explains. “We would be terrified that they are on the verge of extinction.
“We’re on the Titanic now. The Titanic is about to hit the iceberg. There is no escape at the moment. Our goal is not to prevent the Titanic from hitting the iceberg; it is to prepare the life rafts.’
“When I look into our children’s eyes and I see all the potential they have… and I think of a world where they didn’t exist because we thought it was awkward? I’m like, I can’t. I can’t try to have more children,” adds Simone.
Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has devoted a significant amount of resources to pro-natalist policies, some of which are positive, but many of which limit access to reproductive rights
Collins’ ideology may still be controversial in the US, but some countries are actively pursuing it pro-natalist policy.
Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has devoted a significant amount of resources to pro-natalist policies, some of which are positive, but many of which limit access to reproductive rights.
Hungary has recently tightened abortion rules and there are concerns about limiting access to emergency contraception.
Orbán has openly admitted to the racist ideology behind it are pro-natalism, stating that he wants Hungarian children, not migrants.