jiang on measuring things
jiang xueqin on measuring things
via tweet [https://x.com/xueqinjiang/status/1959131071788065015]:
My Substack on how we can measure the resilience of a society using three metrics: energy, openness, and cohesion. https://predictivehistory.substack.com/p/secret-history-2-measuring-the-resilience
notes/quotes from aug 2025 substack:
Secret History #2: Measuring the Resilience of Societies
The world is in decline, and a perfect storm of crises are coming. Here’s how to know which communities will best weather it.
The signs of rapid global decline are everywhere. Young people cannot afford homes, and refuse to have children. Immigration is tearing apart the delicate fabric of Western societies. At their college graduation ceremony, students despair at a life drowning in debt.
Why is this happening? There are three compelling theories. 1\ Thomas Piketty. (tax better) 2\ Peter Turchin. (too many elites) 3\ Oswald Spengler. (decline of west)
These three theories together paint a bleak picture for humanity. The world is about to fall apart, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. It’s all a natural cycle of life, death, and re-birth. To attempt to stop it is as vain as attempting to concoct the elixir of immortality.
ooof
So how can we best prepare for the decline and collapse of the world we live in? I have been asked to prognosticate about Brazil, Poland, Croatia, Serbia, and other nations that I know nothing about.
gershenfeld something else law et al..
the thing we’ve not yet tried/seen: the unconditional part of left to own devices ness
[‘in an undisturbed ecosystem ..the individual left to its own devices.. serves the whole’ –dana meadows]
there’s a legit use of tech (nonjudgmental exponential labeling) to facil the seeming chaos of a global detox leap/dance.. for (blank)’s sake..
ie: whatever for a year.. a legit sabbatical ish transition
otherwise we’ll keep perpetuating the same song.. the whac-a-mole-ing ness of sea world.. of not-us ness
Let me provide a simple framework in which we can use to analyze the fate of all societies.
There are three metrics of a healthy and strong society: energy, openness, and cohesion.
measuring things kills energy/openness/cohesion
literacy and numeracy both elements of colonialism/control/enclosure.. we need to calculate differently and stop measuring things
Energy is the measure of how many people are working, and their attitude towards work. A society on the rise is one in which young people are being mentored in the trades and professions, and taking pride and satisfaction in their work. A society on the decline is one in which people hate their jobs, try to do as little work as possible, and engage in day-trading.
oh my.. perhaps energy of whales.. supposed to’s of school/work et al
need most: the energy of 8b alive people
humanity needs a leap.. to get back/to simultaneous spontaneity .. simultaneous fittingness.. everyone in sync.. the dance
Openness is the measure of how mobile and meritocratic a society is. Are people rewarded for the work they do, or are they rewarded for who they know? Are people allowed to voice dissent and criticism, or are people who point out problems considered the problem?
ooof.. cancerous distractions
Cohesion is the measure of trust and empathy in society. Are people willing to help strangers in need? Do people have genuine concern for the well-being of others? Are people willing to make sacrifices for the good of society?
legit trust is unconditional.. so can’t measure it.. and if you try to.. you kill it
again.. the thing we’ve not yet tried/seen: the unconditional part of left to own devices ness
In a world in decline, most nation-states will see a rapid decrease in these three metrics. The trick is to appreciate that nation-states are artificial constructs, and most will wither away. What will replace the nation-state is the city-state. We need to take a hard cold look at what sort of community we live in, and if it scores low in these three metrics we may consider moving to a more resilient community, even though it will probably be smaller, poorer, and more isolated.
there’s a nother way.. because the dance won’t dance unless it’s all of us
There is another solution, which is to help *build resilient communities that are most prepared to weather the perfect storm of crises fast approaching us. That is the project that I am currently contemplating. Over time, I will reveal the **blueprint for such communities.
again.. cancerous distraction
**ie: red flag we’re doing it/life wrong
need: a sabbatical ish transition
hari rat park law et al
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be you. 