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The Last EconomyThe Last EconomyAppendix C

Appendix C: The MIND Dashboard: A Practitioner’s Guide

From Philosophy to Practice

The main body of this book has argued that our civilization is flying blind, guided by a criminally insane dashboard called GDP. We have proposed a sane alternative: the MIND framework, a four-dimensional view of systemic health.

This appendix is the user manual.

It is a practical guide for moving the MIND capitals from a powerful concept to a real-world measurement tool. This is not a perfect, finished science. It is an invitation to a new and urgent field of inquiry: the empirical measurement of civilizational vitality. The tools are provisional, the data is often imperfect, but the direction is correct. To stop measuring what is easy and start measuring what is essential.

What follows is a set of recommended indicators and proxies for each of the four capitals, followed by a case study demonstrating their power.

M – Material Capital: The Physical Foundation

Core Concept: Not just the stock of “stuff,” but the health and regenerative capacity of the physical systems that support life and the economy. It is the measure of the Law of Flow in the physical world.

IndicatorProxy Measure & Data Source
1. Energy MetabolismEnergy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI): Ratio of energy produced to energy used in production. (Academic studies).
2. Resource FlowDomestic Material Consumption (DMC) per capita: Measures the total weight of materials used by the economy. (UN, OECD).
3. Ecological Balance SheetBiocapacity Deficit/Surplus: Compares a nation’s ecological footprint to its biological capacity to regenerate. (Global Footprint Network).
4. Infrastructure HealthQuality of Infrastructure Score: Measures transport, electricity, and communications infrastructure. (World Economic Forum).

I – Intelligence Capital: The Pattern Library

Core Concept: The system’s collective ability to learn, solve problems, and generate wisdom. It is the measure of the Law of Flow in the world of information.

IndicatorProxy Measure & Data Source
1. Knowledge CreationScientific & Technical Journal Articles per capita: A measure of the raw output of new, verifiable knowledge. (World Bank, Scimago).
2. Innovation EfficiencyPatents Granted per R&D Dollar: Measures the efficiency of converting investment into applicable IP. (WIPO, OECD).
3. Learning CapacityMean Years of Schooling & PISA Scores: A proxy for the quality of the human “hardware.” (UN, OECD).
4. Digital AccessInternet Penetration & Speed: A measure of the infrastructure for distributing intelligence. (ITU, Speedtest Global Index).

N – Network Capital: The Connection Infrastructure

Core Concept: The quality and density of trusted relationships that enable all other capitals to flow. It is the direct, measurable expression of the Law of Openness.

IndicatorProxy Measure & Data Source
1. Social Trust”Most People Can Be Trusted” Percentage: The gold standard survey question for measuring baseline social trust. (World Values Survey).
2. Institutional QualityWorld Bank Governance Indicators (Avg. Percentile Rank): Composite of Rule of Law, Control of Corruption, etc.
3. Social CohesionIncome Inequality (Gini Coefficient) & Measures of Social Mobility: Proxies for the fairness and inclusivity of the network.
4. ConnectivityTrade Openness (% of GDP) & International Internet Bandwidth: Measures the system’s external connections. (World Bank, ITU).

D – Diversity Capital: The Option Portfolio

Core Concept: The variety of components, strategies, and perspectives that provides resilience and antifragility. It is the structural embodiment of the Law of Resilience.

IndicatorProxy Measure & Data Source
1. Economic ComplexityEconomic Complexity Index (ECI): Measures the diversity and sophistication of a country’s export basket. (Harvard Growth Lab).
2. Industrial DiversityHerfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for Industries: A standard measure of market concentration applied to the national economy.
3. Ideological DiversityMeasures of Press Freedom & Political Pluralism: Proxies for the diversity of ideas and approaches. (Reporters Without Borders).
4. Biological DiversityEnvironmental Performance Index (EPI): Includes measures of ecosystem vitality and biodiversity. (Yale University).

Scaling Down: Your Personal MIND Dashboard

The power of the MIND framework is that it is scale-invariant. You can use it to measure the vitality of your company, your community, or even your own life.

For a Company:

  • M-Capital: Free cash flow, energy efficiency, supply chain circularity.
  • I-Capital: Rate of employee skill development, speed of product iteration.
  • N-Capital: Employee turnover, customer trust scores, partner ecosystem strength.
  • D-Capital: Diversity of revenue streams, customer demographics, and team cognitive diversity.

For an Individual:

  • M-Capital: Your physical health, financial savings, and the sustainability of your environment.
  • I-Capital: The rate at which you are learning new, durable skills.
  • N-Capital: The quality and strength of your relationships with family, friends, and community.
  • D-Capital: The portfolio of options you have in your life that give you resilience against unexpected change.

The goal is the same at every scale: not to maximize a single metric, but to cultivate a balanced, resilient, and generative portfolio. The first step is to change what you measure.

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