The 12 Axes of the Progress Spectrum

An ultra-fine-grained model adding dimensions of scale and relationship to human flourishing. Building on the 8 Axes, we add: Axis 9: Shallow-Deep (surface-level change vs. fundamental transformation). Axis 10: Compatible-Incompatible (progress that aligns with human nature vs. progress that requires changing it). Axis 11: Measurable-Unmeasurable (quantifiable gains vs. qualitative improvements). Axis 12: Sustainable-Untenable (can continue vs. contains seeds of its own reversal). These twelve axes generate 4096 progress-types. Democracy is moral, collective, cyclical, relative, intended, reversible, slow, diffuse, deep, compatible (arguably), unmeasurable (in some aspects), sustainable (if maintained). Social media "progress" is material, individual, fast, concentrated, shallow, possibly incompatible with human psychology, measurable (engagement), and increasingly looking untenable.

The 12 Axes of the Progress Spectrum "You want to measure progress? The 12 Axes give you homework. Is it deep or shallow? Compatible with human nature or fighting it? Sustainable or about to collapse? Measurable or beyond numbers? Most of what we call progress fails on at least half these axes. That's not cynicism—that's just paying attention."

The 12 Axes of the Progress Spectrum by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026