Random Acts of Eccentricity

Absurdity Index

ABSURDITY INDEX (AIx) FRAMEWORK

1. Bureaucratic Absurdity (BA)

• Red Tape Complexity: Average number of bureaucratic steps for a simple task (e.g., starting a business, getting a permit).

• Contradictory Laws & Policies: Cases where laws contradict each other, making it impossible to comply fully.

• Bureaucratic Response Time: How long it takes for official responses vs. how quickly citizens are expected to comply.

Data Sources: World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business, legal analysis, citizen reports.

2. Political Absurdity (PA)

• Dystopian Paradox: Cases where government policies contradict their stated values (e.g., banning protests while promoting democracy).

• Electoral Theater: Percentage of population that believes elections are a spectacle rather than a genuine democratic process.

• Surveillance vs. Freedom: Degree of government surveillance compared to official statements on personal freedoms.

Data Sources: Political surveys, Freedom House Index, public opinion polls.

3. Economic Absurdity (EA)

• Wealth Inequality Irony: The ratio of CEO pay to average worker salary in industries that claim to promote equality.

• Speculative Nonsense: Market value of assets with no intrinsic utility (NFTs, meme stocks, speculative bubbles).

• Labor Market Contradictions: Percentage of job postings requiring “entry-level” candidates with years of experience.

Data Sources: Economic reports, employment data, speculative market trends.

4. Media & Cultural Absurdity (MCA)

• Satire vs. Reality Gap: Number of times satirical media (The Onion, The Babylon Bee) gets mistaken for real news.

• Post-Truth Index: Percentage of people who believe in mutually exclusive conspiracy theories (e.g., Earth is flat & ruled by reptilian aliens).

• Irony Saturation: The ratio of memes to serious discourse in political discussions.

Data Sources: Social media analytics, satire engagement statistics, misinformation research.

5. Psychological Absurdity (PsyA)

• Cognitive Dissonance Prevalence: Rate at which people hold contradictory beliefs without noticing.

• Dark Humor Consumption: Growth rate of absurdist humor, nihilistic memes, and existential comedy.

• Apathy Index: Percentage of people disengaged from societal issues due to perceived futility.

Data Sources: Psychology studies, humor consumption trends, political disengagement metrics.

FINAL CALCULATION

The Absurdity Index (AIx) could be a weighted formula:

AIx = 0.2(BA) + 0.2(PA) + 0.2(EA) + 0.2(MCA) + 0.2(PsyA)

Each category is scored from 0 to 100, with 0 being a rational utopia and 100 being an absurdist dystopia (Brazil, Idiocracy levels).

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One response to “Absurdity Index”

  1. Hunter Cobb Avatar
    Hunter Cobb

    Calculating the Absurdity Index (AIx)

    Given the data constraints, we’ll assign illustrative scores (on a 0-100 scale) for each component, with higher scores indicating greater absurdity:

    • United States:

    • BA: 30

    • PA: 50

    • EA: 40

    • MCA: 60

    • PsyA: 55

    • AIx: (30 + 50 + 40 + 60 + 55) / 5 = 47

    • Switzerland:

    • BA: 10

    • PA: 15

    • EA: 20

    • MCA: 10

    The Absurdity Index (AIx) can serve as a tool for analyzing and predicting societal trends, potential crises, and even shifts in cultural or political landscapes. Here’s what can be inferred or predicted based on different AIx scores:

    1. Social Stability & Trust Predictions

    • Low AIx (0-20): A society with high governmental efficiency, coherent laws, low contradictions, and trust in institutions. Predictions:

    • Strong social cohesion and political stability.

    • High levels of institutional trust.

    • Rational, data-driven policy decisions.

    • A tendency toward pragmatic problem-solving rather than ideological extremism.

    • Medium AIx (20-50): A society that balances structure and some contradictions but is not yet in a state of widespread absurdity. Predictions:

    • Gradual shifts in institutional trust—could swing toward either stability or absurdism.

    • Periodic cultural debates over political contradictions.

    • Satirical media thrives but does not replace serious discourse.

    • Bureaucracy and political inefficiency lead to mild frustration but not total disillusionment.

    • High AIx (50-80): A society where contradictions, bureaucratic inefficiency, and cognitive dissonance are becoming unsustainable. Predictions:

    • Increasing public distrust in institutions and media.

    • Polarization and radicalization of political groups.

    • Satire begins to blur with reality, as political absurdity reaches a tipping point.

    • Economic policies become reactionary rather than strategic.

    • Government struggles to maintain control through traditional means, possibly resorting to censorship, surveillance, or scapegoating.

    • Very High AIx (80-100): A society where absurdity is the dominant force—bureaucracy is meaningless, truth is indistinguishable from misinformation, and contradictions are the norm. Predictions:

    • Systemic collapse is likely in political, economic, or social structures.

    • Emergence of extreme or surreal governance strategies (e.g., autocracies justified by absurd rationalizations).

    • Mass apathy or disengagement, leading to political stagnation.

    • Potential for social revolutions or complete societal restructuring.

    • Survival strategies emerge in business and daily life that revolve around gaming the system rather than following it.

    2. Economic Predictors

    • Rising AIx indicates an increased risk of economic instability due to:

    • Contradictory regulations choking innovation.

    • Public disillusionment with markets and finance.

    • Speculative bubbles forming in absurd investment areas (e.g., meme stocks, NFTs).

    • Increased underground economies as official markets become unreliable.

    • Falling AIx suggests improved economic efficiency, meaning:

    • Governments are reducing red tape.

    • Regulatory consistency attracts stable investment.

    • Public confidence in the economy remains strong.

    3. Political and Cultural Trends

    • An increasing AIx suggests rising authoritarian tendencies—governments may tighten control to manage chaos.

    • A decreasing AIx suggests democratic resilience—society is adapting and correcting contradictions before they spiral out of control.

    • A mid-range AIx (40-60) suggests an ongoing struggle—the society is in flux, with neither absurdity nor stability winning outright.

    4. Global Implications

    If the global AIx increases over time, we could predict:

    • A decline in global governance cooperation (e.g., treaties, climate initiatives fail due to bureaucratic contradictions).

    • The rise of absurd economic models that defy traditional logic.

    • More populist and extremist leaders who thrive on contradictions and emotional appeals rather than rational policies.

    • A shift in cultural focus toward surrealist and absurdist themes in entertainment and philosophy, as people attempt to process the chaos.

    If the global AIx decreases, it suggests:

    • A trend toward rational governance, where nations learn from past mistakes.

    • Better cooperation between major global powers.

    • A shift back toward logic, expertise, and coherent decision-making in politics and economics.

    Conclusion

    The Absurdity Index can be used as a leading indicator for societal shifts. Rising AIx suggests approaching instability, while falling AIx suggests a return to reason. If the AIx is high but stable, we can expect a long period of dystopian absurdity, where people adapt to contradictions rather than challenge them.

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