Part 2/11:
Bregman asserts that GDP is fundamentally flawed because it inadvertently equates high economic activity with societal welfare, ignoring the quality and distribution of that activity. To illustrate this, he vividly imagines a hypothetical “ideal citizen” whose actions—such as gambling, misusing medications, or going through a lengthy divorce—would contribute enormously to GDP despite reflecting personal suffering and societal dysfunction. This paradox highlights that GDP can increase precisely when social conditions worsen.