Pedagogical Model: This calculator is a conceptual demonstration tool designed to illustrate the theoretical relationships within the NiCE Framework. Parameter values and outputs are illustrative, not empirically calibrated. Use for educational exploration of framework concepts.
Quantify systemic deviation from ecological rationality using the formula:
IQₘ = (L × T) / (B × M)
Where symbolic abstraction (L × T) is constrained by biophysical feedback and moral limits (B × M).
Total non-financial debt / GDP (1=low leverage, 10=extreme debt burden)
Financial trading speed/volume relative to real economy (1=slow/matched, 10=hyper-fast speculation)
Ecological tethering: biocapacity/footprint ratio (1=severe overshoot, 10=large surplus)
Institutional integrity & equality (1=high inequality/corruption, 10=low inequality/high integrity)
Real-world examples from "The Insanity Quotient" (Kitcey, 2025). Click to load values.
| Case Study | L | T | B | M | IQₘ | Category |
|---|
Based on "The Insanity Quotient: A Comparative Analysis" by R.D. Kitcey (2025)
IQₘ = (Symbolic Leverage × Tempo Desynchronization) / (Biophysical Feedback × Moral Constraint)
All variables are normalized to a 1-10 scale for comparability. IQₘ approaches zero in ecologically sane systems where feedback dominates, but escalates toward infinity in monetarily unanchored regimes where leverage is unbounded and constraints are minimized.
Definition: The degree of abstraction and reliance on financial fictions over tangible assets.
Proxy: Total Non-Financial Debt-to-GDP Ratio
Measures total debt of governments, households, and non-financial corporations relative to real economy (GDP). Higher ratio means more activity fueled by promises (abstraction) rather than current production (reality).
Normalization: 1 = ~50% Debt/GDP (minimal leverage), 10 = ~350%+ (extreme debt burden)
Source: Bank for International Settlements (BIS), IMF, national central banks
Definition: The mismatch between speed of financial processes and tempo of ecological/social processes.
Proxy: Stock Market Total Value Traded-to-GDP Ratio (turnover ratio)
High value indicates hyper-fast financial system focused on short-term speculation, drastically out of sync with slow cycles of nature (seasons, generations) and long-term business investment.
Normalization: 1 = ~5% (slow, matched tempo), 10 = ~300%+ (hyper-speed speculation)
Source: World Bank, national stock exchanges
Definition: The system's tethering to physical limits and capacity for self-correction.
Proxy: Biocapacity-to-Ecological Footprint Ratio (inversely scaled)
If population's Footprint exceeds Biocapacity, it runs an ecological deficit (not tethered to local reality). Lower ratio = weaker feedback.
Normalization: 1 = Severe overshoot (ratio < 0.5), 10 = Large surplus (ratio > 1.5)
Source: Global Footprint Network
Definition: The presence of intrinsic, pro-social, and ethical limits on self-interested behavior.
Proxy: Composite Index of Gini Coefficient and Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI)
Gini (0=perfect equality, 1=perfect inequality) measures distributive justice. CPI (0=highly corrupt, 100=very clean) measures abuse of power. High inequality + high corruption = weak moral constraint.
Normalization: 1 = High inequality & corruption (Gini > 0.55, CPI < 25), 10 = Low inequality & high integrity (Gini < 0.25, CPI > 85)
Source: World Bank (Gini), Transparency International (CPI)
The IQₘ is sensitive to normalization choices and proxy selection. All historical benchmarks use best-available data from authoritative sources (BIS, World Bank, Global Footprint Network, Transparency International) but involve judgment in the 1-10 scaling. The model assumes a linear relationship between normalized proxies and systemic insanity, which may not fully capture non-linear, emergent properties of complex systems. Use as a diagnostic heuristic for pattern recognition, not as a precise prediction algorithm. Different analysts may arrive at different values depending on data sources and interpretive frameworks.