The Golden Target
A Dashboard for Deciding When to Change Everything
The Golden Target is an instrument for understanding when society is aligned enough—ethically, institutionally, socially, and technically—to take what we call the Golden Shot: a coordinated, non-revolutionary upgrade to our shared systems.
How the Golden Target Works
The center bullseye represents our shared understanding of what a viable alternative system could look like.
- A smaller bullseye means the vision is unclear or contested.
- A larger bullseye means the alternative is well-understood and grounded.
The outer ring represents how ready society is for that alternative.
- It is the inverse of how well the current system is functioning.
- When society is working well, the ring stays tight.
- As dysfunction grows, the ring expands, signaling that space is opening for change.
Between these two boundaries, eight arrows move to represent the forces that shape whether change is safe, possible, or premature.
The Eight Arrows
Golden Arrows (diagonal directions)
These represent capability in four major transformation projects:
- Golden Path
- Golden Court
- Golden Crusade
- Golden Kingdom
These arrows point outward. As capability grows—meaning ideas get clearer, prototypes get stronger, institutions are designed well—the golden arrows extend outward toward the outer ring.
Silver Arrows (cardinal directions)
These represent trust and restraint among the four institutional pillars:
- People (citizenry)
- Trustees (capital stewards)
- Leadership (official decision-makers)
- Workers (operators and implementers)
These arrows point inward. As institutions become more trusting and willing to give space for change, the silver arrows move outward, backing off from direct control.
The Linear Zone and the Nonlinear Zone
Movement inside the target is governed by a piecewise dynamic:
- 0–50%: Changes are slow, stable, and linear.
- 50–100%: Changes accelerate nonlinearly. Small moves can cause large effects.
The mid circle at 50% marks the tipping boundary—the point where careful coordination becomes essential to avoid tipping into instability or revolution.
Global Readiness
The diagram computes a readiness score based on:
- The average capability of Golden Arrows
- The average trust level of Silver Arrows
These combine through a geometric mean, meaning both capability and trust must rise together.
High capability without trust is unsafe.
High trust without capability is premature.
Only when both increase together does readiness rise.
How to Use the Golden Target
- Adjust the sliders to reflect current reality—project development, institutional trust, public alignment, worker capacity, and so on.
- Observe the arrows as they move through the linear and nonlinear regions.
- Study the alignment: where tension exists, where capability outpaces trust, or where trust is present but capability is weak.
- Read the readiness score as an indicator of coordinated potential for safe systemic change.
- Use the diagram as a restraint tool: it keeps change from being premature and prevents movement that would risk revolutionary dynamics.
Enter the Golden Target
When you’re ready, proceed to the interactive diagram and explore how close (or far) the system is from being ready to take the Golden Shot.
The Golden Target 