The 8 Axes of the Technology Spectrum

A detailed model adding dimensions of temporality and relationship to human skill. Axis 1: Hard-Soft. Axis 2: Consumer-Industrial. Axis 3: Enabling-Replacing. Axis 4: Transparent-Opaque. Axis 5: Centralized-Distributed. Axis 6: Sustainable-Exploitative. Axis 7: Ephemeral-Durable (designed to break vs. built to last). Axis 8: Deskilling-Reskilling (makes humans less capable vs. develops new capabilities). These eight axes create 256 technology-types, mapping the full diversity of human tool-making. Planned obsolescence places a technology on the ephemeral end. Craft tools are durable and reskilling. Digital platforms are often ephemeral (by design) and deskilling (automating expertise). The 8 Axes demonstrate that technological criticism requires multidimensional analysis.

The 8 Axes of the Technology Spectrum "You blame social media for making people stupid. The 8 Axes refine that: social media is soft, consumer, replacing (of attention), opaque, centralized, exploitative, ephemeral (by design), deskilling. That's not one problem—it's eight. Fixing it means addressing all eight axes, not just one. Technology critique requires technology literacy."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 12 Axes of the Technology Spectrum

An ultra-fine-grained model adding dimensions of scale and relationship to human autonomy. Building on the 8 Axes, we add: Axis 9: Local-Global (operates in one place vs. everywhere). Axis 10: Synchronous-Asynchronous (real-time interaction vs. delayed). Axis 11: Voluntary-Enforcing (used by choice vs. imposed by systems). Axis 12: Empowering-Controlling (increases user agency vs. reduces it). These twelve axes generate 4096 technology-types. A hammer is local, synchronous, voluntary, empowering. A credit score is global, asynchronous, enforcing, controlling. Social credit systems are designed for the enforcing-controlling quadrant. The 12 Axes reveal that technologies aren't just tools—they're relationships, and those relationships have politics built into their very structure.

The 12 Axes of the Technology Spectrum "You think the problem with facial recognition is just privacy. The 12 Axes show it's deeper: it's soft, industrial (mostly), replacing (of anonymity), opaque, centralized, exploitative, ephemeral (data expires? lol no), deskilling (of observation), global, asynchronous, enforcing, controlling. Twelve axes, twelve problems. Privacy is just the one we talk about."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 16 Axes of the Technology Spectrum

The ultimate model, adding the final dimensions of metaphysical and existential impact. Building on the 12 Axes, we add: Axis 13: Instrumental-Constitutive (tool we use vs. technology that shapes who we are). Axis 14: External-Internal (outside us vs. integrated with body/mind). Axis 15: Visible-Invisible (noticeable when used vs. faded into background). Axis 16: Controllable-Uncontrollable (we can turn it off vs. it operates beyond our choice). These sixteen axes generate 65,536 potential positions—enough to capture every technology, every relationship, every impact. The 16 Axes reveal that technology isn't just what we make—it's what makes us. Constitutive technologies (language, writing, now AI) shape human consciousness itself. Internal technologies (pacemakers, neural implants) blur the boundary between self and tool. Invisible technologies (algorithms governing everything) operate beyond awareness. Uncontrollable technologies (global systems we can't shut down) challenge human agency itself.

The 16 Axes of the Technology Spectrum "You think AI is just another tool, like a toaster. The 16 Axes show otherwise: AI is soft, industrial, replacing, opaque, centralized, exploitative, ephemeral (models change constantly), deskilling, global, asynchronous, enforcing, controlling, constitutive (shapes thought), internal (soon), invisible (already), uncontrollable (who's turning it off?). That's not a toaster—that's a new kind of thing. The 16 Axes give you language to talk about it. Use them."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 2 Axes of the Progress Spectrum

A foundational model for understanding progress along two fundamental dimensions. The first axis runs from Material Progress (advances in technology, standard of living, physical well-being—things you can measure in GDP, calories, square footage) to Moral Progress (advances in ethics, human rights, justice, dignity—things you can't measure but know when you see them). The second axis runs from Individual Progress (personal development, capability, freedom) to Collective Progress (societal advancement, institutional improvement, shared flourishing). These two axes create four quadrants: material-individual (personal wealth), material-collective (public infrastructure), moral-individual (personal virtue development), moral-collective (civil rights advancements). The model reveals that "progress" isn't one thing—it's a spectrum of improvements that don't always move together.

The 2 Axes of the Progress Spectrum "We have more stuff than ever, but are we better people? The 2 Axes of the Progress Spectrum show the tension: material progress is up, moral progress is... debatable. You can't just say 'things are getting better' without specifying which axis. Progress on one doesn't guarantee progress on the other."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 4 Axes of the Progress Spectrum

An expanded model adding two crucial dimensions to the basic framework. Axis 1: Material-Moral (stuff vs. ethics). Axis 2: Individual-Collective (me vs. us). Axis 3: Linear-Cyclical (steady advancement vs. wave-like progress that comes and goes). Axis 4: Absolute-Relative (progress against fixed standards vs. progress compared to others). These four axes create sixteen progress-types. The 20th century saw dramatic material progress (absolute) that was unevenly distributed (relative failure), with moral progress that was real but cyclical (rights advanced, then backslid). The 4 Axes reveal that progress debates often talk past each other because they're on different axes entirely.

The 4 Axes of the Progress Spectrum "You say we're making progress because technology advances. I say we're not because inequality grows. The 4 Axes show: you're on material, absolute, linear. I'm on material, relative, also linear. Same axis family, different positions. We're both right—and both wrong about the whole picture."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 6 Axes of the Progress Spectrum

A comprehensive model adding two further dimensions for deeper analysis. Axis 1: Material-Moral. Axis 2: Individual-Collective. Axis 3: Linear-Cyclical. Axis 4: Absolute-Relative. Axis 5: Intended-Unintended (progress by design vs. progress as side effect). Axis 6: Reversible-Irreversible (can be lost vs. permanent advancement). These six axes generate sixty-four progress-types. Vaccines are material, collective, linear-ish, absolute (mostly), intended, relatively irreversible (polio isn't coming back). Civil rights are moral, collective, cyclical, relative (always contested), intended, reversible (rights can be taken). The 6 Axes reveal that different kinds of progress have different dynamics, different vulnerabilities, different causes.

The 6 Axes of the Progress Spectrum "You think progress is inevitable. The 6 Axes show otherwise: some progress is reversible, some is unintended, some is cyclical. Rights can be lost. Peace can end. Wisdom can disappear. The axes tell you what kind of progress you're dealing with—and whether you need to defend it or just enjoy it."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 8 Axes of the Progress Spectrum

A detailed model adding dimensions of temporality and distribution. Axis 1: Material-Moral. Axis 2: Individual-Collective. Axis 3: Linear-Cyclical. Axis 4: Absolute-Relative. Axis 5: Intended-Unintended. Axis 6: Reversible-Irreversible. Axis 7: Fast-Slow (rapid transformation vs. gradual change). Axis 8: Concentrated-Diffuse (progress accrues to few vs. spreads to many). These eight axes create 256 progress-types, mapping the full complexity of human advancement. The Green Revolution was material, collective, linear, absolute (in yield), intended, reversible (soil depletion), fast, concentrated (big farms benefited most). The internet was material and moral mixed, individual and collective, linear in some ways cyclical in others, absolute and relative, largely unintended, probably irreversible, extremely fast, initially diffuse then concentrated.

The 8 Axes of the Progress Spectrum "Everyone celebrates technological progress, but the 8 Axes ask: what kind? Fast? Yes. Diffuse? Initially, now no. Reversible? Probably not. Intended? Not really. Moral? Debatable. You can't just say 'progress'—you have to specify all eight axes, or you're not really talking about progress, you're talking about change."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026