Gross domestic product is a misleading measure of national success. Countries should act now to embrace new metrics, urge Robert Costanza and colleagues.

GDP measures mainly market transactions. It ignores social costs, environmental impacts and income inequality. If a business used GDP-style accounting, it would aim to maximize gross revenue — even at the expense of profitability, efficiency, sustainability or flexibility. That is hardly smart or sustainable (think Enron). Yet since the end of the Second World War, promoting GDP growth has remained the primary national policy goal in almost every country1

http://www.nature.com/news/development-time-to-leave-gdp-behind-1.14499

Surprise, surprise. If GDP can't grow we must invent something new that will grow. hamsters need some new indicator with healthy grow while they are running in their wheels.