GDP might be not that meaningful but you can, for example, look at what share of humanity is still starving (thus getting a handle on poverty), how many people

GDP might be not that meaningful but you can, for example, look at what share of humanity is still starving (thus getting a handle on poverty), how many people can afford a bike, a washing machine, a TV, a car, holidays on other continents and so on. That would give you a more realistic view on economic progress. GDP was my (probably ill-advised) way of saying that the economy has massively grown in the last hundred years. We can produce more things at a lower cost.