How to truly measure the rate at which a civilization evolves--an inversion

What is a measurement of how "advanced" a culture is? Is it based on technological
developments? The ability to manipulate more and more macro and micro environments (genetics)? The ability to kill thousands of people with one bomb, or conversely, destroy only structures? What is the measure?

As stated by Carl Jung, we call cultures that lived with and on the land "primitive".
Cultures that used native plants and wildlife and moved between the sea and mountains, or prairie to harvest the earth's natural resources are considered "savage" or "uncivilized". We, however, the more advanced culture, spend millions and millions of dollars, subjugate populations to drill and refine oil into which we turn into products that we use only once, then we bury them in the ground where they pollute our soil and watersheds. Yes, indeed, we are the more "advanced" culture.

The whole idea and definition of progress has to be re-evaluated and the survival of the human species depends on it.

How ironic that we have suppposedly advanced through so many industrial revolutions only to find that we are now at global risk of extinction. Personally, and in alignment with E.O. Wilson, the best thing for the earth would be the extinction of the human species. She would be fine without us. Parasites are hard to expel.

So how do we measure civilzation if technological achievements are not the way? Do we measure it by the arts then? Music? Literature or poetry? Do we measure it by how kind we are to one another (altruism which I argue is impossible in the human species) or how cruel? Is power a measure of how civilized a culture is?

None of these are right. I propose that we measure a civilization by the rate of its lowest mentality, not its highest and until we can pull the lowest mentality forward
(the end must meet the tip), this is where our culture sits. It is not the scientist who discovers a cure for AIDS that advances our civilization. It is the ignorant, selfish and barbaric that define it and until we can force these primitive beings
(many of which are in the U.S. Congress) forward, our whole culture suffers. More simply, we are dragged down into the dregs which is what they represent.

If we do not pay attention to this, we face alarming changes in our society as these
lower levels of civilization gain more power yet by doing so, they prove my
theory.

A civilzation moves at the rate of its lowest mentality.

I'm afraid this is the best measure.