You see, I have more commonly seen it used as a clapback to anyone who dares to suggest the aggregate of a country's wealth doesn't equal wellbeing. For example, in the context of someone trying to bring up the fact that the US is one of the wealthiest nations but has the highest child starvation and maternal death rates of any industrialized nation. The first counterargument is "but but but GDP!"

I didn't say it should be done away with as a measurement. I didn't say I had developed a perfect measurement we should be using instead. I just implied it's maybe less definitive than you're making it out to be.

But it's not seen like that by anyone.

Except I told you I've experienced people who made that exact argument, so people (particularly people who don't understand it) DO see it this way. I'm glad you've not had this experience, but please don't tell me I haven't.

If you think there should be a different most common measurement, we're all ears.

Just remember to keep being defensive, that's really helpful when folks are trying to engage you in low-stakes rational discussion.