# corruption (process)

drift of a parameter toward a wall when maintenance no longer keeps it within the window

- Computed level: L15 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: abstract  ·  Arena: system-dynamics

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [parameter](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-parameter.condition), [window](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-window.range), [wall](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-wall.range-end), [drift](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-drift.aimless), [maintenance](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-maintenance.upkeep), [keep](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-keep.maintenance), [toward](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-toward.spatial)

**Through:** drift.aimless pushes a parameter toward a wall while maintenance.upkeep opposes it; when upkeep fails, the parameter moves toward the boundary of the window.

**Novel properties:**
- uncontrolled directional change
- impending boundary violation
- maintenance failure consequence

## Examples
- The Tacoma Narrows Bridge oscillated with increasing amplitude until it collapsed, despite routine inspections. *(engineering)*
- Argentina's 1998–2002 currency peg to the US dollar drifted toward collapse as reserves dwindled and capital fled. *(economics)*
- The International Space Station's orbit decays about 2 km monthly without reboosts from visiting spacecraft. *(physics)*

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-corruption.process*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-corruption.process.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*