Bjcorbin's Blog

A system or entity that is “self-perpetuating” has the ability to sustain, and even grow itself with little or no outside intervention.  To create such a dynamic, the systems are intentionally designed to keep you coming back, ultimately demanding more and more of your resources to maintain a static level of participation.  They are largely dependent on the perception that they are essential to our well-being. 

While these systems do tend to provide some amount of return initially, continued interaction routinely requires an increased level of contribution for an ever-diminishing return.  I would suggest that the best examples of this would be our system of government, the higher education system, the health care system, and our religious systems.