One of the oft-cited features of complex systems is their ability to adapt to environmental changes and shocks. This is often contrasted with human-made engineered systems which are typically specialized and optimized to work in only the limited conditions for which they were designed. The point being underlined in these discussions is that complex systems are self-organizing (and often self-perpetuating) and thus their behaviors are contingent on inputs in ways that purpose-built systems are typically not. What these discussions often leave out is the crucial fragility that many complex systems exhibit to specific inputs and disruptions.

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