Day 1 vs Day 2

Biological Parallel

Mature forests enter 'climax' states where competitive equilibrium slows innovation—established trees monopolize light, preventing new species from emerging. This stability is also stagnation: diversity declines, productivity plateaus, vulnerability to catastrophic disturbance rises. Ecologists call this the 'climax trap.' Bezos's Day 2 describes the corporate equivalent: optimization without disruption leads to competitive senescence. Day 1 thinking maintains the disturbance regime that prevents climax, keeping systems in productive, adaptive states.