This might seem like it at first, but it isn’t actually the case.

Periodic perturbations is the key insight here:
When exposed to periodic perturbations, a system can oscillate between different exicitory and relaxed states. Now, while the relaxed states are largely similar, th https://twitter.com/archiebrave/status/1308504293939568640

The excited states can have DRAMATIC variation- in effect, perturbation pushes a state in a local minima of stability “up the hill” in some direction, and when the perturbation recedes (trough in period), it allows the state to fall to the closest local minima before reperturbing

This is the same function that allows for complex life to emerge- it is precisely because we have day (energetic perturbation) and noght (energetic relaxation) that complex molecules may associate in so many different ways that we can actually get to some new local minima.

Because at the end of the day, most directions up the hill don’t lead anywhere. They’re dead ends. So we need to try and try again to find a path that works.

While fun to think about, this doesn’t actually answer Archie’s question- the real answer is that what he’s looking at isn’t a closed system, he’s applying energy to make order, which is fully within 2nd Law.