in reply to Bad conscience
Roedy Green famously wrote (as a joke):
How To Write Unmaintainable Code - Ensure a job for life ;-)
Note the smiley. It *is* very entertaining.
Probably it sometimes happens (deliberately) but it must be very hard to distinguish between good and bad intentions.
Many of us (probably) have felt the temptation (to obfuscate for bargaining purposes). I think generally, and in the long run, our best bet is to be honest, and in this case that means no deliberate obfuscations. I for one have decided for myself that come what may I will not *deliberately* make stuff uncomprehensible (or worse: delete or damage stuff).
UPDATE: At the moment I'm (re)reading an old classic: John Steinbeck's The Winter of Our Discontent (1961), about a guy who is going down this slippery slope and telling himself he remains an honest person. Pretty much your (our) situation. Although inevitably some aspects are a bit out-dated, it's still a Very Good Book (and it helped Steinbeck to his nobel prize). Recommended.