If they didn't change they would die - that is why bacteria express error prone DNA polymerase during stress.
This could possibly reactivate pseudogenes through mutation of the sequences then rendered them ‘pseudo’ - but that is a small part of the effect.
The effect of expressing error prone DNA polymerase during stress is not to change expression of the genome (expressing psuedogenes) or to engage in gene transfer from other bacteria - it is to introduce changes into THE GENOME ITSELF.
Instead of reproducing two daughter cells that are as close to itself as possible in DNA - it introduces mutations. This has the effect of introducing novel variations.
Shapiro pointed out that novel evolutionary variations come about through regulated cell processes.
Expressing error prone DNA polymerase is a regulated cell process that introduces novel evolutionary variations.
Novel evolutionary variations. Not a ‘tote bag’.
Read Shapiro.