“What about that one?” Raven asked, pointing to a bronze Statue of Liberty on another corner of the plaza.
“A living statue,” the stone man said. “Like me.”
“And that one?” Raven pointed to a man posed in such a way it would be impossible for him to be alive and thusly posed.
“A living statue held up by a hidden brace,” the stone man explained.
“And…center?” Raven pointed to the fountain at the center of the square. It was a fountain with no figures.
“That’s a fountain,” said the stone man. “It’s not alive.”
“Hmm...and yet, people throw it coins as well,” Raven mused. “So you stand here all day, stock still, so that people will give you money? Is there no other way for you to earn your keep? Perhaps a way with more integrity?”
“The one thing the Artificial Intelligences cannot do better than a human is stand still,” said the man.
“There’s some irony in that,” said Raven. “Considering that Man invented the Artificial Intelligences. Can’t you have the Intelligences make you money, since they are beholden to you, their Creator?”
“Oh, no,” said the stone man. “The Intelligences only make money for the sixty richest people in the world—the Oligarchs! Everyone else must pose as stone, to a greater or lesser degree, based on provided financial information. Now if you will move around a bit—flap your wings, land on my other shoulder, and so on—the effect of your motion will garner me more coins, to be sure. Tonight, my children will eat steak!”
Raven flapped to the stone man’s other shoulder.
