Louise frowned grimly. "That's right, wise guy. Make jokes about it. Your involved in a malicious software attack on a legal officer of the United States Government. You''ll see." She paused, looking him over. "You know, Shimizu, you don't look much like the Italian mafia gangsters I have to deal with, back in Providence."
"I'm not a gangster at all. I never do anyone any harm."
"Oh no?" Louise glowered at him. "Listen, pal, I know a lot more about your set-up, and your kind of people, than you think I do. I've been studying your outfit for a long time now. We computer cops have names for your kind of people. Digital panarchies. Segmented, polycephanlous, integrated influence networks. What about all these free goods and services you're getting all the time?"
She pointed a finger at him. "Ha! Do you ever pay taxes on those? Do you ever declare that income and those benefits? All the free shipments from other countries! The little homemade cookies, and the free pens and penscils and bumper stickers, and the used bicycles, and the helpful news about fire sales. . . . You're a tax evader! You're living through kickbacks! And bribes! And influcence peddling! And all kinds of corrupt off-the-books transactions!"
Tsuyoshi blinked. "Look, I don't know anything about all tht. I'm just living my life."
"Well, your network gift economy is underming the lawful, government-approved, regulated economy!"
"Well, " Tsuyoshi said gently, "maybe my economy is better than your economy."
"Says who?" She scoffed. "Why would anyone think that?"
"'It's better because we're happier than you are. What's wrong with acts of kidness? Everyone likes gifts. Midsummer gifts. New Year's Day gifts. Year-end presents. Wedding presents. Everybody likes those."
"Not the way you Japanese like them. You're totally crazy for gifts."
"What kind of society has no gifts? It's barbaric to have no regard for common human feelings."
Maneki Neko, Bruce Sterling
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