Digital Pebbles

A Fictional Solution To Value

Becky Chambers’ Monk And Robot series describes a symbolic system of representing value and showing appreciation that could take the place of currency called “pebs” (digital pebbles). It addresses its arbitrary corrupting nature, while also using it as a way of identifying those in need of support.

In the second chapter of the second book in the series (A Prayer For The Crown Shy) an artificially intelligent robot that has never interacted with a human accompanies a monk who has never met a robot. The first community the robot encounters quickly takes it up on its offer of help, and receives in thanks a set of numbers, which causes them some confusion:

“I'm so glad you're back,” Mosscap said, “I need to ask you something.”

Dex frowned. “Is something wrong?”

“No, no,” Mosscap said, “Nothing's wrong; I just have no idea what this is, and I didn't know how to ask." The robot opened the panel on the front of its chest, put the map inside, and removed another piece of paper from within itself. "I didn't want to seem rude.”

Dex took the paper and turned it right-side up. It was an ordinary sheet torn from a notebook, bearing several scribbled lines, each in different handwriting.

• Fixed door: 12-215735

• Changed bike tire: 8-980104

• Paint touch up: 7-910603

• Carried lumber: 4-331050

• Brushed Biscuit [the dog]: 2-495848

• Washed veggies: 5-732298

“Ah!” Dex said with a single nod. “I didn't think to explain this; I'm sorry.”

“So, you do know what it is then? Mosscap said.

“Yeah,” Dex said. “They're pebs, and the accounts they're coming from.” This elicited no response from Mosscap. “It's a way of tracking exchanges of goods and services.”

“Oh!” Mosscap said. It looked at the paper with interest. “This is … money?”

“No,” Dex said quickly. They didn't know a ton about money, but they knew enough about the concept from their days in school to reject the comparison. “Well … I mean, it is a sort of payment, I guess, but it's not … what's the word … y’know, capital.” They ran a hand through their hair. They'd never had to explain pebs before. “Okay. Anytime you receive anything that involves some sort of craft or work or labor or whatever from someone else, you give them pebs in exchange. So, let's say you start out with zero pebs.”

“Which is true, for me.”  

“Yes. Let's also say you go to a farmer and get an apple and let's say that's worth one peb to you.”  

“What would I do with an apple?”

“Just pretend you can eat apples.”

“All right.”

“Okay. You take the apple, and you give the farmer one peb.”

“How?” Mosscap asked. 

“I'll explain later,” Dex said. “Stick with the farmer for now.”

“If you say so.” Mosscap's eyes shifted in thought I currently have one hypothetical apple and negative one hypothetical pebs.”

“Right. The farmer's work has benefited you, so now you need to provide something to benefit someone else.” 

“To the farmer, you mean.”

“No,” Dex tried to explain. “It can be to the farmer, if you provide something 

the farmer wants. But exchanging pebs isn't about bartering. It's about benefit. You are a part of the community, and the farmer doing something for you means that they are, effectively, doing something for the group. So you've got your negative-one-peb balance now. You've got to fill that up. Let's say you're … I don't know. A musician. You go play some music in a town square, and five people come to listen. They now give you some pebs. If they each give you two pebs, now you've got nine pebs, which you can exchange for other things. Make sense?”

“I believe so,” Mosscap said. “You're saying that instead of a system of currency that tracks individual trade you have one that facilitates exchange through the community. Because …   all exchange benefits the community as a whole?

“Exactly.”

“Do people give you pebs for tea?”  

“Yes.”

“And then you give them pebs for …”

“Food, or supplies, or whatever.”

Mosscap's head whirred softly.  “The farmer feeds the musician, who brings music to the village.” It paused, the whirring growing louder. The technician who took a break to enjoy the music now has the energy to go fix the communications tower. The communications tower enables the meteorologist to deliver the weather report, which helps the farmer grow more apples. I see.” the robot nodded. “And I'm not penalized for the debt I incurred at the start?”

“Absolutely not,” Dex said firmly. “We don't … we don't do that. Or we don't do that anymore, I guess.” Gods around, history class was a long time ago. “Nobody should be barred from necessities or comforts just because they don't have the right number next to their name.” As they said this they thought of their unease back at the hot spring — the feeling that had arisen at the thought they hadn't earned this. The mismatch between these sentiments itched at them. They nudged it aside to deal with later.

Mosscap nodded again at their explanation. “But if there's no penalty for debt, what's to stop you from taking without giving back?”

“It's a bad feeling,” Dex said. “Everybody has a negative balance from time to time, for lots of reasons. That's fine. That's part of the ebb and flow. But if someone had a huge negative … well, that says they need help. Maybe they’re sick. Or stuck. Maybe they’ve got something going on at home. Or maybe it’s just one of those times when they need other people to carry them for a while. That's okay everybody ends up there sometimes. If I saw a friend's balance and it was way in the red. I'd make a point of checking in.”

“You can see other people's balances?”

“Yeah, of course. It's all public.”

“Does that not get competitive?”  

Dex squinted. “Why would it?”

Mosscap stared at Dex in silence for a moment, seemingly surprised at this but not elaborating as to why. It shrugged, then pointed at the paper in Dex's hands. “ So these …”

“Are the pebs people gave you for helping them out.” Dex handed the paper back. “You got 12 pebs for the door, 8 pebs for the bike, and so on. Normally, we do this on a pocket computer —”

“Yes, yes, that's what Ms Ida asked,” Mosscap said. “She asked if I had a computer, and I said no, so she tore a piece of paper from her sketchbook for me.”

Yeah, we'll need to set you up with a peps account and enter all these in manually. I'm pretty sure there's a computer vendor in the next town over. We can swing that way next.”

Mosscap's lenses expanded broadly. “I'm going to get a pocket computer?”

“Yeah, looks like you need one.” The irony of a robot needing a computer did not Escape Dex and they found themselves amused by this.  

Mosscap on the other hand was a bit overwhelmed. “Goodness,” it said. “Will you teach me to use it ?”

“Of course,” Dex said.

“And I get to keep it for …”

“For as long as you want. It'll be yours.”  

“But I don't have pockets.”

“You can keep it in there. Dex pointed at mosscap's chest. “It doesn't require pockets, it just fits in one.”

Mosscap studied the villagers’ ledger, holding the paper with both hands. “So according to this I have …” It let go of the paper with one hand and silently counted on the other, touching its thumb to each fingertip in concentrated sequence. “38 pebs.” It looked to Dex. “What can I get with 38 pebs?

“Anything you want,” Dex said with a laugh.

“Well, I don't know! I've never had belongings, Sibling Dex. Or been in need of services. what do you use pebs for?”  

“Most often? Food. Supplies. A place to sleep, if I want a break from the wagon. I don't know, just … stuff I want. Things I like, or appreciate.

“Hmm.” Mosscap rubbed its metal chin. “I appreciate anthills. I like foggy mornings. I don't know if I have much use for pebs.” It paused. “What is a peb anyway?”  

“It's short for ‘digital Pebbles’, but nobody says that.”

“Pebbles, like you find in a stream.”  

“Yeah, early Pangans used them for trade. But hang on, you said something before about not having use for pebs.” They gave their head a small shake. “That's not the point. It doesn't matter whether you use them or not. You don't have to give a single peb to anyone on this trip, if you don't want to, or don't have reason to.

“Then why are people giving them to me?”

“Because the point of a peb exchange is to acknowledge someone's labor and thank them for what they bring to the community. They didn't give you 38 pebs because they want you to go out and spend them. They gave you 38 peps because your work is as important as anybody else's. It means they see you as a person.”  

“But I'm not a person, I'm —”

“An object, I know. But they see you as something equal to a person. And that's … that's really important.” Dex nodded to themself, satisfied by this. “I have to say, I was a little worried about them taking advantage of you, the way they were having you run around doing chores.”

“Oh, but it was a delight,” Mosscap said. “I asked, after all. And what better way to learn about how people live than getting my hands on everyday things?”  

“I guess you've got a point there,” Dex said, “If that's what you want to do, then by all means, go for it.” But we are going to get you a computer at our next stop, and if you ever run into anybody who wants you to help out and doesn't think to give you pebs you make sure to ask them, if I don't first.”

Mosscap absorbed that. “Just to be clear,” it said after a moment, “Pebs are a way to acknowledge mutual benefit within your Society. Is that a fair way to put it?”

“Yeah, that works.”  

“So … by giving me pebs, are they saying I'm part of your society as well?”

Dex smiled. “Yeah, in essence.”  

The robot cocked its head. “But I don't know enough about your society to properly participate. I don't know how any of this works.”

“Neither does a kid,” Dex said, “but they're part of society all the same.”  

“Would you give pebs to a kid?” Mosscap asked.

“If they helped me” — Dex glanced at the list — “wash some veggies? I sure would.”

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