Perpetual Motion Exists: The "Idol of Images"

The economics and convenience of idols

Honestly, an idol is a pretty good deal.

Bring one home and there's no monthly fee. Maintenance costs are almost zero. It barely takes up space.

Compared to a pet? No contest. No feeding. No walks. No cleanup.
You don't have to play with it. It just sits there. You only look for it when you need it.

A magic lamp: minimal effort, maximum expected return

People stand in front of it and say everything they want: money, health, their kids passing exams, a business hit. A few bows, a few wishes.
For that level of investment, the expected return makes it honestly an attractive portfolio.

An idol never interferes or scolds

Unlike God, an idol says nothing. It doesn't tell you to fix your life. It doesn't tell you to change your behavior. It doesn't tell you to look at your sins. It doesn't tell you to repent. If an idol ever opened its mouth and started nagging? You'd probably sell it secondhand. Same day.
Zero interference. One hundred percent acceptance of your desires. That's the spec people want in a god.

Conclusion: the outcome of worshipping a powerless idol, and the contradiction

But if idols were really so effective, why are there still so many poor countries full of idols?
People hand everything over to the idol and relax, so is the idol just not doing its job?