Re: "Understand the technicalities in a way I couldn't do"
You could tell them the story about the chessboard and the grain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_and_chessboard_problem
For instance, someone does a favour for, er, the government and they claim only this nominal reward... (see also "Private Finance Initiative").
OK, maybe do not give them this particular version of the problem.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
