A paired set of adjectives tied to finance and law, and apparently to quantum physics is quite intriguing. I take their meaning to be something like replaceable vs. irreplaceable. Gold, apparently is fungible. Diamonds are non-fungible, because of each diamond being unique.
When I lose something, it is because it is non-fungible – there is only one. Possibly it is semi-fungible, in that another item will do the same job, moreorless. Such as a slightly broken set of earbuds, or a biro instead of my favourite pen. Best is really if it is fungible, like a piece of blank paper. There’s always another piece of paper around.
Non-fungibility breeds attachment, and that’s not good, is it? Like a horcrux (I imagine), we tuck a little bit of ourselves into that item, familiarity has made a bond. Yes, it’s great to have it, but it’s terrible to lose it.
There is a fluidity to the easily-replaceable, it encourages me to think of everything of having a potential, anything could be a tool, an objet d’art, no matter how commonplace.
Maybe make connections with things that can be easily replaced? Record collections seem to be intensely non-fungible, until they are not. » Continue Reading.