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#27. Pilea peperomioides (“Chinese money plant”)

On how the comparisons we make betray the things we care about

Jonny Sun

Mar 31
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This is entry number 27 of my newsletter, A small list of knowable things. As a reminder, if you are reading this entry but haven’t subscribed to the newsletter yet, you can subscribe here — you'll get a new drawing and essay in your inbox every week. Thank you for reading, as always!

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Honestly, it bums me out that somebody, at some point in time, looked at the round leaves of this plant and thought “these leaves are round, like coins, therefore, this plant shall be called a money plant” instead of thinking “these leaves are round, like the moon” or “these leaves are round, like the plates in my home” or “these leaves are round, like lily pads” and that when this plant grows its round leaves, naturally, out of nothing but sunlight and water and soil, it is the comparison to cold forged metal, to wealth and fortune and capital, that is the one that has stuck.

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From quietly provocative international best selling author and TV writer Jonny Sun, A small list of knowable things is a weekly illustration and reflection on a personal object close to his heart. If you haven't already, you can subscribe here.

  1. Telephone

  2. Carrot (imagined)

  3. Marimo moss ball

  4. Traffic model

  5. Tin of fried dace with salted black beans

  6. Study of the interior volume of the Sant’Eligio degli Orefici in Rome

  7. Engraved stainless steel cup (belonging to Hrishikesh Hirway)

  8. 3.5mm auxiliary cord input

  9. Digimon Digivice D3

  10. Glass of water (overfilled but not yet spilled over)

  11. Lily pad

  12. Chess piece (rook)

  13. ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

  14. Fountain pen

  15. Bucket

  16. Succulent arrangement (after 9 months)

  17. Rock (ordinary)

  18. Chocolate chip cookie (with chocolate chips omitted)

  19. Shelly Senbei rice crackers

  20. Ficus Audrey (Ficus benghalensis)

  21. Dictionary

  22. Bouquet of flowers (after one week)

  23. 1-2-3 block

  24. Dumpling water

  25. Bundled pair of socks

  26. Restaurant t-shirt

  27. Pilea peperomioides (“Chinese money plant”)

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1 Comment

  • Tripp Duke
    As always, thank you for the words of wisdom and a glimpse of retrospect.
    • 8w
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