The history of origami that Samson presents in Paper: An Elegy is rather intriguing, considering that the name “origami” wasn’t really widespread before Western cultures took the name to exotify paper folding. I was especially surprised by how origami spread across the world. Often I forget that the Internet is a relatively new technology in the grand scheme of things, and before the Internet, niche interests couldn’t spread as quickly as they do now and information was not as easily accessible as it is now. Reading about origami organizations and television programs seems so odd to me now, but it makes total sense that these would be the methods in which origami would spread. It was the best way to get information out there, so why not use them to teach people how to fold paper. I think the part that surprised me most was the idea of origami organizations or communities. When I learned about origami as a kid, it was never really through organizations, just through after school daycare when the teachers would have no homework for us to do, so they would teach us origami. Beyond that I always saw origami as a pretty solitary activity because I would just Google a tutorial online and follow it and be done with it. However, it makes sense that organizations centered around origami would exist because isn’t that what clubs are for? A group of people with similar interests meeting to do activities together and learn.
- Lilian