The Origami Forum

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Ignore them.

Some of my main hobbies include origami, juggling, and board games. I basically take the stance that if someone doesn't "get" it, and they don't seem interested in learning, then I just ignore them.

Then again, I try to avoid going out in public...

Well, not many people could say this truthfully, but if I'm particularly irked, I'll reply with something like, "yes, and I make a better living at it than you do."

I never made this experience. the people were ether interested, or uninterested, but never made me think, I was doing a childrens hobby. maybe this has something to do with the inexplicable death of the last person that asked me for a flapping bird... ... well, I don't think so
no, but really. I carry some pictures of folded models with me. if somebody is interested in origami (what seldom happens), I can show him the pictures. and at least in that moment, he/she/it knows, that it's not only a childrens hobby. I made the experience with the common prejudice, that origami is only done by kids, but in the moment, somebody likes to know, I correct this prejudice. I think, the worst thing to do, is to ignore the people.


Christian

If people don't like my origami I eat their legs.

Yikes! Well, I am in the same boat Dani. If it caught me off guard I wouldn't know what to say. I would have only had thought of replies that were cruel, uncivilzed, and would place them in therapy for a long time. However, like you said I couldn't and wouldn't say those things.

Do keep in mind that some of these people have only seen the most basic of origami, and really just do not know any differently. They have only seen what their 5 year old child has done, and they think that is all there is to origami.

Another reason may be that they just have no interest in the art of origami. I have made some very interesting creations in Photoshop, and I use to email them to relatives that made it perfectly clear that they have no interest in anything made in Photoshop, that just does not interest them. Unfortunately, I didn't stop showing them my work. So, now they will not even reply to my emails. My point is there will be some arts that the public will turn their noses up at it.

malachi,

Then again, I try to avoid going out in public..

Yeah, so do I. I have gone through things like Dani just went through all my life. It just isn't worth the trouble anymore.

Joseph Wu,

"yes, and I make a better living at it than you do."

Only you get to say that.

I usually keep a few models in a container in my backpack, just in case someone's interested. TBH, I've never really had anyone that has denigrated my origami efforts. At first, people are intrigued and stare, so I look up to notice them looking and go back to what I'm doing. If I check back and they're still staring, then I'll look at them to see if they have a question, which is usually "what are you making?" That's where having a couple of example models come in. Most of the stuff I fold is Lang's models, so it's obvious when you show them to someone, it's not something they taught you in grade school. Typical response (usually coming from cynical urban teenagers) is "Whoah! That's tight!" It's also a good excuse to give away a few. I just find it amazing that it's possible to take a piece of paper and transform it into something that someone would consider valuable.

I know this problem too, I was often asked when folding in the train if I´m a kindergarden-teacher. Usually I fold something complex on train, so I show them my work and the instructions I work with and ask them if they think, that you can fold something like this with children. The answer is clear: Of course not!
Then people get really interested, asking how I come to Origami, if it is possible to make this or that and if I could be as nice and fold something they could take with them.
Most people are trying to remember how to make a "salt and pepper" or maybe if they learned in school a crane, only a few of them know that what I was doing is called Origami.

Just offer to teach the skeptics an high intermediate model. Then one of the following three things will happen:

a) they'll insist that it's for kids, at which point you can conveniently remark on their inability to do something that kids can,

b) they'll try to do it and end up completely lost, and you'll get the satisfaction of hearing them admit that it's harder than it looks.

or c) they'll say they're not interested, and then you can just ignore them 'cos no amount of preaching is going to change their minds.

So two-thirds of the time, you'll get to deflate their sorry little egos. That's a pretty good deal!

you could also knock them unconscious, steal all their money and buy lots of new origami books


Christian

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fold an origami chainsaw and saw their limbs off one by one, squirting lemon juice on their wounds until they admit their mistake

I like it.

or just give them lots of paper cuts and perform similar torture with aforementioned citrus extractions