In today's society many people wander aimlessly and passively look at the everyday objects surrounding them. Only acknowledging the things they want to see and ignoring those they don't wish to see. I can't count the times that I to have guiltlessly overlooked these same objects. How many people in today's society can admit to this? As I ponder what ordinary object I will write about, my mind slips to one word. Paper, something the entire world sees everyday in one form or another and yet no one in all of mankind notices paper's contributions to today's world.
As I observe paper for the very first time I instantly realize how many uses society has for paper, millions. The invention of paper has been dated to over 5000 years ago, but paper as today's society knows it comes from China in 105 AD and T'sai Lun is accredited for the invention.
More room for paper!
paper
Paper for my notebook.When I look at paper I see it as an way of communication, an extension of language that transcends the writer, reader or user into another dimension of various things such as excitement, knowledge and even sometimes boredom that speaking can't touch. How else can billions of people all from different countries, cultures, backgrounds and languages be reading some of the same novels, and magazines or learning the same lessons in school without the use of paper or looking at some of history's greatest paintings from artists such as Picasso, El Greco, Michelangelo and Da Vinci . This makes me wonder yet again how something used so often is seldomly thought about. Upon viewing paper I also realize that without it there would be no books, magazines, and newspapers. Just think of going to school without any kind of book or paper to read or write things down. On second thought if paper didn't exist there would be no money. Money, a five letter word that this entire earth thrives on. Visualize no paychecks or income. Imagine doing everything for free. In fact, when parents tell their children that "money doesn't grow on trees" this is not very true. It indeed comes from paper which is made from trees. It has been said that "money makes the world go round" this cliché is surprisingly false. Paper I'm sure takes the slot, if my opinion is doubted imagine the world without an paper products whatsoever.
In conclusion, by observing paper I see that for the first time what an important impact it has on the world today. Paper has indeed left its mark in the history of great inventions, picture taking a fill in the blank test today on something you did a month ago. I also couldn't imagine drawing hieroglyphics as the Egyptian, leaning everything by ear or writing in stone like Fred in the Flintstones. Without paper there are so many things mankind wouldn't be able to enjoy. Society today takes many ordinary objects for granted, forgetting that the objects used from day to day were not always around. Society also thinks of ordinary objects as average, common, standard and usual but what society fails to understand is that the plain ordinary objects are really the extraordinary ones.
Cites used:Seeing and Writing 3 by Donald McQuade/ Christine McQuade
Early Chinese hemp fiber paper, used for wrapping ...
El Greco
The paper-free restroom