Left Handed in a
Right Handed World
Being left handed (also known as a southpaw) in a right handed world is
not easy. Some of the simplest tasks become more difficult for 10% of the
world’s population. While there really isn’t a definitive reason why some
of us are left handed, it is thought to be genetic and to run in families.
Although going back in my ancestry I have yet to find another lefty.
G
enetics
and
the
brain
control
left
handedness.
For
example the brain has two lobes
… the left lobe, which controls
the right hand side of the body,
and the right lobe, which controls
the left side. Because of the right
side brain dominance, lefties tend
to be holistic thinkers, creative
and more visual thinkers than
righties. Many left handers are
in creative fields. Righties tend to
be linear thinkers and are good
in language, logic, writing, math
and science. As for me I am a
very visual thinker and learn best
by use of pictures, diagrams and
drawings. Although I am left
handed, I tend to golf, bat a ball or
throw a basketball with my right
hand. While my tennis game is
not very good, I hold the racket
with my left hand, but if a ball
comes to my right side instead
of using a back hand swing, I
actually switch the racket to the
right hand. Go figure!
Many lefties are not 100% lefty
and do some functions with
their right hand. Only about
1% of the population is truly
ambidextrous. I can do some
things with my right hand…
however, if you asked me to
eat with my right hand, I’d go
hungry!
I was in a shop in Nassau,
Bahamas about 30 years ago and
was writing out a post card. I saw
the sales clerk laughing. I asked
her what was so funny and she
said she had never seen anyone
write with the left hand. I was
told that in school left handed
writing was not permitted and
you would be “forced” to change
hands.
There are many negative
connotations associated with the
phrase “left-handed”: clumsy,
awkward, unlucky, insincere,
sinister, malicious, and so on.
A “left-handed compliment” is
considered one that is unflattering
or dismissive in meaning. In
French, gauche means both “left”
and “awkward” or “clumsy”,
while droit(e) (cognate to
English direct and related to
“adroit”) means both “right”
and “straight”, as well as “law”
and the legal sense of “right”.
The name “Dexter” derives from
the Latin for “right”, as does
the word “dexterity”, meaning
manual skill. As these are all
very old words, they would tend
to support theories indicating
that the predominance of righthandedness is an extremely old
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phenomenon. (From Wikipedia,
- Handedness.)
Here’s a list of some of the worst
things we lefties have to endure!
· Spiral ring notebooks or 3-hole
binders all have the rings on the
left side, which hurts your hand
and makes it difficult to write.
· When a lefty writes with a
pen or a pencil, his/her hand
trails over the words previously
written. Depending on the pen or
pencil in question, this can lead
to smudges all over the paper and
the left hand.
· Don’t sit next to a righty when
eating dinner or else you will be
hitting elbows all through the
meal.
· Many kitchen gadgets are a
problem. While most cans today
have pull rings on them, if you
must use a handheld can-opener
you will find they are set up to be
cranked with the right hand.
· Many power tools, when held
with the left hand, can be very
harmful. For example, a circular
saw blows sawdust to the right,
which is very convenient for a
right-hander, but when held in the
left hand, makes a mess.
· Most baseball gloves are made
for right handed people. A left
handed glove is a specialty item.
· Have you noticed that lecture
hall type desks in schools/
universities have a table on the
right side (and usually made
for skinny people ... but that’s
another issue!)
There are also many superstitions
and myths related to being left
handed.
Many people believed that
pouring a drink or passing it
with your left hand was bad
luck. Also, if you give a toast
holding the glass in your left
hand it is considered to be placing
a curse on the persons you are
toasting. (I wonder if there is a
relationship between divorces
and left handed toasts!)
Seamstresses consider it to be
bad luck if they attach the left
sleeve before sewing on the right
one.
Which foot do you place on
the floor first when getting out
of bed? Many people believe
that getting out of bed left foot
first will result in your having
a bad day! Have you heard the
expression about starting off on
the right foot?
If you have an itch on your
left palm this means you owe
someone money, whereas if it’s
on your right palm you will be
the one receiving the cash.
In Roman times people believed
that evil spirits would hover over
your left shoulder, so people
would throw some salt over their
left shoulder (a very precious
commodity) to appease the devil.
The tradition of wearing your
wedding ring on the left hand was
started by Romans, who used the
ring to ward off evil associated
with the left.
Do you ever experience a ringing
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in your ears? Apparently if it’s
in your right ear this means that
someone is praising you, whereas
if it’s in your left someone is busy
cursing you!
It is also said that lefties can see
easier underwater.
If you are going travelling and
your left foot itches you are going
to have a bad day and an itch on
your right foot indicates a good
day and a pleasant journey.
Left handed people have an
easier time learning how to drive
on the right side and toll booths
and drive-thru windows in most
countries are on the left side.
Some fun facts to ponder!
In 1992 the Left Handers Club
was founded and established
August 13th as International Left
Handers Day. A day to celebrate
and make people aware of our
difference! So, on the 13th you
will find me in a Pub celebrating
with my fellow lefties!
Many lefties are faster typists. On
a standard “qwerty” keyboard
there are about 3400 words that
can be typed solely with the left
hand, compared to 450 words
solely with the right hand.
(This made me think … I am a
pretty fast typist, but use only one
finger on the right hand, but I do
use all 5 on the left!)
Studies show that most people
veer to the right if there are
multiple lines to choose from, but
lefties tend to choose the lines to
the left. They say, left-sided lines
are usually shorter.
Choosing your seat at dinner not
only can help to avoid bumping
elbows, but also gives you the best
seat with the most room. (This
unfortunately doesn’t work with
round tables.)
Being a lefty makes it easier to
write in Arabic languages and
Hebrew which are written from
right to left.
Lefties are better at multi-tasking
and at playing video games.
Some Famous Left Handed
People
Barack Obama (US President
Bill Clinton (US President)
Steve Forbes (Businessman)
Prince Charles of England
Prince William of England
Jack-the-Ripper (Serial Killer)
Paul McCartney (Musician)
Ringo Starr (Musician)
Paul Simon (Musician)
Jean Genet (Novelist)
Kurt Cobain (Musician)
Phil Collins (Musician)
Michelangelo (Artist)
LeRoy Neiman (Artist)
Raphael (Artist)
Leonardo da Vinci (Artist)
And many more!
In baseball, lefties have the
advantage of being one step
closer to first base, whereas
righties need to take one step to
turn before they race to first base.
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