I visited my doctor today to consult with him about my peripheral artery problem, and in removing my shoes to examine my feet, he twitted me about the way I tie my shoelaces. My problem with shoelaces, knitting and writing is that I am left-handed. This brought about a little research on google, and I found that only 1 percent of people over 80 are left=handed. This may be because left-handed people die sooner than right-handed people, probably because of accidents. For those under twenty, the percentage is only 10 percent, and for middle-aged people it is about 5 percent. On the other hand, lefties are purported to have higher intelligence than right-handers and to make more money and become more influential. A good many world leaders and presidents are left-handed. Churchill, Queen Victoria, King George, Prince Charles, Prince William to name a few. Among our presidents, Ronald Reagan, President Bill Clinton, Harry Truman, George W. Bush, and several others. When I was in the third grade I trained myself to write right-handed because it is so much easier to write that way, instead of having to cramp my hand over the line to write. I still write right-handed but when it comes to doing math, I often find the pencil in my left hand.
I always knew that lefties think differently than righties. Sometimes this worked to my disadvantage because supervisors do not like subordinates who think differently. I was able to rapidly advance from a junior clerk to the position of accountant because I am a good test-taker, but I never felt that my supervisor appreciated my suggestions and attempts to improve the performance of the junior clerks . Then when I became involved in the Viet Nam protest movement, she was convinced that I was just not her type. Luckily, after a few years, the office was closed and I transferred to another position.
Think of the disadvantages lefties face. Everything is designed for right-handers. Door knobs, knives, scissors, typewriters, computers, cars, all of which are a challenge as it is almost impossible to use the left hand. Even can openers are hard to operate. No wonder we are thought to be easily frustrated.
I hate to impose this negative thought into my essay, but so help me, the research suggests that lefties are more subject to mental illness, while at the same time are often geniuses. Go figure.
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3 comments:
I am right handed, but do certain things with my left hand, like knitting and twisting my hair. I wonder if that makes me smarter, or if I'm just weird?
Hi. Thanks for the comment. I used to bowl and bat with my right hand. But I eat, knit, draw with my left hand. Of the six children in my family, four were left-handed.That was because both of my parents were left-handed. I am the only one who writes right-handed.
You said that "I found that only 1 percent of people over 80 are left=handed". That's most probably because left handed people of that generation were forced at school to wrtie with their right hands.
Did you know that, until fairly recently, having a left-handed wife was grounds for divorce in Japan?!
Living in a right-handed world is certainly frustrating but it does mean we are more adept at using our right hands. If a right-handed person injures their right arm they are usually pretty useless at using their left arm. We have the upper hand, so to speak.
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