Mollyduker ! Why I... ( Left Handedness )

THANKS,  MATT GROENING  !

Mollyduker ! Why I...  ( Left Handedness )

Written By : Jeffrey R Hilton

Feb. 14, 2012

***

Being left handed has it's share of annoyances.  Sometimes I wonder if having a special place in the worlds population as being within the 10% of the worlds population that is left handed is a blessing or a curse,  but nevertheless,  I accept my fate of being a Southpaw.  The word, Southpaw,  ( Slang ) originated in the U.S with baseball.  Being left handed has always had a long history of persecution,  repression,  ridicule,  and stigma attached to it.  In most cultures,  left handedness was a sign of the devil in ancient times.  The word,  left in Latin was originally,  sinistra,  meaning sinister,  but took on evil connotations and began to mean unlucky.  Left handedness also means,  sinistrality,  sinstromaunuality or,  mancinism.


Left handedness is already developed in the fetus stage and twins have a high incidence of left handedness.  Left handed people's brains are built a bit different than that of their right handed counterparts.  In Russia,  left handed came to mean,  Craftsmanship.  I am left handed and my mother was left handed.  I remember her telling me how one of her teachers used to whack her on her left hand with a yard stick whenever she was caught trying to write with her left hand.  Apparently this was a cruel and widespread practice in the 1930s and 40s as teachers tried to reform anyone left handed.  Although I am a lefty,  I use my left hand to write with and hold a fork with my left hand,  but when cutting meat,  I have to use the knife in my left hand and switch the fork to the right hand.  This is somewhat awkward.  I hold a phone in my left hand,  but as soon as any writing has to be done,  I must switch the phone to the right hand and use the left to write with,  which is equally awkward.


Left handed people are revered within the indigenous peoples of the Andes and their Inca ancestors.  It is believed that left handed people possess special spiritual abilities,  including magic and healing powers.  Scientific studies found that the left handed populace has an above average quota of high achievers among their numbers.  In Tantric Buddhism, the left hand signifies wisdom.  In many cultures,  to offer your left hand in a handshake was an insult and unacceptable.

Left handed people have been getting a bad rap for a long time and the (slang) names attached by various countries are often demeaning.  In Australia, while the term, Southpaw is used,  more commonly used is,  Mollyduker. or ( Molly-Dooker ) Goofy is another slang term sometimes used and even Cack Handed, Lefty or Clumsy.  I like to call it artistic and creative.

Fast Facts

Left handed people make up a large percentage of the most brilliant minds in the world. 20 % of all Mensa members are left handed.  Left handed people have a greater chance of being a genius or having a high IQ.  Left handed men with a college education or better
earn 13 % more than that of their right handed counterparts. Left handed people can see better underwater.  Have an upper hand in many sports.  In Baseball, a left handed batter is already facing 1st base.  A left handed pitcher can keep an eye on 1st more easily and cover more of the outfield by wearing his glove on his right hand.  Lefties have an advantage in Boxing, Fencing,  and Tennis.  Lefties learn to drive easier than right handed people.  Much of this is thought to be because a lefty,  constantly uses both sides of the brain.  Left handed people recover from strokes faster.  Often better at video games and are more visual than language oriented.

Left and Right Handed Scissors

The first problem a left handed person notices is that when writing with the left hand,  great care must be taken not to smudge the paper as the hand moves left to right over what you've written already.  This pertains to painting pictures as well.  Secondly, unless you use left handed scissors,  the line being cut along is blocked from view,   and molded scissor handles are shaped to accommodate right hands.  Oddly,  I have always used my right hand to cut with.  It's enough to drive you crazy at times,  but us lefties are an adaptable bunch.  Modern times have brought more awareness to our plight and even a few left handed stores that cater strictly to us.  As a right handed person,  you should try using left handed scissors, guitars and can openers so you can see for yourself,  what we face daily.  right handed people that suffer any serious long term disability from a hand injury,  often switch to being left handed.  Kind of a no brainer really,  but it's part of research findings.

Left Handed Shooter  ( Navy Seal )

In a dominantly right handed world,  here is a list of items that are generally not left handed friendly unless left handed versions are created.  many of these items are now available to lefties but for centuries were not.


Scissors
Knives
Cutlery
Cameras
Turnstiles
Can Openers
Vegetable, Peelers
Corkscrews
Rulers
PC Mouse
Keyboards
Check Books
Spiral Notebooks
Lever Arch Files
Fishing Reels
Boomerangs
Measuring Cups
Golf Clubs
Guitars
Pencil Sharpeners
Sewing Machines
Guns and Rifles
Table Saws


Many famous people were and are left handed.  The lists below are are only a sampling of left handed figures,  mostly well known worldwide.


U.S Presidents,  that were or are left handed.


Barrack Obama
Bill Clinton
George H.W Bush
Ronald Reagan
Gerald Ford
Harry S Truman
Herbert Hoover
James Garfield


Others


H.G Wells
Lewis Carrol
Tom Cruise
Robert De Niro
Dan Akroyd
Marilyn Monroe
Scarlett Johansson
Angelina Jolie
Demi Moore
Mila Jovovich
Mickey Rourke
Nelson Rockefeller
Robert S McNamara
Col. Oliver North
Julius Caesar
Joan of Arc
Queen Victoria
Prince Charles
Prince William
Napoleon
Michelangelo
Henry Ford
Leonardo Da Vinci
Raphael
Buzz Aldrin
Bart Simpson 


Left Handed Musicians


Jimi Hendrix
Kurt Cobain
Glen Frey
Phil Collins
Noel Gallagher
Paul McCartney
Ringo Starr
Robert Plant
Paul Simon

More Famous Faces Of Lefthandedness

Play YouTube Video

International Left Hander's Day is celebrated yearly on August,13


Personally I think we should have an,  International Holiday on the same day to put us all on the right side of being left handed.

***

Do Have A Good Day And And Watch Out For Those Left Hooks.

Share

Join

Subscribe

Support

Thanks
Comment Below
Exit On Your Left

Jeffrey R Hilton  ( Southpaw )