In The Right Mind?
Unbeknownst to me and I'm certain several others, International Left-Handers Day came and went. Yes folks, August 13 celebrates us wicked ones. It was a big week for lefties as a study released showed left-handed handed men enjoy better paydays than their right-handed counterparts. Obviously this is a broad generalization as I do not fall into that category. Although I do enjoy getting paid. So I guess it's partially true.
The significance of this day is to raise awareness of the challenges left- handed people experience in a predominantly right-handed world. I can still remember those horrible left-handed safety scissors with rounded edges that I believe were not created to cut anything. It also celebrates the strengths and advantages left-handers possess- dispelling superstitions that have surrounded this trait. For thousands of years left-handedness has been met with prejudice and suspicion, resulting in an almost universal attempt to suppress it.
Some personal challenges I have encountered as a lefty are:
1. Notebook binders are on the left side which makes for smudged writing, if I do not pay attention my hand will drag across my scrawl. I print everything when I do write as my cursive is hideous, but this could also be due to the fact that it didn't interest me when I was learning how to write cursive. This leads to slower handwriting and may have been the source of anxiety for me when taking tests.
2. You cannot sit next to a right-handed person while eating a meal, you'll knock elbows.
3.Desks at college were designed for the right-handed people, an arm rest exists to support the right elbow leaving nothing but air for the left.
Despite this stigma there have been many famous left-handed people and it has been said that the right brain hemisphere is more active in left-handed people thusly associated with genius and correlation with artistic and visual skill. Heck, that is why I decided to major in Graphic Design as opposed to Architecture. Which may also account for my neurotic attention to detail.
The significance of this day is to raise awareness of the challenges left- handed people experience in a predominantly right-handed world. I can still remember those horrible left-handed safety scissors with rounded edges that I believe were not created to cut anything. It also celebrates the strengths and advantages left-handers possess- dispelling superstitions that have surrounded this trait. For thousands of years left-handedness has been met with prejudice and suspicion, resulting in an almost universal attempt to suppress it.
Some personal challenges I have encountered as a lefty are:
1. Notebook binders are on the left side which makes for smudged writing, if I do not pay attention my hand will drag across my scrawl. I print everything when I do write as my cursive is hideous, but this could also be due to the fact that it didn't interest me when I was learning how to write cursive. This leads to slower handwriting and may have been the source of anxiety for me when taking tests.
2. You cannot sit next to a right-handed person while eating a meal, you'll knock elbows.
3.Desks at college were designed for the right-handed people, an arm rest exists to support the right elbow leaving nothing but air for the left.
Despite this stigma there have been many famous left-handed people and it has been said that the right brain hemisphere is more active in left-handed people thusly associated with genius and correlation with artistic and visual skill. Heck, that is why I decided to major in Graphic Design as opposed to Architecture. Which may also account for my neurotic attention to detail.
posted by Chris at 9:18 AM
1 Comments:
Would you square dance with me too?
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