I am left handed and as you may very well know that people like me are in the minority. We are only 10 percent. It can be a handicap if you are not ambidextrous. As my mother is left-handed, she has trained me to use my right hand as well. I use my left hand to write but can operate machinery or equipment with my right hand therefore I don't face that much a handicap as other left handed people.
It has been reported that the gene most closely linked to left-handedness has been found. HURRAH!!! Now we, the minority, can peacefully continue our lives but wait a minute....the article also says the gene, called LRRTM1, is also associated with a slight increase in developing certain mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. Didn't we have enough negativity associated with being left handed to learn something additional? I do find relief in the fact that we are not living the 18th and 19th centuries where there were prejudices associated with being left handed! Can you imagine adding left handedness to the other prejudices that still exist in today's world like race, religion, and sexual orientation? Of course the research further states that there is no cause for alarm and that there are many other factors contributing to schizophrenia than being just left-handed. In addition, Australian research published last year states that left handers can think faster than right handed people. Furthermore left handers are able to multi-task, which is an ability I always thought came with being a woman than being left handed.
All my life I have had this experience where say for example I had to write an exam, I would have to request for a desk which wasn't against the wall to my left. When I started using computers in the early nineties, especially the AutoCAD program in DOS (do you remember the dark ages before Windows), it took me a while to get used to a right handed mouse. With the advent of Windows 95, there was an option available to adjust the mouse for left handed people but by that time I had already got used to the right hand one. So one adjusts to life and learns to live with their left handedness. I have lost count of the number of times when random people have mentioned to me, "Oh....you are left handed?" I have always felt like responding, thanks for noticing as I have never realized that typically others don't write with their left hand.
Yesterday I had a meeting with seven people to discuss work. Six of us were left handed. The one person who was right handed was our client and was using our professional service and diverse expertise! Funnily none of us noticed that the others were left handed till the client pointed out that he was a minority in a group of left handed people and that this assured him that he is dealing with a bunch of bright people. To this comment my only response is that appearances are deceptive and there is little utility in stereotyping because I am a complete dolt who piggy-backs on my rather intelligent counterparts!
14 comments:
HeHe!! Nice defense!!
I never thought left handedness is associated with so many negativity until now.I just thought you work with other side of the brain than the "normal" us!;D
Amitabh B is a lefty too!!
Hi Asha:
No it is not associated with any negativity at all today. The negativity was in the 18th and 19th century and I was being sarcastic.
I know Amitabh is a lefty and so is Tendulkar. In fact there were a whole lot of brilliant as well as creative people like Einstein, Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Picasso etc.
There you go... now you know why you are so creative. I don't think that when people say "Oh you are left handed?" they mean it negatively. Its just that when something is different people notice it and use it as a way of small talk.
You're so sinister! (Left-handed.)
I wonder if I can develop the left-handed gene if I teach myself to write left-handed? Is it worth it? You 10% seem pretty darn cool. Can I hang out with you even though I'm right-handed? :)
I'm left-handed too! Great to meet another lefty! ;)
Hi NainaAshley:
Oh I do know it is a way of small talk but I hate small talk and especially hate talking to random people :)
Hi Dan:
Yes I am sinister and it gets worse around full moon when I turn into a werewolf and it is really bad during Halloween....I dont even need a costume then!
Yes you can teach yourself to do whatever you want including train Bigfoot as your butler.
It will be fun to hang out with you. There is always room for people with a good sense of humor.
Hi Lotus:
That's so cool! Please don't tell me though that Karan Johar is left handed as well ;-)
I'm right handed, but I always tend to think of left-handed people as being more creative. I try to be ambidextrous though, because I think it's a way to exercise the creative side of my brain. At least that's what I heard. When I think of it, I try doing easy things with my left hand like picking up a glass or closing a window. Not sure if it has helped me any though...
left handed people are very gifted in sports, it's true. For example, Wasim Akram .. in his early days was awesome.
Hi Anali:
I use my right hand to exercise my analytical side of my brain.....albeit pea sized brain ;-)
Hi Nabeel:
Yes I do remember Wasim Akram was a very talented cricketer.
I know what you mean about left handedness. Sis used to be left handed but parents sort of steered her away from that.
Thankfully my parents didn't steer me from that except like say teaching me to eat with my right hand or religious stuff etc. My older sister's husband is left handed and is not ambidextrous at all and so is her son who is completely left handed as well.
The funniest memory I have is whenever for any religious events like say Ganpati or Diwali poojas whenever they distributed "prasad"....I would inadvertently extend my left hand to be informed by the person who was distributing that I should extend my right hand. It used to annoy me so much as a kid.
I'm lefty too...Highfive :)
Stay Beautiful...!!
Hey Sugarlips:
How cool is that???? Including Lotus, I would say two of my blogging buddies are left handed
:-)
Regardless of the numerous lovely and creative posts Nabeel contributes to both of your blog, I shall give all the credit for the creativity to you as my left handed sister! ;-)
Hugsssssssssss :)
Left handed people look cool and stylish, thats what my friends tell me ;o)
All Hail leftys :)
Stay Beautiful..!!
Post a Comment