Approximately 70% of the world's population are right handed, the rest are mostly left handed and in rare circumstances ambidextrous, meaning that an individual is equally comfortable using either the left hand or the right hand. It's no surprise that industry has favored right handed people over left, considering the large market for exists for right handed people over left. Some examples of products that are made for right handed people include scissors, can openers, refrigerators and microwave ovens, cameras the list goes on.
Although it is seemingly discriminatory to favor one group over another, it is nonetheless not surprising considering that industry would make very little money catering to left handed individuals given the small percentage.
I find it interesting though, that because left handed individuals are a smaller percentage, many of the similar prejudices exist against them. For example, in many cultures it is considered rude to shake hands with the left hand. This is most likely as a result of personal hygiene where the vast majority of people in a specific culture wipe themselves using their left hand, and therefore shaking hands with the left hand is considered offensive.
Even political affiliation is played along the lines of Right & Left, where those whose political affiliations stray to conservatism, are said to be on the Right. Conservatives are considered to be more interested in preserving the status-quo, whereas those with a Liberal affiliations are considered to be on the left, and consider ideologies that aren't necessarily in keeping the current social mores of the period.
Considering that a the word 'Right' meaning 'just, good, fair, proper, straight' has been used for centuries to erroneously favor those who use the 'Right Hand' rather than the 'Left Hand' one gets a sense of how stereotypes can flourish.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Are You Left Or Right Handed?
It is said that in medieval times, left handed people were associated with evil. Victorian school children did not have it any better either, left handed children were routinely forced to write with their right hand by having their left hand tied behind their backs, talk about primitive.
In fact, the legacy of discrimination against left handed people can still be seen in the English language, for example, the word 'Sinister' is taken from the Latin word for 'Left'. Today, Left Handed People clearly don't have the same disadvantages in terms of discrimination like those of the past, but there are still disadvantages to being left handed, as I've mentioned in the previous post, being left handed can mean that you are more likely die before your right handed friend. But things that Right Handed people take for granted, like a pair of scissors for example, are designed for right handed people and not left handed.
Left Handed people have sure come a long way. The new President of the United States, Barack Obama is left handed, in fact so are Bill Clinton, George H W Bush, Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford.
So Left Handed People have had it bad in the past, and to a degree still have it bad today if you include all of the products available today that were designed with a right handed person in mind.
In fact, the legacy of discrimination against left handed people can still be seen in the English language, for example, the word 'Sinister' is taken from the Latin word for 'Left'. Today, Left Handed People clearly don't have the same disadvantages in terms of discrimination like those of the past, but there are still disadvantages to being left handed, as I've mentioned in the previous post, being left handed can mean that you are more likely die before your right handed friend. But things that Right Handed people take for granted, like a pair of scissors for example, are designed for right handed people and not left handed.
Left Handed people have sure come a long way. The new President of the United States, Barack Obama is left handed, in fact so are Bill Clinton, George H W Bush, Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford.
So Left Handed People have had it bad in the past, and to a degree still have it bad today if you include all of the products available today that were designed with a right handed person in mind.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Right Handed People Vs Left Handed People
On this Post, I am putting together some statistics of Right Handed People Vs Left Handed People. Since I am not a scientist, doctor I am merely putting information here that I've gathered from around the Internet. If you find any of this information out of date or simply wrong, let me know and I'll do my best to update it.
Let's start with Left Handed People. I'll start with the negatives. Left Handed people are more likely to have the more of the following attributes than Right Handed People.
Scientist theorize that about 50% of all left handed people have had some form of trauma during gestation or during birth. Women who have children over 40 are 128 percent more likely to have a left handed child than a 20 year old woman.
These are all very interesting observations and something worth thinking about. Thanks for reading my Right Handed Blog.
Let's start with Left Handed People. I'll start with the negatives. Left Handed people are more likely to have the more of the following attributes than Right Handed People.
- Schizophrenic
- Alcoholic
- Delinquent (Prone To Violent Behaviour)
- Dyslexic
- Crohn's disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Mental disabilities
- Die Younger
- More Accident Prone
- Higher IQ
- Better At Self Defence
Scientist theorize that about 50% of all left handed people have had some form of trauma during gestation or during birth. Women who have children over 40 are 128 percent more likely to have a left handed child than a 20 year old woman.
These are all very interesting observations and something worth thinking about. Thanks for reading my Right Handed Blog.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Right Handed
This blog is dedicated to all you people who are right handed, but in no way is this a sleight against all you people who are left handed. So why create a blog about people who are right handed, You Ask? It all started a very long time ago.
Growing up in Canada, Ice Hockey has always been a theme in my life. I learned early that the kids could all be divided into two camps, the Right Handed Kids or the Left Handed Kids, and you never wanted to be that kid who could hold the stick as both a Lefty and a Righty, because you were automatically suspected of being a bit of a chump, goofball or too aloof.
Learning, at an early age, that people could be automatically divided into two groups, just because of the way they held their Hockey Sticks, left a big impression on me. After all, it wasn't everyday that you became aware of differences between you and others, and could now measure it statistically. I remember when I first realized that I was a Right Handed Shot, right in that instant, my friend who shot Left became an immediate, although temporary nemeses. This is important because it revealed a side of me that I had never knew existed, my capacity to make harsh judgment calls based on which way a person held a Hockey Stick.
Although I stated above that this dedicated to you Right Handed People, I will reverse and say that it is in fact dedicated to everyone of you, left or right handed people out there who are conscious about how you shoot. In the next few posts, I will dive deep into the mystery of the right hand left hand debate.
Growing up in Canada, Ice Hockey has always been a theme in my life. I learned early that the kids could all be divided into two camps, the Right Handed Kids or the Left Handed Kids, and you never wanted to be that kid who could hold the stick as both a Lefty and a Righty, because you were automatically suspected of being a bit of a chump, goofball or too aloof.
Learning, at an early age, that people could be automatically divided into two groups, just because of the way they held their Hockey Sticks, left a big impression on me. After all, it wasn't everyday that you became aware of differences between you and others, and could now measure it statistically. I remember when I first realized that I was a Right Handed Shot, right in that instant, my friend who shot Left became an immediate, although temporary nemeses. This is important because it revealed a side of me that I had never knew existed, my capacity to make harsh judgment calls based on which way a person held a Hockey Stick.
Although I stated above that this dedicated to you Right Handed People, I will reverse and say that it is in fact dedicated to everyone of you, left or right handed people out there who are conscious about how you shoot. In the next few posts, I will dive deep into the mystery of the right hand left hand debate.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Right Handed Privacy Policy
I respect your privacy and I am committed to safeguarding your privacy while online at this site a-right-handed.blogspot.com The following discloses how I gather and disseminate information for this Blog.
RSS Feeds and Email Updates
If a user wishes to subscribe to my RSS Feeds or Email Updates (powered by Feedburner), I ask for contact information such as name and email address. Users may opt-out of these communications at any time. Your personal information will never be sold or given to a third party. (You will never be spammed by me - ever)
Log Files and Stats
Like most blogging platforms I use log files, in this case Statcounter. This stores information such as internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring, exit and visited pages, platform used, date/time stamp, track user’s movement in the whole, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. IP addresses etc. are not linked to personally identifiable information.
Cookies
A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user’s computer tied to information about the user. This blog doesn't use cookies. However, some of my business partners use cookies on this site (for example - advertisers). I can't access or control these cookies once the advertisers have set them.
Links
This Blog contains links to other sites. Please be aware that I am not responsible for the privacy practices of these other sites. I suggest my users to be aware of this when they leave this blog and to read the privacy statements of each and every site that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this Blog.
Advertisers
I use outside ad companies to display ads on this blog. These ads may contain cookies and are collected by the advertising companies and I do not have access to this information. I work with the following advertising companies: Google Adsense. Please check the advertisers websites for respective privacy policies.
Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Rose at bloggon@hotmail.com. This privacy policy updated February 2008
RSS Feeds and Email Updates
If a user wishes to subscribe to my RSS Feeds or Email Updates (powered by Feedburner), I ask for contact information such as name and email address. Users may opt-out of these communications at any time. Your personal information will never be sold or given to a third party. (You will never be spammed by me - ever)
Log Files and Stats
Like most blogging platforms I use log files, in this case Statcounter. This stores information such as internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring, exit and visited pages, platform used, date/time stamp, track user’s movement in the whole, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. IP addresses etc. are not linked to personally identifiable information.
Cookies
A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user’s computer tied to information about the user. This blog doesn't use cookies. However, some of my business partners use cookies on this site (for example - advertisers). I can't access or control these cookies once the advertisers have set them.
Links
This Blog contains links to other sites. Please be aware that I am not responsible for the privacy practices of these other sites. I suggest my users to be aware of this when they leave this blog and to read the privacy statements of each and every site that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this Blog.
Advertisers
I use outside ad companies to display ads on this blog. These ads may contain cookies and are collected by the advertising companies and I do not have access to this information. I work with the following advertising companies: Google Adsense. Please check the advertisers websites for respective privacy policies.
Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Rose at bloggon@hotmail.com. This privacy policy updated February 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)