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The mystery of why left-handers are so much rarer (2016)

bbc.com

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Re: The mystery of why left-handers are so much rarer (2016)

#11

Post by _heimdall »

rrgok wrote: post #8

I was originally left-handed, but my father made me switch to my right hand because he believed being left-handed was the "hand of the devil." Now, I’ve become ambidextrous, and I instinctively choose which hand to use depending on the activity. Sometimes, when I'm trying something for the first time and I'm unsure which hand is best, I get stuck and have to go through some trial and error before it feels natural.

Similar story for my wife, though it was an underfunded Catholic school with only right-handed sports equipment that pushed her to be ambidextrous. She's split pretty much 50:50 on which hand she does something with, though I've noticed she does actually seem to pick her left hand when its a totally new skill she hasn't done before.

My right hand is all but useless, I'm very left handed. Golf is the only exception, but I'm terrible in either direction and right handed clubs are easier to rent or buy.

Re: The mystery of why left-handers are so much rarer (2016)

#13

Post by grecy »

rrgok wrote: post #8

I was originally left-handed, but my father made me switch to my right hand because he believed being left-handed was the "hand of the devil." Now, I’ve become ambidextrous, and I instinctively choose which hand to use depending on the activity. Sometimes, when I'm trying something for the first time and I'm unsure which hand is best, I get stuck and have to go through some trial and error before it feels natural.

I'm right handed for everything in life, except chopping wood. It's the one thing my leftie Dad taught me that stuck.

I had no idea until recently when someone said "Hey, you're doing that left handed"

Re: The mystery of why left-handers are so much rarer (2016)

#15

Post by theoreticalmal »

“ when you look at rare conditions, like Down Syndrome, epilepsy and cerebral palsy, the ratio of left- to right-handers is more like 50:50 rather than 1:10.”

Is this a typo? Or are left-handed people way, way more likely to suffer from these rare diseases?

Re: The mystery of why left-handers are so much rarer (2016)

#16

Post by Miraltar »

throwaway290 wrote: post #12

Could it just be that for centuries leading up to now left handedness was considered "bad" to "very bad" (still many languages have the connotation) and before that we have no real data about how common it was?

From the article, "when you compare the number of left- and right-handed Neanderthals, this same ratio of 1 in 10 left-handers that we see today pops out"

Re: The mystery of why left-handers are so much rarer (2016)

#17

Post by grecy »

Here's a fun test - we're all in socks on a slippery wood floor. I'll give you $500 if you can run and slide further than I can.

Close you eyes and really imagine it (or do it right now). Really feel yourself sliding along, that tingly feeling of almost losing control, etc. etc. Going a little further with each try.

REALLY run and slide AS FAR AS YOU CAN.

Which foot did you have in front?

I'm very much right handed and footed in life, but in this test I can really only do it right foot forward (called 'goofy' in snowboarding) - left foot forward feels super sketchy to me even after years of practice, and I can't slide nearly as far.

The vast majority of people (left and right handed) are left foot forward.

(This is the best way to determine which foot a beginner should put forward on their snowboard or surfboard. Do the test without telling them you are doing the test. If they can equally do both, then it doesn't matter)

Re: The mystery of why left-handers are so much rarer (2016)

#18

Post by Clubber »

rrgok wrote: post #8

I was originally left-handed, but my father made me switch to my right hand because he believed being left-handed was the "hand of the devil." Now, I’ve become ambidextrous, and I instinctively choose which hand to use depending on the activity. Sometimes, when I'm trying something for the first time and I'm unsure which hand is best, I get stuck and have to go through some trial and error before it feels natural.

My dad was left handed, I'm left handed and my daughter is left handed. It certainly helps in troubleshooting things, because when anyone else uses a pair of scissors, they work. When a left handed person uses a pair of scissors, they don't work, so you have to figure out how scissors work, or just use your right hand. Imagine doing that with everything.

I did pick up some ambidextrous habits. My daughter and I mouse with my right hand but my dad left handed a mouse.

Re: The mystery of why left-handers are so much rarer (2016)

#19

Post by scriptdevil »

grecy wrote: post #17

Here's a fun test - we're all in socks on a slippery wood floor. I'll give you $500 if you can run and slide further than I can. Close you eyes and really imagine it (or do it right now). Really feel yourself sliding along, that tingly feeling of almost losing control, etc. etc. Going a little further with each try. REALLY run and slide AS FAR AS YOU CAN. Which foot did you have in front? I'm very much right handed a…

Right handed with right-foot-forward as well.

Re: The mystery of why left-handers are so much rarer (2016)

#20

Post by oneeyedpigeon »

grecy wrote: post #13
rrgok wrote: post #8

I was originally left-handed, but my father made me switch to my right hand because he believed being left-handed was the "hand of the devil." Now, I’ve become ambidextrous, and I instinctively choose which hand to use depending on the activity. Sometimes, when I'm trying something for the first time and I'm unsure which hand is best, I get stuck and have to go through some trial and error before it feels natural.

I'm right handed for everything in life, except chopping wood. It's the one thing my leftie Dad taught me that stuck. I had no idea until recently when someone said "Hey, you're doing that left handed"

I'm right handed for everything except snooker/pool. I have no idea why, it just felt more natural to put my right hand down as the rest and hold the cue with my left.
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