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

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

#151

Post by Yeul »

ultimafan wrote: post #107
n4r9 wrote: post #47

The percentage of left-handedness correlates strongly with how pacifist vs warlike the society is. According to this 2005 study it varies from 3% up to 27%: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1634940/

I wonder if this is where the whole left handedness being associated with the hand of the devil (or any evil) came from historically. Our ancestors probably weren't doing studies like this but like many religious/spiritual restrictions that seem like they are backed by "nothing" at first turn out to have a fair application to life behind them it's probably not too much of a stretch that someone at some point or other…

No it's probably much simpler. Humans love to shit on anyone who doesn't follow the tribe program.

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

#152

Post by greedylizard »

pram wrote: post #139

Just throwing in my left handed anecdote here: the bottom of my hand was always covered in pencil graphite when I was in school because your hand drags over what you've been writing from left -> right. Also ring binders were a pain in the ass (your hand is blocked at the left margin lol)

As a child I solved this problem by rotating my paper 90° to the right and writing “down”. Still do it til this day.

Although it gets awkward when someone wants to hold the paper for me while I sign. I have to gently tug it away from them so I can turn it.

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

#153

Post by resoluteteeth »

emmelaich wrote: post #143
pram wrote: post #139

Just throwing in my left handed anecdote here: the bottom of my hand was always covered in pencil graphite when I was in school because your hand drags over what you've been writing from left -> right. Also ring binders were a pain in the ass (your hand is blocked at the left margin lol)

I've often wonder why this isn't a big problem for right-to-left languages.

It's only a problem if you rest your hand on the paper while writing rather than holding your hand above the paper and writing with your whole arm which i suspect used to be the norm in most places.

Also in languages written vertically and then right to left it would be less of an issue because the ink would have more time to dry before you get to the left of a given character.

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

#154

Post by wrycoder »

egberts1 wrote: post #146

There is no mystery on why left handers are rare. With the left hand shielding the liver side, the right hand becomes the weapon bearer. With the left side protexted, the deaths by liver puncture is greatly diminished. This is called survivorship bias. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias

Nice, except the liver is on the right hand side.

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

#155

Post by scyzoryk_xyz »

pram wrote: post #139

Just throwing in my left handed anecdote here: the bottom of my hand was always covered in pencil graphite when I was in school because your hand drags over what you've been writing from left -> right. Also ring binders were a pain in the ass (your hand is blocked at the left margin lol)

Fountain pens are fun too in the places that did those

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

#156

Post by globnomulous »

wrycoder wrote: post #154
egberts1 wrote: post #146

There is no mystery on why left handers are rare. With the left hand shielding the liver side, the right hand becomes the weapon bearer. With the left side protexted, the deaths by liver puncture is greatly diminished. This is called survivorship bias. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias

Nice, except the liver is on the right hand side.

I live for these satisfying moments of simple, pithy, indisputable proof/disproof.

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

#157

Post by hollerith »

egberts1 wrote: post #146

There is no mystery on why left handers are rare. With the left hand shielding the liver side, the right hand becomes the weapon bearer. With the left side protexted, the deaths by liver puncture is greatly diminished. This is called survivorship bias. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias

You are using "survivorship bias" incorrectly: if it doesn't lead someone to an incorrect conclusion, then it is not survivorship bias.

What you describe is a selection pressure for right-handedness.

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

#158

Post by acover »

wrycoder wrote: post #154
egberts1 wrote: post #146

There is no mystery on why left handers are rare. With the left hand shielding the liver side, the right hand becomes the weapon bearer. With the left side protexted, the deaths by liver puncture is greatly diminished. This is called survivorship bias. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias

Nice, except the liver is on the right hand side.

You're right!

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseas....

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

#159

Post by wslh »

pram wrote: post #139

Just throwing in my left handed anecdote here: the bottom of my hand was always covered in pencil graphite when I was in school because your hand drags over what you've been writing from left -> right. Also ring binders were a pain in the ass (your hand is blocked at the left margin lol)

Just imagine what it's like to spend three years doing technical drawing in high school using Rotring pens [1], not to mention practicing calligraphy based on IRAM/ISO standards [2][3]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotring

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instituto_Argentino_de_Normali...

[3] https://youtu.be/znrD1DjYqrE?si=Z7RsTatVCw3OKTdT&t=169

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

#160

Post by michaelteter »

I'm sure like many left-handers here, my right hand is nearly as dexterous as my left. Writing is the only thing I can do with left which I cannot do with right; other tasks are either equally natural or just a little awkward but still effective.

But some right-handers who have been forced to (by breaking an arm for example) can learn to write with the left hand. I have to assume they could learn to be more ambidexterous if they were motivated. It almost seems more like a cultural (see/copy) behavior to be right-only handed. Left-handers may have an inclination to do some things with the left hand, but we also grow up in a world of right-hand designed products.

As for the "handedness" of feet, eyes, ears, etc., I also suspect that has more to do with our patterns of hand use. I'm right-eared probably because I hold my phone in my right hand so my left hand is free to do fine motor tasks. It's not because I prefer to listen with my right ear. I'm also somewhat left-footed because I tend to carry heavy things in my right arm; so my right leg is busy supporting the extra weight as I step up on a step with the left.

I doubt any/many of these studies have been large or thorough enough to really learn anything meaningful about handedness and its related effects.

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