09 February 2011

The superiority of the left hander

Both the not-wife and yours truly are both left handed. We both subscribe to a newsletter of the Left Hander’s Club. Last month it carried an item about the some of the advantages of left handedness. These come as a pleasant diversion from the usual irritations of being in a minority even if not always applicable to myself or she who must be obeyed.

Being left handed is an advantage in many sports.

I was never a great sportsman but I daresay that I would have really reeked if right handed!

Lefties have a greater chance of being a genius– or having a high IQ.

Researchers aren’t sure why, but those who are left handed seem to make up a disproportionately large part of those who are highly intelligent. For example, twenty percent of all Mensa members are left-handed.

Both of us have high IQs. I joined Mensa briefly. A bigger bunch of arseholes I have never met in my life!

Left handed men may make more money.

According to studies, left handed males who have gone to college earn 13 percent more than their right handed counterparts. The causes of this difference are unknown, but the gap is statistically significant enough that its not a simple anomaly. Oddly left handed women earn 5% less than women who are right handed.

Hmm I was never a huge earner, not bad, but not well into the upper tax bracket.


Left handed people adjust more easily to seeing underwater.

As a poor swimmer I can’t comment on this one!

Lefties are better able to multitask.

Well I have mastered walking (WALKING!) and chewing gum at the same time!

Some left-handed individuals have better memories.

True for the not-wife. She never forgets anything I’ve done wrong!

Generally, lefties are better at playing video games.

I must be the exception that proves the rule!.

Left handed stroke victims recover faster than right handed stroke victims.

I never want to test the veracity of this one!

Left-handed people are likely to be more visual than language-based, making them ideal for artistic pursuits

Research has shown that university students are more likely to major in visually-based, as opposed to language-based, subjects when they’re left handed. While another study — not comprehensive at only 103 students — showed that within the sample, 47% of art students were left- or mixed-handed.

I did Physiology and Biochemistry, then a masters in Microbiology… The not-wife didn’t go to university

Southpaw drivers are more successful at learning to drive than right handed people.

57% of left handers passed their driving test first time compared with only 47% of right handers.

Both of us were in the 43% category here

Interestingly we tend to spend less time in queues. Studies show that most people veer to the right if there are multiple lines to choose from, but lefties tend to choose the line on their dominant side. Indeed, a Disney World guidebook states that visitors will spend much less time in line for attractions if they choose the left-hand side when given an option.

Make of these what you will….

7 comments:

Steve Hayes said...

I once ingigilated a test for someone who wanted to join Mensa. I don't know if he passed or not, but thought that if he was in it I didn't want to be.

Left handed driving tests - does that apply equallt ro right hand drive and left hand drive cars?

Kay Dennison said...

I loved this -- as a born lefty!!! I have long contended that we are the true non-conformists because we fight conformity from the crib!

I can no longer be left-handed, however, as I had a massive stroke at age 31 that affected my left side and I only have partial use of my left arm and hand. Still, I have had a much better recovery than the docs expected (they said I would be in a wheelchair the rest of my life) and I function pretty much normally except for being crazy which I've long-contended is part of being left-handed. We lefties look at the world differently.

A funny: One evening my then husband, our two toddlers, and I were having dinner and he looked around the table and said, "I thought right-handers were a majority." I laughed and said, "Not in this house!" Both our kids are lefties!!! LOL

Tom Freeman said...

Also, if you want to be US President, it seems to help to be a leftie.

Angus Dei said...

I'm ambidextrous-does that count?:)

Francis Hunt said...

I am a leftie, as is my elder daughter and my four-year-old grandson - so we are a majority in our family too!

I wonder if the proportion of lefties who are bloggers is higher than in the general population?

As for earning more money, I find that one hard to believe. It certainly does not apply to me!

SnoopyTheGoon said...

What is left to me is humbly agree that you, lefties, are superior. But the fact that both the not-wife and you are left handed doesn't do you any good, Jams. If she leads her strike with her left, as she is bound to, you don't have any unfair advantage. And a man these days needs any advantage he can put his mitts on.

jams o donnell said...

Apparently so Steve. As for Mensa, best off out of it

It was an awful thing to happen Kay but maybe your left handedness helped ensure a better recover than might otherwise have been the case

That's true Tom.

You have a foot in both camps Angus. Perhaps that is good enough!


That's a point, maybe we are over represented in the blogosphere. Not among the foaming nutters though!

Ach there is no such thing as an advantage over the not wife Snoopy!