Being Left-Handed And The Presidents Of The United States

ive heard that lefties have a heightened artistic ability, as they use more of their right hemisphere in the brain (which controls the left side of the body, but also has the 'artsy bits') as compared to right handers which use the left hemisphere which is primarily something else, not sure actually, but i thin kit might be academic ability. for example a lefty will remember faces easier than phone numbers and visa-versa for right handers.

I'm a lefty, and let me say I have no art skills at all, but my friend who is left handed is very good at art.

It is certainly a right handed world, and I think that possible left handed people, are better at adapting to situations. Simply because for most of our life we have to adapt.

At school, or anywhere else I'll use right handed scissors (in my left hand) right handed potato peelers (in my left hand) and the list goes on. Simply because I'm used to it, I can also use the left handed versions of these, but most right handed people I know would not be able to pick up a pair of left handed scissors and use them. Most things are built primarily for right handed people and so we adapt to use them.

I seek power of my country, but with Englands current state why wouldn't I. Perhaps some left handed people seek power because they think thay can adapt well to the many different situation that would be infront of them, simply because they have been adapting to things all of their life.

I'm left handed, suffered from OCD as a child, and gravitated to computer programming field. I do lead a team of people, but don't really enjoy the (little) power I have. I'd rather be in a basement programming. Oh, and I'm a female.

reply to post by anxietydisorder


i write left handed, swing a baseball bat and a golf club right handed, strong leg is the left leg, computer mouse hand is right....and i want to be RULER OF THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A handedness post. Interesting the posts so far. Especially, I'd be interested in the number of lefties here at ATS. I'm one, except I play guitar and cut-in paint and use sheet rock knives better as a righty. Also eat primarily right-handed and as a previous poster, I'd wage my right hand as stronger in an arm wrestle. I write left handed, but curiously enough (a thing I discovered in childhood) I can write cursive backwards with my right hand. Yeah. A real money-making talent that.

I seek no control, but I don't want to be subjected to any control either. If it is a negotiated cooperative, I don't mind at all being part of a team.

I'm not so confident in the "right-brain, left-brain" thang. I think it might bear out as a general propensity, or statistical probability. I'm a musician, artitst, I fancy math, physics and chemistry.

Right-handed world: I have to consciously focus to not go "in" the "out" door when heading into stores. Same for parking lots. Scissors are my mortal enemy. Left-handed can-openers feel weird. My hammer is my friend, as it doesn't care which hand weilds it

Cameras, cars steering and shifting, doors, most non-custom long arms, power tools -- many things are right-oriented. We adapt. Bwa-ha-haaaaa


[edit to clarify "fancy" as a verb, rather than an adjective]

[edit on 8-6-2008 by argentus]

I think I'm a bit of both, left handed and right footed, I throw a ball with my right and use my right hand for any jobs which require finger dexterity, my left hand is predominetly (sp?) used for strength and writing.

I definety dont seek power but thats a very interesting list, it looks like some of histories most prominent characters have been left handed.

Oh and I dont have an arty streek (strange since my right handed sister is an artist) at all, I like doing engineering which requires out of the box thinking and adaptability.

I can write with either hand, I can actually write with both hands at the same time at a normal writing speed - I can switch from writing the correct way to writing 'mirror' without hardly thinking (in fact it has been known for me to write backwards accidentally if I've had too much to drink - on time was writing something in a group birthday card, but that was OK, just made it funnier )

One time I had to initial entries on a table I was filling out periodically logging pressure readings etc - confused the hell out of some people cos it was only supposed to be one person (Me!) filling the entire sheet - but there were 2 separate little initial signatures - all it was is that some meter locations favoured me using my right hand and some my left (it was always dark - and the little digital readouts were a pain to read by torch light)

Maybe it's cos I used to juggle all the time as a kid - I'm nor truly ampedextrious though - I am definitely a rightie, I wonder if anyone is ever born ampedextrious, or if it is lernt.

Originally posted by argentus
I have to consciously focus to not go "in" the "out" door when heading into stores. Same for parking lots.

Heh heh, I know what you mean. Sometimes, when I'm not thinking about it and someone will stick their hand out to shake, I'll hold out my left hand. I've gotten some strange looks because of it.

It isn't that leftys are more power hungry. But there are more leftys who are lawyers, and we tend to elect lawyers.

www.cbc.ca...

I'm a left.
Not power hungry (yet).
I don't think lefties are more power hungry, although, in a way, may be
'smarter'? Look at wikipedia for the stats. They make 15% more money than non grads (left vs right) and 26% more than college grads (left vs right). No explanation as to why, but simply stats. Smarter is not the right term, but there must be a reason lefties make more.

8% of population being lefty. Many comments on presidents, etc; however, most people forget that left-handedness was frowned upon. My grandpa told me that he is right handed only because teachers would hit his hands with a ruler each time caught writing with his left. So, many left handed people were converted and/or simply would hide the fact. So, as mentioned previously, we don't know how many more presidents (or any other celebs, etc) were actually lefty by design.

Also, I think many lefties are semi ambidexs, because there simply wasn't the equipment or tools for them. I still remember my first time trying to use scissors and not being able to cut because there were never left handed scissors to use. I am now a righthanded cutter. Try finding a baseball mit or even a gun for a left handed person.

Me personally, I use left handed for eating, baseball, writing, cell phone. I bowl, shoot, frisby, cut, computer mouse, tv remote right handed. I am however completely goofy footed, but my left handed son is partically goofy footed. Son is a switch hitter (he decides on hitting based on the abilities of the 1st basemen vs 3rd and if players on bases or not).

PS. I found this page looking for stats on reg vs switch (goofy) footed as it relates to left-handed. It would appear that they really aren't related, although my son and I are both left handed and booth goofy footed (I kick with my right). Again, semi-ambidex, because he kicks with his left, although we both skate-board right foot forward (push with left food). I was trying to find out what soccers players typically kick with and the percentage of left vs right.

Michail1 at aol.com

Okay, okay. So how do you all feel about the ambidextrous? Are we outcasts from both sides?

i worked in Saudi Arabia for 4 years. Hell we know their strict rules on religion and women. Few I guess know that they're all right-handed people.

In the time that I'm there, people talk behind me being a lefty. Sounds to me like, a lot of thing is wrong on me. I can't shake with my left-- and I can't hand a paper with my left-hand;

reply to post by Sleuth


I was just going to say, EVERYONE is ambidextrous, they just don't practice enough!

Nobody is permanently left or right handed. Anyone can learn to be a switch hitter. The only reason you choose left over right, or backwards, is because that's what you were comfortable with, and that's what you practiced with the most.

Everyone is ambidextrous, most just don't practice enough, so they feel only right or left handed.

I'm a Lefty stereotype. I continuely have to rethink and adjust to the Right handed world I live in. In school, I learned at an early age how to not smear my handwriting and to write on the back of binder paper. As a custom metals fabricator, I've had to adapt to every Right handed machine or tool in my shop. Oh, and I have no aspirations to rule the world.

Some other tidbits about lefties some might not know about.

Lefties die on average seven to ten years earlier then Righties, mostly due to accidents. For example: most Lefties driving will swerve left into oncoming traffic to miss an obsticle in the road.

Lefties have more neural connections between both hemispheres of the brain.

Some Scientists have linked switching a Lefty to a Righty to studdering and OCD.

And lastly and bestly- A group of Scientists have a working theory on how people become left handed. Apparently, all one has to do is eat or consume your twin brother or sister in the womb. Strange I know, but consider this- I have twin sisters.

- Tuned

I'm right handed but can can write with both hands (right hand obviously better). I play pool left handed - i didn't know until someone told me. I thought it was the hand you bridge with was what descided if you played left or right - turns out it the hand you hold the cue in. I can play with my left and right hand quite well. No need for bending over the table trying to play from behind your back, ha,ha.

my father i s a lfety and my fathers aunty is also a lefty ,am also a lefty and my best friend is also a lefty .i feel great to be a lefty but in ghana where i come from people dont regard leftys .i thank god for making me a lefty .leftys are great and they born to be great