HAPPY NATIONAL LEFT-HANDEDNESS DAY! Approximately 7 to 10 %of the population is left handed. Not me. But JR, my sonny boy is. And he was never urged to switch to the right. Whereas in my earlier days there might still have been a cultural pressure for right handed use.
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Through the ages, there has been a prejudice against left handedness, passed down through myth and superstition. In adulthood, left handers were often shunned, resulting in fewer marrying. It was also thought that older mothers were more likely to give birth to left handed children. But a truth lies in the fact that lefties are likely to have more accidents as a result of many things being designed for right handers.
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A justification for forcing the use of the right hand was due in part to the design of the ink pens themselves. The side of the left hand would smear the writing as it passed over the still wet ink. Lefties were the losers, since an ink pen has its nib cut at an angle that favors the right hand. The left will scratch or dig into the paper, unless one is very careful when writing. Catch 22.
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A southpaw is a term for a lefty, originated in baseball. Ballparks are often designed so that batters are facing east, so the afternoon sun does not shine into their eyes. That means that left handed pitchers are throwing with their "south-side" arm.
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In many languages, right is not only a synonym for correctness, but also stands for authority and justice. The word "sinister" comes from the Latin, "sinestra", originally meant "left", but took on meanings of evil or unlucky.
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Bad enough to have to juggle handedness, then to be told to get off the dance floor because you have two left feet! And to add insult to injury, the computer mouse is generally made to fit the right hand better.
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Anyway, have a "righteous" day!
