My entire life I've faced adversity when it comes to everyday items and situations because I'm left handed. Scissors pinch, can openers are frustrating and heaven help me if I go out to dinner and have to sit on the inside of a booth, unable to move my eating arm. When it comes to technology and media devices, well that's a whole other story.
Growing up in the 80's in a home with 4 computers, I was an oddity. My father's job demanded the influx of tech and before that we had all the up to date audio and visual equipment. Growing up in an age where tech was advancing, I found myself adapting my left handedly-challenged ways without a second thought.
Although I'm sure it's easier for right handers to mouse, it's something that's never phased me. It's never bothered me that all record player arms are on the right hand side as well. It was just a way of life and although both tasks involve motions that should have been abnormal for me, because I was trained at such an early age to work around them — I was able to learn without adversity.
Many cell phones are geared for right handers with a larger amount of frequently used keys on the right hand side. Assuming you're holding it in your right hand, it's easier to press the hot keys without reaching or needing two hands to text or get things done. My own personal journey doesn't lie with fighting my cell phone due to my preferred hand, but rather in knowing that it's smarter than I am!
Even though I'm still inherently annoyed when I have to buy a new baseball glove or even a spatula (sometimes the backs are flat and the other side tapered, so when you scrape it down the bowl it's backwards), in the world of tech, it's become so a part of my everyday life that I've become well adjusted to living in a right handers world.
Are you left handed? Share your story of adapting to struggles and challenges below!
(Image: The Simpsons, Flickr member mulmatsherm licensed for use by Creative Commons)
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Comments (10)
I find that being left-hand has its advantages when using a mouse. I use my right for the mouse and my left hand to take notes. With my headset, I can talk, write, and use the computer at the same time.
Right-handed people have write, put down their pen and then move their mouse, and then pick up their pen again. They have a great deal of wasted motion.
I never knew how much of the world was geared towards righties until I had a lefthanded child. It's hard to find universally designed items or leftie-specific items!
I had a work issued Blackberry with a scroll wheel, designed for thumb use, on the right hand side of the body - totally useless for me, as I held it in my left hand and couldn't reach it. IT wouldn't replace it with a scroll ball version (with the ball built into the keypad) until it took a dunking.
I have bought left handed scissors in the past - makes my life much simpler. My well meaning wife bought me a left handed can opener once - but I'm so adapted to using the normal ones it never gets used.
I learned a long time ago to just learn to do things both ways. Especially with computer mouses - when I was in college and sat down at a computer in a classroom, I couldn't exactly get up each time and rearrange the cords so I could use the mouse left-handed. I just adjusted.
The biggest issue (non-technology) I ever had was in basketball in 8th grade - during our warm-ups before a game we'd do lay-ups, and I'd be the only one missing right-handed lay-ups. This bothered me so much I spent a week practicing and practicing until I could do it. :)
When I had my first computer at home, when i was like 8, i just found naturally using the mouse with the right hand, and i totally agree with the first comment. With cellphones I almost never notice if I hold it with the right or left hand, I think I hold it with the right mostly.
And non-tech, I love playing guitar, and I find so unnatural holding the neck to the right, so I've always played like "right-handed players". (I also think you need *mostly* more technique in the hand that pushes the frets)
I always hold mice, chopsticks, and phones with my right hand. It frees my stronger left hand for tasks I'd want to do in parallel, like type, hold a heavy pan, and take notes respectively.
Two areas still way too righty-centric: RC car controls (steering's always with the right hand) and camera controls.
curby - Those are both things that are right hand dominant... and always have been! I can't imagine the ruckus it would cause if you could suddenly get a left handed DSLR!
THE SPATULA!
I flew into a rage when I realized a spoon/spatula I bought was useless for me because the tapered, useful part was on the top side when in my left hand - and I couldn't use it at all in my right.
For cameras, especially digital - I usually just take pictures upside down, pressing the shutter button with my thumb.
Left handed notebooks are a godsend too... I stock up whenever I'm in a college bookstore.
powwlita - I grew up with a camera in my hand, so I learned that one automatically right handed as well, though when it comes to notebooks, I tend to use a flip top version, or simply turn the notebook upside down!
My biggest issue with being left handed isn't tech related. Growing up I was never taught properly how to write with my left hand, so I stain the side of my palm and get cramps.
Otherwise, I feel adjusted to using things like a right handed person: kitchenware, scissors, my mouse, etc. Sports were too much of a hassle for me so I never could get into them.