With results in from 15 people, it looks like AWAD does have a disproportionate number of lefties present (or at least a disproportionate number responded). In the population, about 11% of us are lefties, here on the board, it's 33.33%.
Lefties responding: Max Q, Hyla, bridget96, maverick, AnnaStrophic
So, not quite the same results as our initial polling figures, but the final conclusion is about the same. [fiercely-holding-back-the-urge-to-point-out-the-contrast-with-a-recent-presidential-election-emoticon]
As much as I'm overtly right handed, I question anyone's claim that it has become nature over nurture in human development, yet! I am so much more independently dexterous in my left hand, yet I cannot hit the side of a cow with a barn with it, and I'm getting better at zeroing in with a dart with my right hand (ducking from BeingCJ), but I have a clearly less sensitive touch with it... (all that electric bass slappin')
Definitely a righty here Hyla. Where are we at now?
I am always a bit leery of “right hand you are this type of person/left hand you are another type” classifications. I find these things pigeonhole people – “ah yes, if you are a lefty you are an artist, a righty an accountant.” Harumph!
There are so many things that make a person what he is, not just genes. It seems like this type of thing totally dismisses the whole gestalt of becoming who you are, and plops your whole existence and character on one trait.
It’s kinda like birth dates. Once, while on vacation with a friend, we met up with a gentleman who claimed to be able to describe a person by his/her birthday. Upon learning that I was a Libra he proceeded to tell me that I was quiet and shy, unable to really decide on anything and that I let people take advantage of me because I was too timid to speak up. My friend was rolling around on the ground with laughter as that is soooo not me. Unblinking, our fortune-teller simply said, “well, her secondary sign is evidently stronger then.” [eyes rolling emoticon]
this type of thing totally dismisses the whole gestalt of becoming who you are, and plops your whole existence and character on one trait.
I agree--and what a misleading thing this can turn out to be, as you discovered. I really wonder how accurate these "predictions" would prove if they were applied to people who had lived in some kind of desperate situation their whole lives? We can't be all nature or all nurture, let alone happenstance. As you say, we are a sum greater than all of our parts.
...as I take my tounge out of my cheek... I truly am starting to get worse (he says with shagrin(sp?))... I think I need another pretzel (he says, darting away to satin sheets)
What if you're a total spaz with both hands? I started out as a leftie, but got switched. Still do half the normal tasks left handed. One of my two sons is "gauche," the other 'droit." Me, I'm maladroit.
My father is genetically disposed to be lefthanded, but when he was growing up the teachers would not permit him to use his left hand to write, and so he learned to write righthanded. As a result, he prefers to do most things lefthanded, including golf, but is very capable of doing things with both hands, such as bat, and yet does some things righthanded, including writing and bowling.
My father worked for many years in a managerial capacity for a large utility, and he bowled and golfed in the company leagues. He was pretty good, with a lot of power and control, bowling righthanded but golfing lefthanded. One spring, a new guy was transferred to the area, and he turned out to be a rather egotistic blowhard full of rodomontade (), and he proceeded to challenge everyone at everything, including card games, bowling and golf. The guy was pretty good, after all, but he apparently had a problem because he couldn't beat my dad at bowling.
Well, golf season came, and Mr Hotshot and my Dad eventually ended up in the same foursome for a league round. At that point, hotshot had seen my Dad write at work and bowl in the league, and naturally assumed that Dad was righthanded. Mr Hotshot decided to challenge my Dad to a sidebet regarding the round. My Dad accepted the challenge. Now, it seems that hotshot was ambidextrous, and enjoyed demonstrating his bilateral skills. "But," said the hotshot, thinking that Dad was righthanded, "to make it fair, let's golf lefthanded." "OK!", said Dad, as he teed off 330 yards down the middle of the fairway ...
Okay - lots more data has (or have, which I know to be "right" but which never sounds right to me) poured in, but the results are holding pretty steady.
Lefties are now at 31%, and include: Max Q, Hyla, bridget96, maverick, AnnaStrophic, Rousepeteur, belligerentyouth, shanks
Righties are at 65%, and include: Sparteye, BlanchePatch, FiberBabe, of troy, tsuwm, wwh, wow, Marianna, Jazzo, Faldage, musick, BeingCJ, belMarduk, jmh, Capital Kiwi, RhubarbCommando, emanuela
Self-declared maladroits are at 4% (one person gets a big percentage in such a small group!): Geoff
So, I have drawn two conclusions from these results:
1. There definitely appears to be a disporportionate presence of lefties among this bunch. 2. Doing a survey is a remarkably effective way of feeling loved, as I have never received so many private messages in such a short time.
A final point, not directly related to the data, is that it is, sadly, impossible to paste into a post a colorful, 3D pie chart depicting these results. This is frustrating in the near term, but probably all in all a good thing, as we'd never tire of sticking stuff in here when we're really supposed to be talking about words. As an example of this tendency of ours, I give you this survey effort.
I empathize. I was a right-handed klutz, and then one day at the bookstore (a nominally safe place, if the bookshelves aren't too high) I stumbled(!) upon "Juggling for the Complete Klutz". having already mastered lesson one ("the drop"), I figured this was the hobby for me. so now, years later, I too am maladroit and can do things like shoot pool and shovel snow equally poorly right-or-left-handed.
Doing a survey is a remarkably effective way of feeling loved, as I have never received so many private messages in such a short time.
Yeah, well try asking what mountain oysters are in the open forum... i had to purge half of my incoming private messages so as not to slow my processor down
where did you get the pie chart software? i wanted to do one with the birthday spread.
Here's my solution: Drink more. I worry less about how physics is supposed to function the more hooch I have, so my pool game gets better the more I drink. It's no accident that pool tables and taverns go together like nerds and awk-sed. Shout out to the IT homies!
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), and he proceeded to challenge everyone at everything, including card games, bowling and golf. The guy was pretty good, after all, but he apparently had a problem because he couldn't beat my dad at bowling.
