Left-handed people

[DaciaJC]

Interesting.
Where's the "peaceful" part in slinging stones accurately.....

Oh, the Bible, what an amusing text...

I don't see any mention of "peaceful" in that verse myself...

*assumes movie gangster tone*

You tryin'a start sumthun, punk?

[IrishHitman]

I don't see any mention of "peaceful" in that verse myself...

*assumes movie gangster tone*

You tryin'a start sumthun, punk?

I meant that too many people state that the Bible is a peaceful text that preaches love, etc.
Clearly they missed the bit about left-handed slingers throwing rocks at people to kill them....

[Blxz]

Actually handedness seems to be present in most creatures with bilateral symmetry. '_'

I believe that polar bears are 100% left handed. I cannot back up that statement with any sources unfortunately but I distinctly remember reading in more than one biology journal that all polar bears that have ever been recorded, wild and captivity, will only use there left hand to swipe or paw something while standing on there right hand. I actually remember one journal making a small point about it. And thos ein captivity can be teased to stand up and swipe at food. They always either only use their left hand, or do multiple swipes with boht hands but always starting with there left hand.

Anyone able to back this up with sources maybe?

[DaciaJC]

I meant that too many people state that the Bible is a peaceful text that preaches love, etc.
Clearly they missed the bit about left-handed slingers throwing rocks at people to kill them....

Aye, well, there's an Old Testament in which the Israelites conquer and are conquered - obviously there is much violence detailed here - and there's a New Testament, which preaches love, etc.

I believe that polar bears are 100% left handed. I cannot back up that statement with any sources unfortunately but I distinctly remember reading in more than one biology journal that all polar bears that have ever been recorded, wild and captivity, will only use there left hand to swipe or paw something while standing on there right hand. I actually remember one journal making a small point about it. And thos ein captivity can be teased to stand up and swipe at food. They always either only use their left hand, or do multiple swipes with boht hands but always starting with there left hand.

Anyone able to back this up with sources maybe?

Strange, a quick look on Wikipedia (*gasp*, but it provides sources) and I find that what you described is *supposedly* an internet meme/myth. Take a look here, second paragraph. There is little detail, unfortunately.

[Ibrahim]

I meant that too many people state that the Bible is a peaceful text that preaches love, etc.
Clearly they missed the bit about left-handed slingers throwing rocks at people to kill them....

what do you expect? its a book tracing the mythologised history of the Israelites, as they saw themselves. its bound to have many disturbing scenes. most religous/cultural books tend to e that way: the gitas, the mythologies of greece and rome, etc. of course some are WAY less violent than the Bible, but you get the point.

but I was under the impression that right and left handedness was somehow related to the presence of assymetrical brains-as in Humans.

[Blxz]

Strange, a quick look on Wikipedia (*gasp*, but it provides sources) and I find that what you described is *supposedly* an internet meme/myth. Take a look here, second paragraph. There is little detail, unfortunately.

My mistake, I forgot wikipedia as the source of all that is good and right in our world.

I distinctly remember reading it more than once in some peer reviewed scientific journals while doing a (totally unrelated I might add) assignment. However considering the crap that lands up in peer reviewed stuff sometimes you may be right about it being a myth. Who knows, thats why I asked for sources to verify or disprove. Thanks.

[Irenaeus]

Also in the bible, Judges 3:12-30 - Ehud is left-handed (I heard that the hebrew text literally says his right-hand was "closed" i.e. deformed, so he couldn't use it in warfare), and so is unsuspected when he delivers a "message" to the King of Moab. This carries on the recursive theme of God using unlikely people which the author is emphasising.

[DaciaJC]

That "message" was a sword thrust to the belly, if I recall correctly. I remember citing that verse as my favorite several years ago.

[Celtic_Punk]

I wonder if some could weild an axe left handed, but a sword only right... I bowl right, shoot right, hold the hockey stick right, but play pool left, and shoot a bow left too. My dad's left handed, and taught me to shoot pool and a bow left.

[Ludens]

I meant that too many people state that the Bible is a peaceful text that preaches love, etc.
Clearly they missed the bit about left-handed slingers throwing rocks at people to kill them....

It is certainly true that the Bible contains some nasty bits and that several atrocities have been committed in its name. However, this is not the right way to start a discussion about it; nor is this the right forum.

No more bible-bashing, please.

Now, back to left-handedness.

AFIAK the romans thought being left handed was unlucky, hence the use of sinister (derived form the latin for left) today to mean something that is evil.

AFIAK, the Romans had special cohorts for left handed people.

Interesting, but do you have sources?

Well, I concede that to you. It's interesting to think about, at least, and might point to a progressive decline in left-handedness.

There is a theory that left-handedness gives an advantage in combat against adversaries used to fighting right-handed enemies, which, in a right-biased species, means most people. This would explain why left-handedness is more common in "deadly" tribal societies. However, handedness has never been properly measured in these societies, so the evidence is not that strong.

[bobbin]

Interesting, but do you have sources?

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/...or=tam#lexicon

Its interesting to note that the romans considered it lucky before adopting the greek veiw (has to do with the direction of the "lucky" east when performing augeries).

[alexanderthegreater]

I recall reading an article about a correlation between violence in societies and left handedness. The advantage of lefthandedness is that the majority of the populace (righties) are not accustomed to fighting a left-handed person. In cultures with a higher murder-rate theres a higher left-handedness.
Its seen in modern sports too. Rafael Nadal is left-handed.

Im a leftie ^^. Whenever i picked up the baseball bat the field team panicked because they had to alter their entire formation.

On-topic, I would think that in the tribal societies of the Celts there would be significant amount of left-handedness. Nobody would be trained to fight right handed there anyway because nobody was trained at all.

That way. They weren't some Super-Duper Leftie Elite.

No? darn i wanted to join.

[Ludens]

I recall reading an article about a correlation between violence in societies and left handedness. The advantage of lefthandedness is that the majority of the populace (righties) are not accustomed to fighting a left-handed person. In cultures with a higher murder-rate theres a higher left-handedness.

Like I wrote above, the evidence that deadly societies have a greater proportion of left-handed people is disputed.

On-topic, I would think that in the tribal societies of the Celts there would be significant amount of left-handedness. Nobody would be trained to fight right handed there anyway because nobody was trained at all.

[-Praetor-]

On-topic, I would think that in the tribal societies of the Celts there would be significant amount of left-handedness. Nobody would be trained to fight right handed there anyway because nobody was trained at all.

[G. Septimus]

On-topic, I would think that in the tribal societies of the Celts there would be significant amount of left-handedness. Nobody would be trained to fight right handed there anyway because nobody was trained at all.
.

Hmmm.
I think your right, because the celts are'nt trained, they used there own weapons and skill.
So, maybe a lot of Celts are lefties

[-Praetor-]

Hmmm.
I think your right, because the celts are'nt trained, they used there own weapons and skill.
So, maybe a lot of Celts are lefties

Perhaps the average Celt came out of their mother's thighs with a longsword, spikey hair and a fiery look on its face, right?

[antisocialmunky]

Hooray for the steel plated birth canals of Celtic women!

[Macilrille]

I think this thread has run its course a while ago...

[Fisherking]

I don’t recall much more about the piece than reading it but long ago I was reading on Roman military tactics.

A part of the article said that they would place lefties on the flank to stop the lines from drifting as they fought.

There is little genetic evidence that left-handedness is inherited. I think only one protein has been found that slightly increases the chance that someone is left handed.

The best evidence is that it has to do with elevated testosterone levels in the fetus, also would explain why only 2% of women are left handed.

Lefties occur throughout nature, not just humans, and it seems they have a survivability advantage in confrontations because of their rarity

[Macilrille]

A part of the article said that they would place lefties on the flank to stop the lines from drifting as they fought.

A natural tendency fighting is to get as much cover from the guy on your weapon side's shield. This is what makes line drift. Positioning lefties on the left would split the unit as the flanks would drift in opposite directions. Positioning then on the right would make the unit too close. I am very dubious about this remembered article you quote. It may be something you saw in The Sun or something equivalent for all you recall.

Not even all scientific articles are correct and artciles dealing with history appear in some very "popular" forms sometimes in less serious magazines for the broad public.

I am sorry to be an arrogant and stubborn mule, but your vague memory of something you do not remember where, when or specifically what you read is no valid source.

I shall make some inquiries though to avoid misunderstandings. We should hopefully be able to validate or discount this theory in 2-3 days.

I still feel this thread has run its course, but also that such a matter needs resolving, for now people reading this thread will vaguely remember having read somewhere and in 4-5 years with dimmed memory pass on something probably incorrect as truth...

[madbriton]

If you want another example of left-handedness in the Bible, Ehud was a hero from the Book of Judges who killed Eglon, the king of Moab, helped because the guards didn't see his sword on the opposite side from normal.

I know that one from a very silly song written by a poet and co at a Christian festival (I believe they were trying to find the most innapropriate Bible story to write a children's song about - this festival is quite open and liberal, otherwise they might not have got away with it!)

[mountaingoat]

I wonder if some could weild an axe left handed, but a sword only right... I bowl right, shoot right, hold the hockey stick right, but play pool left, and shoot a bow left too. My dad's left handed, and taught me to shoot pool and a bow left.

well i do not believe in "handedness" , mostly because of this reason. somewhere in time , someone decided that if you lead with your left or right hand in a few select activities ,that somehow dictates your overall preference for deciding on which hand you lead with in every activity.

[Cute Wolf]

well i do not believe in "handedness" , mostly because of this reason. somewhere in time , someone decided that if you lead with your left or right hand in a few select activities ,that somehow dictates your overall preference for deciding on which hand you lead with in every activity.

Wait... I read this discussion and this give an aggrement to my experience. When I was a little child, I usually used my left hand to do anything, but, in my primary school, I was tought to write exclusively in right hand (involving anything from my teacher giving an extra cake when I behave nicely, and she grab my left hand and say "Don't do this this is the baadddd hand" everytime I try to write with it). The result is: I was able to write nicely only with right hand (i still capable to write clearly readable with my left, but the quality is poor compared to my right writing (I have a really nice handwriting, everyone said that.. eheh)), and the right hand was better to do some soft work (such as titration and place small objects on microscope), but when I got into a fight or playing sports that need strength, I use the left, because the muscles on my left hand is definitely bigger than the right..... well, I play tennis, badminton, and basketball mostly with my left.

So, that handedness... is decided by who are teaching you about doing something...

[Apázlinemjó]

Wait... I read this discussion and this give an aggrement to my experience. When I was a little child, I usually used my left hand to do anything, but, in my primary school, I was tought to write exclusively in right hand (involving anything from my teacher giving an extra cake when I behave nicely, and she grab my left hand and say "Don't do this this is the baadddd hand" everytime I try to write with it). The result is: I was able to write nicely only with right hand (i still capable to write clearly readable with my left, but the quality is poor compared to my right writing (I have a really nice handwriting, everyone said that.. eheh)), and the right hand was better to do some soft work (such as titration and place small objects on microscope), but when I got into a fight or playing sports that need strength, I use the left, because the muscles on my left hand is definitely bigger than the right..... well, I play tennis, badminton, and basketball mostly with my left.

So, that handedness... is decided by who are teaching you about doing something...

That's why I was lucky in Primary School, because my teacher was left-handed too.

[AlexanderSextus]

I'm right handed, but for some reason my left arm is stronger. I am quite ambidextrous actually, but this probably has to do with the fact i trained in wing chun kuen at one point, which requires you learn to be ambidextrous. Good thing too, because i no longer do certain things with only one hand.

[IrishHitman]

It is certainly true that the Bible contains some nasty bits and that several atrocities have been committed in its name. However, this is not the right way to start a discussion about it; nor is this the right forum.

No more bible-bashing, please.

Now, back to left-handedness.

Perhaps you should check your vocab, bible-bashing around here = zealous belief in the Bible...

[Subotan]

Wait... I read this discussion and this give an aggrement to my experience. When I was a little child, I usually used my left hand to do anything, but, in my primary school, I was tought to write exclusively in right hand (involving anything from my teacher giving an extra cake when I behave nicely, and she grab my left hand and say "Don't do this this is the baadddd hand" everytime I try to write with it).

That still happens in the modern world?

That is messed up

[Ludens]

Perhaps you should check your vocab, bible-bashing around here = zealous belief in the Bible...

I understand it means either bashing the Bible and bashing with the Bible.

[Cute Wolf]

That still happens in the modern world?

That is messed up

Far - far away from your "modern education" system pal.... this is Indonesia, about 1994-1997 (first until third class of primary school)..... and right there, left hand is still considered "baaaad baaaaaad hand" and I won't get an extra cake if I still write with my left... and without that extra cake, my handwriting will be still a hieroglyphs.....

[G. Septimus]

Far - far away from your "modern education" system pal.... this is Indonesia, about 1994-1997 (first until third class of primary school)..... and right there, left hand is still considered "baaaad baaaaaad hand" and I won't get an extra cake if I still write with my left... and without that extra cake, my handwriting will be still a hieroglyphs.....

yes, indeed well in indonesian:
"tulisan gw tu entar ancur kolo pake tangan kiri

our writing will get a C or F if we write with our left hand. and if we eat with our left hand, we could be get mad at....