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| "Andjam" <andjamgeo@...>
04/17/01 08:31 AM
|
To: distexters@yahoogroups.com cc: Subject: Re: [DisTexters] Handedness in fiction |
> About handedness, there have been studies which show that early man was
> left-handed, during the Greco-Roman time - shifted towards right-handed,
> and by the Dark Ages, right handedness was the dominant trait. So any
> fiction set during Xena's time would left and right handers evenly
> divided.
Is handedness genetically or socially determined?
Genetically determined. They studied tools of early man which lead folks to believe that he was left-handed. Lefties have better survival rates in the natural world. Their brains can reconnect and retool better than a right handed. Later when handedness wasn't needed for survival, more right handers survived. Later, it became a dominant gene. Then handedness became socially determined and then right handedness became needed for survival. They burned lefties during the Middle Ages for being servants of the Devil.
> As for left-handedness, because the modern world is structured toward
> right-handedness, the lefties die younger from accidents. However, in
> during the recent U.S. elections, most of the Presidential candidates and
> Presidents were lefties -- Bush (both), Clinton, Ford, Carter, and Reagan.
> They were tall too. Maybe being tall and left-handed is a requirement
> for being U.S. President. ;)
I thought that Bush junior wasn't, though his father is left handed,
and that the other 3 primary candidates (McCain, Gore, the other
democrat candidate) were left-handed.
Bush junior uses both hands. Having a left handed father, Bush Jr. probably ended using his left hand more than most folks. However, in the U.S., if you use both hands, you have to choose to be right handed for purposes of education. My son uses both hands but was told to write with his right hand so his speech would be clear. Speech difficulties and left-handiness go hand in hand. :)
Yours in Leftness,
Virginia, unreconstructed leftie.
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