Things Left-Handed People Deal With That Right-Handed People Never Do
Reddit user johnnyportillo95 asked: 'What’s something left handed people have to deal with that right handed people wouldn’t even think about?'
Many of us who are right-handed never even think about how the world is designed to cater to us.
It probably doesn't even cross your mind that 10% of the world's population is left-handed.
Because of this, there tends to be a stigma for being left-handed since society tends to associate the left with negative things.
For example, the phrase "two left feet" applies to those who are clumsy and therefore, incapable of dancing.
Curious to hear more about the challenges facing those with the other dominant hand, Redditor johnnyportillo95 asked:
"What’s something left-handed people have to deal with that right-handed people wouldn’t even think about?"
If only manufacturers appealed to an ambidextrous world.
Furniture Obstacle
"Those desks or couch chairs that have a small desk attached. They do make left handed/sided ones but they are few and far between."
– Prussian__Princess
"And they’re only on one side of the lecture hall, and it’s never a good seat. There is ONE front row, lefty desk in the entire room and it’s in the far corner, obscured by an ancient overhead projector."
– earwighoney
Everyday Objects For Everyday People
"as a left-handed person myself, one thing we often deal with is finding left-handed tools or equipment. many everyday objects, like scissors or can openers, are designed with right-handed people in mind, which can make certain tasks a bit more challenging for us lefties. we also have to adapt to a right-handed world when it comes to writing on whiteboards or using certain computer mice."
– J0rdan_24
Dangerous Tools
"The biggest risk is power tools. I taught myself to use all power tools right handed because of risks using them left handed."
"Trivial, I love dry boards but they are super hard to write on."
– diegojones4
It's hard to play when you're born with a physical disadvantage.
Sports Disadvantage
"Allright, Sports when you are young. Every demonstration from PE teachers are right handed. You cant just copy the movements they teach you you need to flip them and your tiny brain struggoes to process it. As well, 98% of the cheap sports equipment the school uses is right handed."
– AjCheeze
No Future In Softball
"I tried to bat right handed for so long in gym class growing up because the gym teacher never asked me what my dominant side was and the thought never occurred to me as a child to mention it! Needless to say I never became a softball star."
– Leftover-Cheese
Find A Glove That Fits
"In softball and baseball we need a specific glove for our right hand that's often impossible to find unless you own one, and we have to bat on the other side of the plate."
– BowlerSea1569
"I was one of two left-handers in a 4-team Little League in the 1980s. Nobody could pitch to me. I got a lot of "hit by pitch" walks out of it."
– Jef_Wheaton
These examples are understandably annoying.
Shocking Observation
"Having right handed people make comments whenever they see us write, like we’re some kind of alien."
– UsefulIdiot85
"'Woah! You're left-handed????'"
"I find myself noticing when someone is a lefty, and sometimes I comment on it, but I try not to. I'm primarily left-handed (im a right handed wroter but do everything else left), and every single time I go to eat with my family, someone says, "Oh hey, give SilverGladiolus22 the left hand spot, they're left-handed," and inevitably someone says, 'Wait, really?' Lol."
– SilverGladiolus22
Can't Admire The Mug
"We never get to look at the cute graphics on coffee mugs while we’re drinking from them."
– vanetti
"I just realized…I always thought the graphics were made so someone else could read them while you drink. Hmmm."
– Bubbly-Anteater7345
"I'm right-handed and I often wondered why the graphics were turned towards the drinker instead of out for others to see."
– Material-Imagination
The Writing On The Wall
"Writing on whiteboards is a nightmare. I have to float my hand, which tires out my arm quickly, and I can't see what I've already written to keep the line straight."
– darkjedi39
"Also as a teacher, it means I'm standing to the left of where I'm writing, so I'm blocking everything I write. I have to frequently finish writing, then step out of the way so people can see, instead of just being able to stand on the right side the whole time."
– dancingbanana123
Immeasurable
"Rulers."
"How the f'k is no one talking about rulers? It's from 30cm to 0 cm to me, or I have to twist my arms to know the measure I want to trace over it."
– fourangers
Just Can't Win
"EVERYTHING. The world has always been based around people being right handed. As a Chef, my knife skills SUCKED until I worked with a Left Handed Chef. Then it all made sense."
"Literally, everything we do must be observed, then flipped around in our heads, then executed. This is why Lefties die sooner, on average, than Righties."
"I had to learn how to be ambidextrous, just to complete basic tasks (sports, driving a manual, using scissors, etc). I am used to it now, and do many things right handed out of necessity, as wall as parents and teachers 'forcing' it upon me."
"But, at least we are not put to death anymore, simply for using the wrong hand (look it up, it happened)."
"Ole Righty, always keeping us down."
– igenus44
The world doesn't need another demographic to feel "othered" for being different.
But if you're right-handed and tend to make assumptions about left-handed people, you may want to observe the following.
Ronald Yeo, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Texas-Austin told CNN:
"We shouldn’t assume much about people’s personalities or health just because of the hand they write with."
"And we certainly shouldn’t worry about lefties’ chances of success: After all (as of 2015), five of our last seven U.S. presidents have been either left- or mixed-handed."
Word.
If you're not familiar with the phrase "you are what you eat," it is not a literal statement.
Instead, the line suggests that it is important to eat better quality foods in order to stay healthy and fit.
But the notion that we can go through a transformation of some sort based on our behavior or surroundings can still be a thing depending on certain discussions within context.
Curious to hear examples of what this might be, Redditor standardgenre45 asked:
"What’s something that people turn into their whole personality?"
We can lose sight of ourselves when heavily influenced by another individual or a group of people.
Influenced By Devotion
"Politicians they follow."
– mrivkees
Era-Specific Like-Minded Individuals
"The generation they're born in."
– TheodoreBurgessL
We Like, We Follow
"‘Girl bosses’/MLM cult engagers"
"And social media."
– wanesandwaves
People can take on the characteristics that apply to their environments.
Location-Based Personality
"Here in the Netherlands people who live in Amsterdam base their personality on Amsterdam."
– kood_gid
When In Colorado
"People move to Colorado and Colorado becomes their personality. They buy a jeep or Subaru and start wearing Chaco’s, and plaster Mountain Life all over everything they own."
– peachesinyogurt
Claiming Ownership Of The State
"Not only that, but 'Colorado native' is a whole thing too. I've met many people who have nothing to talk about except how bitter they are that people keep moving in and how much better it was when they were kids."
– arardvark
What The Canadian Said
"It’s that way for a lot of major cities around the world. Here in Canada each province’s capital city has a bunch of people basing their personality off of it."
– SegaNaLeqa
The Thing About Major American Cities
"Lots of New Yorkers (City not state) guilty of this too. But it’s not just them. Los Angelinos, San Francisans, Chicago and DC are guilty too. Texans are probably the worst about it, especially the further they get away from Texas, then you’ve got people from Austin who are like the elitist Texans, they’re like the oddest mix of hippie and redneck. They often pride themselves on the hippie and denounce the redneck while still obviously being one."
– serene_brutality
Things having to do with money can be an obsession and really take over the essence of a person.
Living Work Or Work For A Living?
"Their job."
– CassiopeiaDwarf
Value Of Conversation
"Or just money in general. I worked with a guy who only ever talked about what things were worth, mostly vehicles. What he was thinking about buying. How much he could sell something for. The trades he wanted to make. How much our customers made. What motorbike he bought before from a guy on the street we happened to be on and what it's worth. That's all. It was annoying as f'k. Any conversation at all, you could be talking about your grandma, and he immediately tries to change the subject to value. It was literally the only small talk he knew. The fact he was poor just made it sad."
– Kossimer
Just Cut The Price Tag
"Omg my husband is kind of like this and as much as I love him, it's so frustrating. I'm just not all about money. We don't need to tell the kids how much their gifts cost. Idk. It makes me a little nuts."
– bohemianlikeu24
Power Of Money
"True, I lived it twice. First time I was a young, driven, ladder climber. Second I was a greedy, grab All the Cheeto’s before everything goes to pot… then when it did in 2008, financial collapse happened, I became lost. I’d let 95% of my identity become my job when it disappeared so did I. Took over a year to get my head right."
– DanMittaul
Status and association with certain people in their love are additional factors contributing to a loss of self.
Police Spouses
"You ever see a police officers wife? It's crazy but they turn their entire existence into being a police spouse, it's very odd. I have two neighbors that are police, they younger the wife the more intense the alternate reality they create for themselves. The husbands never mention their profession but the wifes cant shut up about it and try and prove how much they know about local law enforcement."
– Avalanche2
Married To The Army
"Same for military wives."
– imanon33
The Melodrama Back At Home
"My cousin's husband was in the Air Force. He was never deployed but whenever he would get sent out for field training, she was always talking about how hard being a military wife was and how much she missed her husband. Like girl, chill. He's gonna be gone for a week. Relax, don't shave your legs, sleep on the entire bed and do all the things you wouldn't normally do when he's home."
– littlehateball
Ever been told that you're turning into one of your parents?
That's another phrase often uttered, especially by a sibling who sees that you have slowly taken on the characteristics and idiosyncrasies of your mom or dad.
Learned behavior or genes?
Could be either or both. What do you think?
If you ever read an article about my murder, please know that I brought it on myself.
Somebody said something dumb and I 100% could not hold my loud face back from expressing all the things we humans can't say using only words.
And I probably talked mad sh*t right til the very end.
Reddit user saucetrailia asked:
"What's one trait you have that will more than likely get you killed one day?"
And yeah ... We're all in trouble
If You Insist...
Aleister Crowley Yes GIF by PENNYWORTHGiphy"I am awful at saying no and I'm terrified of being seen as rude."
"So I'd probably get killed by someone who takes advantage of that."
- a_fruitcake
"Just 'May I kill you, please?' 'Well, if you insist...' ”
- Lord-Impressive
Space Case
"I space out. My internal world just absorbs me."
"I am very likely to just walk into traffic obviously one day."
- laney2181
"This was how I wrecked my first car."
"Driving at night, back country roads about a quarter mile from home, thinking about game progression on Borderlands 2 ... aaaand now I'm upside down in a ditch with a face full of airbag because I clipped a deer."
- -AntiVegan-
Friends!
"I will try to friend any animal regardless of it's danger level."
- saucetrailia
"Samesies. All animals are friends!"
"Shark? Sea puppy."
"Hyena? Big catdog."
"Moose? Long antler tall friend."
"Cobra? Wide headed noodle."
"Rattlesnake? Musical noodle."
"Jaguar? Spotted crunch crunch mouth friend."
"Crocodile? Scaly crunch buddy."
"It will undeniably kill me if in the wild long enough."
- Kondrias
"I'll bet women are the reason we were able to domesticate wolves."
- J0k3rA34
"If there is a snoot to boop, then it is your duty to boop that snoot."
- midnight_someone_17
Sausage Stroke
nom nom eating GIF by LaffGiphy"The real answer: I love food, usually the fatty unhealthy kinds."
"Burgers, fries, hotdogs, bacon, chicken fried steak, gumbo, sausage... I want it all in me."
"I'm going to die from a stroke, heart attack, or cancer. Or choking."
- secret-citizen
Interruptions
"I can't help interrupting people, otherwise I forget what I was going to say."
"I also say everything that is in my head, never in a rude way, I'm just always very open with how I feel about things and situations."
- AngelicWooGirl
"Sorry if you're not looking for advice, but I have this problem sometimes."
"When I have something I need to say, I touch my index finger to my nose until I'm able to say it. It looks a little goofy but it's less rude than interrupting all the time, and you won't forget what you're going to say while you're actively touching your nose."
- glitterbugged
"You are amazing. I did this today and it bloody worked!"
"You total legend. Thank you for making me a little less killable."
- AngelicWooGirl
Road Rage
"I'm not proud of it, but after years of denying it I'll finally admit that I've got a good amount of road rage..."
- jo_coltrane
"I know how I'm going to die."
"I'll be behind some idiot clogging up the passing lane. I'll flash my lights, he won't move. I'll honk my horn, he won't move."
"He'll probably brake-check me."
"Then, when I get an opening, I'll pass him in the other lane and he'll shoot me as I drive past."
- UpTheFe
Bait And Reel
smug american psycho GIFGiphy"I gaslight in arguments with random strangers and try to make them freak out and rage."
- fartpie69420
"You realize people literally actually die doing this, right? Not hypothetical."
"Jaco Pastorius did."
- [Reddit]
"I do this too. I love pushing people's buttons even though I hate people doing it to me."
"I won't actively seek out a fight or argument, but depending on the circumstances I can be a real menace and I will have this stupid amused smirk the entire time too!"
- Rocket-Tree
"Yeah... that is not okay. That's psychological abuse. Abusing people isn't funny."
- brushstrokes
Choking Hazard
"My ability to choke on a microdrop of saliva."
- Surviving2
"Omg, you too? I have never met another person who chokes on their own saliva before."
- ClothDiaperAddicts
"I laughed and choked at your comment."
- AdultBabyGoat
Hustle
"I love to work."
"I worked 80 hours a week for 8 months. I told myself it was because I didn't have staff."
"Now I have staff and I picked up ubereats as a side gig. So I am still working about 80 hours a week."
"Money is a small factor, but I just like to work."
"I'll probably work until I die."
- Neblos2514
Monkey Time
"Parkour."
"I jump and climb up rocks and trees and stairwells that are super high off the ground. Several times I’ve almost made a bad jump that could’ve broken my neck."
"Just recently on a hike when I was just hopping down from a tree seven feet off the ground, my foot got stuck and I rotated and landed flat on my back."
"If things went a little different, I could’ve broken my leg from the weight or whacked my head against a rock right next to where I landed."
"I badly hurt something really low in my back and started laughing hysterically and uncontrollably from the pain, contemplating the odds of that happening or how much worse it could’ve been or how many other times it could’ve happened."
"That experience haunts me and I’m trying to be much more cautious now, but there is nothing that makes me feel more alive and free and happy than scaling the obstacles of nature."
"Yes, even though I know that just one misstep could bring it all crashing down."
"If there’s anything that kills me before I’m old, I can just about guarantee it’ll be my own dangerous desire to monkey around in places I shouldn’t."
- TrickyTalon
Death is coming for us all eventually.
Some of us, apparently, are more likely to speed things along than others.
Did you see your likely cause of death here? Got something to add to the list?
Meet us in the comments!
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