06 Jul Lefties of the World Unite!

Five of the last seven US Presidents. Bill Gates. Oprah. Babe Ruth. Einstein. Darwin. Paul McCartney. Prince William. Napoleon. DaVinci. Marie Curie. Artistotle. Jimi Hendrix. Actors from Dick Van Dyke to Kermit the Frog. John McEnroe and Monica Seles. Four of the 5 designers of the original Apple Mac. And of course, as noted above, The Simpsons’ Ned Flanders (actually Bart as well).

In a few weeks we celebrate the annual Left Hander’s Day. As a right-challenged lefty, I like to revel in the probably mistaken belief that lefties pretty much rule. But am I mistaken? According to Dr. Oz (OK not the best choice this month but still) from Oprah.com (good choice lefty-wise), “‘Left-handed people can deal with more incoming information that doesn’t come in an organized way.’ Dr. Oz says this is because of the way the brain develops when a baby is in its mother’s womb. ‘The left brain normally controls your right side, which is really powerful,” he says. “[In left-handed people], it allows the other side, the right brain, to become an equal partner.'” This, for example, is why many say left-handed athletes are very successful.

Yet through the centuries lefties were villified. In fact the very word “left” comes from the Anglo word for “sinister.” And there is at least one study saying lefties are more likely to be or become psychotic. Which is why some say lefties are very smart and a little bit weird. When I say that to lefties they all nod and say, “True, true.” So fellow kaggy-fisted folks, let us celebrate our difference, elbow our dinner partners to our left, smudge that fountain pen when we write, and stay your super-smart little bit weird selves.