When left is not right!

People are born in life to be different from one another. Their individual differences more or less reflect psychological characteristics that distinguish one person from another. This helps define each person's uniqueness represented in intelligence, personality traits and values. Those differences are neither a fiction nor a worry; they only contribute to the shaping of behaviours and individual's self-importance.

Usually, these different personal characteristics include cognitive, affective, behavioural and genetic traits attributed to human beings or animals. Yet, many people spend their life trying to fit in and be like everyone else! So strange, but this is human nature to be attracted by what others have in hand; probably it is their jealousy. Thus, nobody is satisfied with what has been bestowed by the Almighty Allah.

A very common individual difference that has been remarkably renowned worldwide among people is whether one is a right or left-handed. Can you believe that sometimes people tend to look at lefties or left-handers differently? To many, it seems abnormal to see someone using a left hand while writing, using a knife or to do anything else. Around 10 to 12 per cent of the world’s population are lefties.

Nevertheless, humans are not the only one to show a preference between the left and right hand. Other creatures in the animal kingdom also show a 50/50 split when it comes to using which hand, foot or paw the most! Among the left-handed animals are kangaroos, which tend to favour their left paw for eating. Also, studies have shown that 90 per cent of parrots use their left foot to pick things up.

It is attributed that babies, at a certain time while in the womb, show a clear preference for sucking one thumb over the other. Hence, handedness is probably hardwired before the baby's birth. However, experts say that parents do not likely get a good sense of their child’s dominant hand until they are 2 or 3 years old. Most importantly is that genetics play a key role in having a right or left-handed child.

Historically, left-handedness is often considered a bad omen and associated with evil in some cultures and countries. However, the world annually commemorates the International Left-Handers Day designated on August 13. This day was first marked in 1976, and was aimed to make the majority right-handers aware of the frustrations that left-handed people face while using devices designed for right-handed. The day urges designers, corporates and governments to be more left-handed friendly and adapt objects for lefties. The left-handed are precious; they take places, which are inconvenient for the rest.