Any interesting Beatles facts you'd like to share?

[Joost]

It's a cruel thing to do, indeed.  It's still being done, I'm afraid.  Left-handedness was associated with being awkward and clumsy.  It's not appropriate to force right-handedness on a "lefty" when his brain isn't wired that way.

I think it was mostly for practical reasons that they used to force left-handed children to write with their right hand. Writing with old-fashioned pen types (like a dip pen) doesn't work very well when you're left-handed. When you're writing, you rest the hand that you write with on the paper and if you're left handed, that's where the words you've just written are. So you'll wipe wet ink all over the paper.

[breedofrandy]

^^That's so weird. I still don't think it's right. I think that's a pretty lame reason to make your child change hands, just because of dip pens. Lame excuse! 

[Joost]

^^That's so weird. I still don't think it's right. I think that's a pretty lame reason to make your child change hands, just because of dip pens. Lame excuse! 

Well, it does have its benefits to force yourself to be right-handed. I know a few left-handed people who forced themselves to play guitar the right-handed way. Maybe they would've been better players if they wouldn't have done that, but then again... When you walk into a guitar store there's like 200 right-handed guitars and maybe 15 left-handed guitars... And they're all a lot more expensive than the right-handed versions.

[breedofrandy]

Well, it does have its benefits to force yourself to be right-handed. I know a few left-handed people who forced themselves to play guitar the right-handed way. Maybe they would've been better players if they wouldn't have done that, but then again... When you walk into a guitar store there's like 200 right-handed guitars and maybe 15 left-handed guitars... And they're all a lot more expensive than the right-handed versions.

you have a lot of good points there Joost, so I guess it's all just a matter of opinion. If someone thinks it's better to be right handed then so be it. I just don't think I would do that to someone who was naturally a lefty. And I guess the times have changed a lot over the years so many parents might not do that anymore. But I don't know.

[Joost]

you have a lot of good points there Joost, so I guess it's all just a matter of opinion.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's right to force left-handed children to be right-handed. I'm left-handed myself and I don't think I would be as good at drawing or playing guitar as I am now if I would've been forced to be right-handed. But it's a fact that being left-handed comes with some disadvantages.

[breedofrandy]

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's right to force left-handed children to be right-handed. I'm left-handed myself and I don't think I would be as good at drawing or playing guitar as I am now if I would've been forced to be right-handed. But it's a fact that being left-handed comes with some disadvantages.

I'm not trying to get you wrong at all, I was just having fun listening to all of your great points. Ones that I've never really come across before. So thank you for the interesting facts and conversation. And what are some of these disadvantages? My dad is left handed and I've had many friends that are left handed and I'd like to hear some of these. They've never told me any.

[Joost]

Well, like I said, things that were specifically made for left-handed use (like, for instance, guitars) are often more expensive and harder to find. And check all the tools, machines, objects, devices etc. that you can find in your house... Now count how many buttons, handles, openings etc. you see there are on the left side of these things and how many are on the right side... See what I mean? Usually it's really not a big deal, but it's clear that pretty much everything is designed for right-handed use.

[breedofrandy]

^yeah, I see now, scissors are even wrong for a left handed person and mice for computers, there are a lot of things I guess when you look at it. So yeah there probably are some issues with being a left handed person. But you are more unique when your left handed. So that's always a plus. 

[stevie]

This is the same as me! I am a lefty in everything but writing. at primary school in about 1970 i was changed for some reason. I still hold the pen funny, in my thumb pouch not with the fingers.

[Jane]

As far as I know left-handed people are usually more talented. From my own observations left-handed students are usually really good ones and capable. There must be something in it.

[Mairi]

When my sister started school, she was ambidextrous, which means she could use both hands. It was really cool; she'd be drawing with one hand and writing with the other at the same time. They made her stop, though. I don't know why.

[breedofrandy]

^that is really cool!