Time world did it right for left-handers

If God indeed plays dice with the universe, does She use Her left hand, or the right, to roll the die? We may never know, but a sustained human narrative for centuries sure has us believe that the Devil is a left-hander. There, perhaps, lies the root of a prejudice that haunts society even today, across India and several parts of the world.

With estimates of over 10 per cent people globally being left-handed, it becomes a global bias as humongous as any religious, regional, race, gender, sexual orientation or physical handicap bias, with a strong negative impact on those who suffer the discrimination. trauma. Even the statistics about lefthanders are not correct because of definitions. We believe that over 18 per cent of the population could typically be lefthanded, not a mere 10 per cent,” he said.

There are all-too-evident proofs that almost everything in the world is designed for, though not by, right-handers. Buildings, vehicles, doors, machines, tools, classrooms — everything poses a difficulty for left-handers. For a left-hander, writing a script from left to right, as most languages are created, is difficult because the hand often covers the letter being written. So they move the sheet or shift away from the paper, often getting scolded by teachers, especially during exams.

In schools, the seating arrangement with benches aggravates the issue in such a way that if a right-hander is seated to the left of a left-hander, the elbowjabbing is a routine problem.

“Left-handers are not victims. We do not suffer from any handicap. We are adaptable and adjust well. Most of us do well in life. But there is little doubt that if you try to see the difficulties and challenges created for us — covertly and overtly, deliberately and by accident — we suffer,” confessed Mr Chaugule.