Why It Sucks Being Left-Handed

Lefties sure got the short shrift. Mental_floss blog outlines the 7 downsides of being a south paw. For example:

2. They May Get Paid Less
Full disclosure: this one is contentious. Some studies have found there is no difference between handedness and how much a person makes. However, a seminal study by Harvard University found that lefties make 10% less on average than their right-handed counterparts. This may be due partly to the fact that lefties are less likely to complete college. The same researcher found that despite the oft repeated claim that lefties have higher IQs on average than righties, left-handed people actually score slightly lower on math and reading comprehension tests.

Another study published in The Journal of Human Resources found that while left-handed men’s salaries were comparable to righties, left-handed women made significantly less.

7. The World Is Trying to Kill Them
The world isn’t just driving lefties to drink, though. It’s also killing them. Left-handed people seem to expire anywhere from a few months to a few years before righties, all other things being equal. One of the deadliest problems is simply that the world isn’t laid out best for lefties. This leads to left-handed people being five times more likely to die in accidents than right-handed people.


Newest 2
Newest 2 Comments

Southpaw persecution goes back thousands of years. Even the Bible is filled with anti-left hand references and also influences language we use (hence the origin of the word "sinister").

Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Commenting is closed.

Email This Post to a Friend
"Why It Sucks Being Left-Handed"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.


Success! Your email has been sent!

close window

This website uses cookies.


I agree
Learn More