Pros & Cons Disadvantages of being left-handed: Pens and pencils: When a lefty writes with a pen or a pencil, his hand trails over the words he has previously written. Depending on the pen or pencil in question, this can lead to smudges all over the paper and the left hand. Erasable ink is notorious among lefties for this reason. Scissors: Many lefties, when learning to use scissors for the first time, pick up a pair of right-handed scissors, place them in their left hand, and start cutting. Using the wrong scissors can cause "carpal tunnel syndrome". If you are a lefty, you would probably be best using left-handed scissors in your left hand. Playing cards: In a card game, when a lefty fans out his cards left-handed style, the numbers and suits cannot be seen. Lefties have to either read the cards upside-down, fan them out the opposite way, or buy left-handed cards with the number and suit in all corners. School desks: Many schools use desks with a chair attached. The desktop is shaped so that you get in on the left side and you can rest your right arm while writing. A lefty's left arm has to stick out off the edge of the desk. Left-handed desks, built the oppposite way, can be very hard to find. The Handedness Research Institute recommends that schools buy unbiased desks instead. For more information about the troubles lefties face when using right-handed desks, see What's Wrong with This Desk? by HRI. Power tools: Many power tools, when held with the left hand, can be very harmful. For example, a circular saw blows sawdust to the right, which is very convenent for a right-hander, but when held in the left hand, makes a mess. Advantages of being left-handed: Reading and writing backwards and upside-down: Okay, it's not very useful, but it is cool. :) Generally, lefties can more easily write (or at least read) backwards or upside-down. Right-to-left is the natural direction for left-handers. Creativity: Lefties are dominated by the right hemisphere of the brain, which deals with music, art, perception, emotions, and other forms of abstract thinking. Driving: In countries where traffic keeps to the right side of the road (USA, Canada, etc.), lefties are more easily able to hand (or throw) change out to pay a toll, since they use their left hand. In left-side-of-the-road countries (UK, Australia, etc.), righties have this advantage, but lefties are better equipped to use a stick shift. Adaptability: Because their world is dominated by right-handed products, lefties are much more easily adaptable to right-handed tools and utensils than righties are to left-handed products. This can be helpful if a lefty breaks his dominant arm and is temporarily unable to use it. Credit goes here.