Showing posts with label left side. Show all posts
Showing posts with label left side. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Left Right Left Right

I have found something very interesting. Here I come... EUREKA...

The other day, Prof. Upendran was teaching us about development of languages. Going back to millions of centuries, he demonstrated how some of our forefathers came down from the tree and lost their tails and hair (which some of us still regret).
In the course of explanation, he was speaking of lateralization of the brain. Suddenly, he turned his attention into some lateral topics! He He.. He wanted to amuse us may be...
In course of time, human brain began to grow. Its size increased. And languages began to develop since wo/man had to spend much of her/his time in caves during the ice age. Wondering why? You!!! In the cave, it was dark and you possibly cannot see what your neighbour is showing you in sign language. Wow! So language grew and grew...
The place language got in the brain was in the left part. So the left half of the brain developed faster. As you may well know, left hemisphere of the brain controls the right side of the body. Therefore, People started developing an affinity to the right side! Right became dominant side. People used right hand more than left. Remember, until then both hands were of same importance...
Now, the Prof. asked us: "who stands behind the groom at any wedding? What is his name?"
We said: "The best man."
Prof: Why is he called the best man? Is it because he looks the best? or the is the BEST man in the world?"
We dint know the answer. Yet we told him all our ideas about what we thought. Obviously all were wrong.
Prof: "Hei, earlier there was no system of marriage like ours now. No dating and arranged marriage. Man went around other villages, found a girl whom he liked, and later, he went with one of his STRONG an TALL friends to that village and just kidnapped the girl. That was the way brides were found."
"How cool!" we thought.
Prof: "So, that STRONG and TALL man is called the best man. He is best in helping the groom kidnap the girl. BEST in that sense."
But where does lateralization figure here?
Prof: "Now, the best man stands behind the groom. Where does the bride stand? On the left or on the right?"
We thought, tried to remember the weddings of our own parents! "On the left." we said.
Prof:"Why on the left? Left is considered to be the worst side. Evil was associated with left always. All left handed were thought to be cursed. Then Why???"
We didnt have an answer.
Now see the answer:"Remember it was a kidnap. So the parents and friends of the girl may come to rescue her. In case of such an attack, there is the best man standing behind the groom. Now groom needs to protect himself. He needs a sword. Where do you keep the sword? On left or right?"
"On the left side", we said.
Prof: "So, imagine there is an attack. Also imagine that the bride is on the best side, the right side. The groom draws his sword out... and there he decapitates the bride who is now on the right side! Do you want it to happen?"
"No," we said.
"Therefore the bride is on the left."

Prof: "Why do you wear your wedding ring on the left hand?"
Again we had no answer.
Prof: "Ancient Egyptians believed that a vein from the left ring finger goes straight to the heart. Therefore the ring is on the left."


Enough of lateralization, right?
Ya, I too think so.
Yet it is amazing how human beings thought and how thought directed action and so on. Its really amazing. Isnt it?

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ആൾക്കൂട്ട കൊലപാതകങ്ങൾക്ക് പേരുകേട്ട നാടാണ് നമ്മുടേത്. എന്നിൽനിന്ന് വ്യത്യസ്തനാണെങ്കിൽ നീ  കൊല്ലപ്പെടണം എന്ന ചിന്ത എന്നും ഈ നാടിന്റെ ശാപമാണ്....