Would you rather be left-brained or right-brained?

[waxmephilosophical]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but left-brained people are a little more analytical, etc. and right-brained people are creative, intuitive, etc. Being whole-brained would be nice :) , but if I had to choose, I'd rather be right-brained. I think I'm a little bit of both (a little artsy/crafty, into lit, but I'm also okay at maths, sciences, and problem solving)...however, I'd rather be proficient in one or the other. I think it's more interesting to be specialized. What do y'all think?

[RoseBud]

I don't have to chose one. I'm one of the very happy people enjoying the gift of dyslexia.

It isn't easy to learn how to integrate both hemishperes going full throttle, but it is well worth it. As a well-adjusted dyslexic, I don't feel disabled. I feel pity for the poor slobs who can tell time without thinking and never confuse left with right.

I was at least eight before I realized there is supposed to be something hard about reading mirror writing, or reading upside down. I was twelve before I decided not to waste any more time about the illogic of adults who thought it would ruin my eyes to read in semi-light. (The very next minute, they would say I should get outside and exercise, to make my muscles stronger! Doesn't "use it or lose it" apply to eyesight, too?) I was in college before I found out there is supposed to be something special about doing crossword puzzles in ink. I choose ink, not to show off, but because I got disgusted with the way pencil smudges on newsprint.

So, here's my answer. You have to choose?! How sad for you! I'd rather be dyslexic and have both.

[M.C. Bennett]

As a web designer, I'm required to perform the artistic end of designing a website (making it look pretty) and I generally create my own graphics, so that uses the right side of my brain. However I also have to program the pages myself and have learned html, dhtml, css, javascript, perl/cgi and am in the process of teaching myself php and MySQL, which all require the left side of my brain.

If I didn't have access to both sides of my brain, I'd be in really big trouble and out of a job! I believe Robert Heinlein said it best:


"A human being should be able to
change a diaper
plan an invasion
butcher a hog
conn a ship
design a building
write a sonnet
balance accounts
build a wall
set a bone
comfort the dying
take orders
give orders
cooperate
act alone
solve equations
analyze a new problem
pitch manure
program a computer
cook a tasty meal
fight efficiently
die gallantly.
Specialization is for insects"
Robert A. Heinlein

So far, I've only missed out on setting a bone and dying gallantly. The first is due to lack of opportunity. As for the second, I'm waiting for the right moment to come along. :)

[waxmephilosophical]

I only wish I could choose how my brain works...It's of course a hypothetical question. What I really mean is if you had to choose between being prolific in the qualities of the right brain or the left brain, which would you choose? But I see where you're coming from.

[M.C. Bennett]

I guess you mean if it had to be one or the other. Hmmm. That's a toughy.

The right brain would be lots more fun. All the imagination/creativity that goes on there. Of course, I guess pretty much all the common sense goes on in the left side of the brain.

Probably I'd choose the right brain. I wouldn't know I was doing anything wrong or inappropriate or dangerous or anything like that and I'd be having lots of fun doing everything I liked to do.

Yup. Right brain wins for me! No common sense. No responsibilities. Lots of good times. I like that in a brain! :D

[Koa]

I'd choose right-brained! Creativity and such!

Well i think i'm mostly that anyway...i have a lot of imagination, maybe not much creativity unfortunately, but... i'm bad at maths and analytical stuff, and i've never felt the slightest interest for maths and sciences, while im rather talented for languages and i have good memory for what i read etc...

[waxmephilosophical]

Me too. Although, it'd be nice to not be completely lost in Calc. every once in a while. :-? I find creative, intellectual/philosophical people so much more interesting to be around than "Lefties". Especially artists...I'd love to see what they see in their mind's eye sometimes.

[Chaos Tesseract]

Myself, I really have large amount in both sides. Mainly though I think I'm right brained. I am really good at languages, writing, but, ironically, I am one of the worst artists you'll ever meet. I believe myself terrible at math, although I'm in honors class, but am pretty good at the sciences.
I would stick with what I have now. If I had to pick just one side I would select the right side without a thought. That is probably because that's whre my interests lie, mostly because I right-sided in the first place.

[Shea]

I guess you mean if it had to be one or the other. Hmmm. That's a toughy.

The right brain would be lots more fun. All the imagination/creativity that goes on there. Of course, I guess pretty much all the common sense goes on in the left side of the brain.

Probably I'd choose the right brain. I wouldn't know I was doing anything wrong or inappropriate or dangerous or anything like that and I'd be having lots of fun doing everything I liked to do.

Yup. Right brain wins for me! No common sense. No responsibilities. Lots of good times. I like that in a brain! :D

I don't know about the whole common sense thing. I seem to be very right brained and have loads more common sense than my sister who tends to be left brained. I guess it's just a trait.

I was also wondering about music. I guess there's two sides to it too. Music theory is pretty mathmatical, and while and can do it, I'm better at playing by ear. I like to add my own rhythm and cresendoes despite the music on the page, which is probably why I didn't do so well when I tried to play with an orchestra. If I had more left brained in me maybe I'd actually be able to write more music. ;)

[imthefoolonthehill]

I would go left-brained all the way. This is mainly because I fear becoming the stereotypical brainless-ditzy blonde. (yes... it can happen to guys ...) To me, this question is very similar to the following question: Would you rather be the only drunk in a room full of sober people, or the only sober person in a room full of drunk people?

Perhaps that question, modified to this situation would read: In a room full of drunk people, would you rather be sober or drunk?

I would prefer to be sober.

[Koa]

drunk! :D
I know too well how it feels to be damn sober and depressed while everybody else is having fun... that's one reason why i hate parties.

[piquant]

Excellent analogy, but I think the initial question before you reworded it captures the point more clearly. In the second you consider being right-brained as being drunk, and then said the room is full of drunk people. In fact, the room is full of sober people-- For instance, most people are right-handed, which often translates to left-brained...although their are exceptions.

As to what I would coose, I would choose bing drunk. I've tried being sober with everyone else, and it feels like you're seeing so clearly that you are missing something. Details can be used both to clarify and to disguise. Now the only question is...Where's the alcohol?

[imthefoolonthehill]

Piquant- I associate Left Brained people with logical people... That may be a poor association... but that is why I assume that the room is full of drunken people. Perhaps logic and brain-sides have nothing to do with each other....

Oh well.... people can break down any analogy if they over-analyze it.

[Ickmeister]

I'd like to be right brained with the center of my thought close to the center of my brain

[nome1486]

I think most people would rather be right-brained, because we associate the creative side with being the most fun-loving and the logical (left-brained) side with being boring. Although that's not always true, a good part of the time it is. I myself am mostly left-brained, with some right-brained tendencies. I know I would like to use the right side of my brain more, but if everyone in the world could choose and everyone was choosing to be right-brained, I would choose to be left-brained because someone has to be able to think logically and analytically (which I think you meant by "the only sober person in a room full of drunk people").

[alatar]

personally, i tend to be pretty well-balanced as far as that goes. i would, however, prefer left-brained if i had to choose, since i happen to really like math and logic and whatnot. i, too, would prefer to be the only one sober in a room of drunks...i also believe that you can't really enjoy being right-brained without being somewhat left-brained. if you were pure imagination, then you would always have you're head in the clouds and not know anything going on around you. it would be much better to be boring than to not be anywhere at all.

[theMarsMonster]

i'd rather be logical than creative. really. being creative is not something you can profit from. what is the use of being able to draw if you cant read a book and understand it?
still creative thinking is something id never give up.

[CelestialBeastie]

:) hhhhmmmmmmmmmmmm I don't think that you would be able to function well if you were entirely right-brained or left-brained.

I think that it would probably be harder and less rewarding to read or do maths and logical problems if you were entirely left brained (from my experience). I find abstract maths very easy because I think of the problem in terms of images and patterns. This is almost exactly the same mechanism I use when I am drawing and sculpting to determine where each shape or colour belongs in the overall composition. When I read, even when I read science textbooks, I tend to think in images and emotions, which is a very right brained activity.

;) On the other hand, I haven't mastered the minutiae of daily life quite as well, but I don't think being more left or right brained would help improve my coordination or confidence with strangers.

! 8) Many specialists on Autism and (especially) Asperger's syndrome place such children as being either too "left-brained", "right-brained" or to focused on logic rather than emotions (which is a little different, given). I wonder if this has any scientific validity. The people I know that have classical autism and Asperger's can be very creative (and produce lovely paintings and love music" and/or very logical (sorting out beads or memorising long lists).I wonder if a very "left-brained" or logical person could create good paintings and musical pieces, because they also demand good technical mastery and precision.

:P Still, everybody (who works in the field) has a pet theory on autism ( that isn't my favourite, but relevant to discussion. The above theory is also supported by the fact that most children with autism are boys ( traditionally more "left-brained").

There is a test at www.emode.com to determine how left/right brained you are. I am balanced brained (50-50) what are you?

[theMarsMonster]

didn't find the test....

[Tabac]

I definitely have mental qualities that show both sides of my brain working, and I'd hate to have to give up half of that.

This is like asking if one would rather be, on Freud's scale, anal retentive or anal expulsive. I know people who are strongly on one side or the other, and I can barely staned to be around them. I think the nice balance, which Freud considered "normal", is nice.

Can you tell I'm a Libra?

:D

[Nevolia]

I think that itz great to have a balance of both..although i am a little biased to those who are right-brained...like me! :D Creative people rock!

[Phoenix_Tears]

Someone once told me that i was left-brained. But i am not so sure. I cannot do math for anything!But i have never gotten a grade below a B in english(okay..once i got a c because my project was late..)But i am not that creative really. i tend to be very good at solving problems and puzzles. So i guess i am neither. but if i had to choose, i would pick left-brained. definitely.
~Phoen-X~

[Munro]

I value strength and ability in both the right and left brain, and I envy the good fortune of anyone who is both creative and artistic, as well as logical and numeral.

Personally I am right-brained, I am pathetic at maths and sciences...I just can't grasp the concepts and my brain freezes up in confusion (its quite sad really, lol) I often joke that I have numeral dyslexia. I can't count properly either hehehe. If it weren't for my ability to write a decent essay I think I would suffer at school. I enjoy my strengths to the extent of being passionate about them, but if I were strong in left brained activities I'd like them as well.

[ajoe]

I want to be right-brained because that way I can be left-handed. :)
(I think right-brained is the creative one, too... isn't it?)

[Rotty1021]

As much as I love psychology, the whole right/left thing baffles me. You see, I love reading, language, literatures. and writing, love looking at art (not doing it), abhor complicated math and science, yet love using my head to analyze situations in social and emotional contexts. Very tricky, the workings of my brain are. I don't know how I'd classify myself.

[Chardata]

ok...i heard that the left/right brain thingy isn't totally true. If you lose one part of your left brain your right brain will take over.

Anyway, i'm mostly right brained. I draw and sell art, and play the flute. It's hard for me b/c I really don't understand math and sciences anymore. UGGG!!! I understand logic...but i think that uses your right side too. Most people are right brained and left bodied. There are afew ppl who are both right brained and right bodied. I'm one of those ppl. Weird...yeah.

[fayefaye]

LEFT everyone else says right, but i'd definately go left. just because my left half of my brain seems to have done more for me my whole life. actually, when i talk on a mobile, i always hold it up to the right side of my head, so my creativity can take the blow!! but it's also cuz i'm right handed. i wouldn't mind being creative. i'm just not. i've never been imaginative my whole life.

[fayefaye]

by the way, i think those emode quizzes are rigged. me and my friends always get the same results no matter how different we are.