I recently received this input from a visitor to the site:
"you should make your experiences available to everyone and not try to profit selling a few books,this needs to go public there are thousands of people with this problem,trapped deeper than you were in their own brains. and many have no idea that they were forced when they were children"
I would like to make a few comments in response to these thoughts.
1. The writer has obviously developed a clear understanding and insight into the importance and scope of the submergee problem. Living life as an emergee, one becomes deeply (painfully) aware of the tragedy that follows when adults create submergees by deliberately altering the handedness of defenseless children, training them to use a form of handedness (and in consequence neurological laterality) which they were not designed to express. Once my eyes were opened to the problem, I was amazed to learn how many people this practice has impacted in the past, and how many it harms in the world we live in today.
2. In my experience, "going public" so the general population becomes aware of the submergee tragedy and is motivated to stop the damage is a process that is going to take many years of patient effort. We really need a series of major public figures or organized groups that are willing to take up the cause and educate the public to join in to help put an end to the practices that cause it. The best current example of this kind of patient effort that I am aware of is in Germany and based in the province of Bavaria (see link Center for Left-Handers on this blog)
I have learned to view the issue of submergees and emergees as the work of a lifetime. Though I can empathize with the writer's heart, having agonized for many years over the fact that the issue has remained maddeningly invisible and "off the radar", in time I came to realize that a quick resolution isn't likely.
Those who wish to get involved need to recognize that this is a battle that will most likely take decades to win, and those who participate will have to be prepared to do whatever they can to patiently raise awareness and gain a public hearing where possible, as well as doing the basics, which in the world we live in today includes creating a blog or website and a book. I have done all of these things and I welcome others to join in promoting this very worthy cause, although it is not one for those who are eager for profits or quick answers! I will gladly post and respond to constructive comments from others and include links to any individual or any group that has website or blog or published resources that will help us to get the word out.
3. In summary, though it's true that there is an urgent and as yet unanswered need for more people who are willing to go to work on the submergee topic so it does "go public", I am encouraged by the fact that gradual progress is being made. I do appreciate this chance to respond to a valid question.
Best wishes,
Samuel
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1 comment:
In first grade i was forced by the catholic nuns to write right handed. My father made me listen to the nuns even though it was very hard for me as i was totally left handed. Baseball,basketball,pool,bowling,tennis,every sport except golf ( due to right handed clubs being given to me). I pretty much excelled at all except golf. Somehow my drawing followed the writing.At age 59 (feb 2010) i forced myself to try to draw left handed due to a dream i had. I had tried drawing left handed in architectural school a few times but had so little dexterity for holding a pencil i quickly gave up.
This time around i kept with it as i soon discovered i could do perspective sketches better left handed than right. it's been almost a year now, drawing is pretty much there, printing and cursive writing need a little work still. I spent more than a few hours almost every day doing drawing exercises, lines, circles etc, differant pens, pencils etc. It has seemed like a very emotional time. I have read as much as i can on the subject of left hand conversion especially the work of johanna slattler. I have also read your book .
Recently i have begun watercolor painting, which i hadn't done forever, it seemed as though i could actually remember painting left handed in kindergarten before the conversion.
Not at all sure where this is taking me but i think the change in drawing hand is even more important than writing because of the importance of the dominant eye. i think you don't see perspective as well with the wrong hand. Any comments would be welcome. thanks in advance.
Jack
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