I do not feel shit about being single, and you can’t make me
Imogen Groome defends single people and left-handed people everywhere!
It’s OK, people – Exeter University truly care about your well-being. They care enough to research how shit people feel about being single, just in time for Valentine’s day.
Research from the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin shows that single people feel worse about it when they think of themselves as the odd one out. What a news breakthrough! Just in case you didn’t know, the ‘research’ shows singletons feel better about themselves when they see couples as the exception and singles as the norm. In other words, if you hang out with couples, you feel like the odd one out, but if you’re with your single mates, you feel normal. Incredible! I’d never have guessed without you, Exeter.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Oh, no. Research now targets left handed people (because obviously the hand you write with is incredibly relevant to your love life). The above research not only applies to singletons, but to left handed people!
I should point out that I am both single and left handed.
So when left handers were asked how they felt different from right handers (as you do), they felt unhappy about being left handed. Really?! I’d never have guessed that asking someone how they feel different from everyone else might make you feel…..I don’t know…different? Oh, and right handers were unaffected by the question. THAT WOULD BE BECAUSE THEY’RE RIGHT HANDED.
Susanne Bruckmuller, from the University of Exeter has said that “these studies show that the way in which we ask people to explain themselves can make a big difference to how people feel about themselves.” What a breakthrough!
The illuminating article reaches its peak with the concluding statement that: “speaking exclusively about how minority people are different from the majority…can be damaging to self esteem and so should be avoided.”
I have a question for you, Exeter Uni Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, but I’ve phrased it in a way that shouldn’t damage your self esteem: How come a * coughs * wonderful, enlightening article such as this is actually offensive, soul crushing and downright discriminatory?