Posted July 17, 2008 Ok, I was at work earlier, and things were slow. Very, very slow. As a result of this, I found myself looking at my hands. I've been playing a lot of guitar recently, and anybody who has played a fair bit of guitar will notice that your fingers develop calluses and the skin becomes fairly hard. So, I was busy touching my fingers (as you do) and my mind started wandering. Why aren't our fingers all the same size? Everybody has a little finger, and a big middle finger, but why? What is the purpose of this? The only thing a small finger has a use for is making it more difficult to play scales, as it is harder to get to the top strings, and it is also weaker than my other fingers. As far as I can see, there's not really that much of a benefit for having your fingers of a different size. The thumb, I can understand, as it helps for gripping. But, surely four main fingers of the same size would be as beneficial as four of different sizes? Help me out here, KNEE. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 17, 2008 ok, make a hand as if your holding a broom, or sword or what ever, even a fist. look where your fingers are now. they all appear even. i would guess that fingers are different lengths as they are at different points. though perhaps its because they are evolved feet? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 17, 2008 Because if they weren't they'd look like they were drawn with the line tool on paint. And we didn't evolve around a guitar :p Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 17, 2008 ok, make a hand as if your holding a broom, or sword or what ever, even a fist. look where your fingers are now. they all appear even. i would guess that fingers are different lengths as they are at different points. It's the same when you hold a ball or a rock, or your cock. It means the hand can do more things. If they were all the same length then it would be hard to curve your hand in more than one direction. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 17, 2008 It makes it easier to hold things, as previously said. They all bend in slightly different places so when gripped on something it will work better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 17, 2008 I understand that the different positioning of the fingers, due to the joints, makes a difference with size. But, when you grip an object, the grip is always stronger towards the "thumb-end" of your hand. So, the index, middle finger is strong. Now, why is the little pinky finger so weak? I know its used the least, but then why is it? If it was as strong as our index fingers, wouldn't we have better grip? Just looking at my hands, the index, middle and ring fingers are all relatively the same size and positioning, its only the pinky that is quite a bit away from the others (if you look with your palms facing you, it makes more sense). It's that finger that is bugging me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 17, 2008 Well just a guess, but if all our fingers where the same length, our palms to grasp things in would need to be a different shape as clenching would be entirely different I assume. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 17, 2008 But pinky fingers are cute! I wouldn't want to miss mine, or have it be longer! Plus it's perfect for that extra feminine touch of holding it up in the air when holding something (like when eating or drinking); something I found myself doing without wanting to. =P I also think the different sizes make hands look more interesting and aesthetically appealing, but that might just be me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 17, 2008 Because of evolution the human body will change over the coming maybe 10.000 years (if we even still exist), this means that unnecessary parts will disappear... Things like our tailbone and our litttle fingers AND toes I think too...you don't really need them so my wild speculation is that within a certain amount of years the human body will be optimised... no unnecessary parts and parts that work better... like the brains (we only use only about 3 or 4 percent of our brain's capacity) This however is hugely based on my own speculation so I probably isn't true lol But pinky fingers are cute! I wouldn't want to miss mine, or have it be longer! Plus it's perfect for that extra feminine touch of holding it up in the air when holding something (like when eating or drinking); something I found myself doing without wanting to. =P I also think the different sizes make hands look more interesting and aesthetically appealing, but that might just be me. Yea I think it's just you... I don't think nature cares about something to be "aesthetically appealing"... It just searches the most rendable solution that will give the most result... Again..I could be completely wrong :p Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 17, 2008 But pinky fingers are cute! I wouldn't want to miss mine, or have it be longer! Plus it's perfect for that extra feminine touch of holding it up in the air when holding something (like when eating or drinking); something I found myself doing without wanting to. =P I also think the different sizes make hands look more interesting and aesthetically appealing, but that might just be me. I think the pinky finger looks good on women, but thats because I've got a little thing about women and their hands. It does look interesting on them, but I dunno how it does on guys. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2008 i knew a girl once who's ring finger and the next smallest were the wrong way round. true story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2008 I think it's for the same reason you'd buy a set of spanners of different sizes: you want to have an appropriate tool for every task. The diversity gives us more utility. You can chop off your little fingers if you want, Flinky, but I'm keeping mine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2008 well, try gripping somthing like a broom and not use your little finger, its supprising how much you use it. i cut mine on a sword a couple of weeks ago, had it wrapped up and tried holding the sword with out it. muck less grip, worse wieght distribution, the whole thing was not ideal at all. thank fuck ninjas didnt attack for a few days till my finger was healed. good scar mind. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2008 The fingers on my right hand are alot smaller than those on my left. Seriously, one's almost 2 cm shorter. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2008 This is one of the most ludicrous threads ever :P My head keeps formulating 10-page long retorts and explanations, but then I just find myself smirking and realising it's really not worth the effort! Flinky; NO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2008 This is one of the most ludicrous threads ever :P My head keeps formulating 10-page long retorts and explanations, but then I just find myself smirking and realising it's really not worth the effort! Flinky; NO. I feel somewhat hurt and abused after that comment. It totally is worth the effort! Have you ever looked at your hands, Jay? Tell me, apart from wiggling your little finger and pretending its a maggot that is talking to you, what is the point of it at all?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2008 I feel somewhat hurt and abused after that comment. It totally is worth the effort! Have you ever looked at your hands, Jay? Tell me, apart from wiggling your little finger and pretending its a maggot that is talking to you, what is the point of it at all?! Pffff, I'm sure you could think of some kind of use for it. Seriously. =P I'd never want my pinky fingers to leave me. Ever. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2008 Pffff, I'm sure you could think of some kind of use for it. Seriously. =P I'd never want my pinky fingers to leave me. Ever. Whatever could you mean? I wouldn't like to see mine or yours...or anyone elses to disappear. I like them, but I don't know why they're there! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2008 If I hold my hands with my palms facing away from me then my ring finger is longer than my index finger on both hands. However if I hold my hands with my palms facing me then my ring finger is longer than my index finger on my right hand but my index finger is longer than my ring finger on my left hand. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2008 There are tons of possible explanations for this, but the simplest argument is that there's no evolutionary reason for them to all be the same length. The only character that humans have that exhibits any kind of similarity is bilateralism, which has a multitude of uses. Additionally, it's entirely possible that the pinky is somewhat vestigial - the 1:2:5 bone structure of the vertebrate limb has been the same since just after lobe-finned fish, and there's no real need for it to change. Because of evolution the human body will change over the coming maybe 10.000 years (if we even still exist), this means that unnecessary parts will disappear...Things like our tailbone and our litttle fingers AND toes I think too...you don't really need them so my wild speculation is that within a certain amount of years the human body will be optimised... no unnecessary parts and parts that work better... like the brains (we only use only about 3 or 4 percent of our brain's capacity) No way - for a start, any significant changes would take a good deal more time than 10 000 years, and the rate of cultural evolution is so much greater than standard evolution that things won't really happen like that anyway. Think about it: does having a little finger make you less likely to have children? If not, then it's staying. Oh, and we don't only use a small percentage of our brain's capacity, that's a complete urban legend. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2008 Has this joke been made yet ; The same could be said for a lot of things.... ....toes... ....arms... .....legs.... ....penis'... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2008 Because the hands look awesome in several positions. That, and because of the variety of things we can do with those fingers, at those particular lengths. But pinky fingers are cute! I wouldn't want to miss mine, or have it be longer! Plus it's perfect for that extra feminine touch of holding it up in the air when holding something (like when eating or drinking); something I found myself doing without wanting to. =P Lol, that takes me back to my younger teenage years: Dinnertime... Parents: Jonnas! Have some manners on the table! *I start behaving like a brittish snob, and my pinky finger is now sticking up whenever I hold something* I still stick the pinky from time to time. It just became a running gag. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
