Why Conservatives Say They Are Happier Than Liberals

Political labels suck

How about we just get rid of political partys? They most certainly don't get the job done.

Are conservatives really happier than liberals?

I wonder whether the conservatives who report that they higher happiness levels than liberals are either a) actually happier because they have more settled, comfortable lives or b) because they feel like they ought to tell the survey they are happy in order to consolidate their position within the american dream?

http://steveslack.co.uk/2009/03/07/235/

The article is now proven

Just reading the comments from Liberals and Conservatives proves the article. What do we call a moderate - a manic depressive? Does this mean that this country is doomed to be partisan with partisan rancor for years to come - if so we are doomed.

http://brokengovernment.wordpress.com

Conservatism vs. Liberalism

A lot of people have touched on the subject here...but missed the KISS principle: conservatives in AMERICA (can't speak for other nation's conservatives) feel that each person makes a difference; liberals feel that ONLY THE GROUP makes a difference. Thus, if that conservative, is personally doing OK, then they are happy...conversely, the liberal, sees that EVERYTHING is not OK, then they will NOT be happy...so, think, when was the last time you saw EVERYONE doing OK? That's right, never...and it's that individual vs. the group thought process that makes ALL the difference!

Right On, Sarah!

I'm a conservative who completely agrees with Sarah Spawn that people are happier when they lead simple lives in which they see their purpose in the world, have healthy relationships and are surrounded by undisturbed nature. To me, that sounds like sheer bliss. Could this be the Venn Diagram intersection where liberals and conservatives can come together? Maybe! If so, then I'm all for it. This is why I support candidates who, like Teddy Roosevelt, love and wants to conserve nature and the environment. Conservation of nature is really important to me, and that's completely independent of any global warming initiatives - I just think we have a responsibility to be good stewards of ourselves, our families and communities and our environment. Right now in Great Britain, conservatives are taking initiatives toward improving the quality of social relationships in families and communities, and they are sweeping the electorate by storm. Healthy relationships, healthy environment - it's all good and it makes me happy to think we could be headed in this direction multilaterally. Oh, and just for the record - my husband is an atheist and he's one of the most charitable givers I know. Please stop assuming that people who aren't religious don't have a moral center or are somehow small, mean or selfish people. Personal ethics and values can come from a variety of sources and as a libertarian conservative, I support everyone's right to believe in a higher power or not, as they see fit.

People are happier when they lead simple lives in which they see their purpose in this world. WE are happier when we have healthy relationships and when they are surrounded by undisturbed nature.

It's called Mother Nature. When we live the way nature intended us to live, we are happier. Regardless of money, of politics, who you call "God", or if you signed a marriage certificate.

I am a liberal. I am not a victim. I grew up in the suburbs. I see the problems with society & I have chosen to take a different path. I am happy because I love & respect my family. I am happy because I farm the land, I observe the cycles of the moon, I respect nature by conserving resources and by CONSUMING ONLY WHAT I NEED. That is what has made me truly happy. My partner and I are not married. I do not go to church.

happiness

i'm just trying to figure out why so many people don't seem to 'get it'...i've never felt that the world had to be perfect in order for me to be happy...one of the happiest people i can imagine is the man tossing standing on the beach, surrounded by beached and dying starfish, calmly tossing starfish back into the ocean. a passerby asked him 'why do you bother? they just keep on washing back up-do you honestly think you're making a difference?'

the man looked down at the starfish in his hand, tossed it out into the waves, and replied 'i made a diffence to that one"

there is satisfaction and happiness in the smallest accomplishment, no matter how difficult the task, no matter what you hear from the naysayers

Ignorance is Bliss

No one needed to undergo a study to find this out. Conservatism, with its axioms of blind faith, insular love of the similar, insistence on imaginary beings (God, Invisible Hands), are ignorant. As the adage says, "ignorance is bliss." Conservatives don't challenge their beliefs, they don't seek out alternate points of view, they are slow to consider options, and rely on habit and tradition. They have little to no capacity for critical thought. In a sense they are already brain dead. I don't really care what conservatives think (if indeed they do thing), I tend to let them be, they don't do anything except complain about change. Like barking dogs, but much more beastly.

As a kid I was raised in an evangelical church community, went to evangelical school, and was ostracized when I asked too many questions. Luckily I was in a Boy Scout troop before BSA became political, we had gay scouts and atheist scouts. We were concerned with serving the community, and I got my Eagle; they always encouraged us to learn. It was the best thing that ever happened to me.

Since then, I have become a very liberal, post-Marxist, post-modern, post-structuralist. I have multiple MA Degrees, a PhD, I am in a beautiful marriage (without God in the middle) with a woman from Africa, and we travel the world monthly and help with our own hands. I've helped build a school in Ghana, a hospital in Somalia, another school in Nicaragua, houses in New Orleans, a school in Indonesia. We've made them all green and sustainable, and many of them connected to the internet and satellite communication systems, and that is just this past year and a half.

I encourage hundreds of student every year to question, to grow, to travel and expand their horizons, we even take a group of them with us every year; I'm one of those liberal professors that conservatives love to despise; and I enjoy every minute of my life.

Conservative Happiness vs Liberal Angst

Conservatives are realists--roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-to-work types out making as good a life as possible for themselves and their families through their own efforts. Liberals are either idealists or victims--tending either to indulge in euphoric dreams of how to solve the problems of the world or else sitting there with their hands out, waiting for government to come along and make life good for them.

I read the first three comments and found myself smiling at the object lesson. The first two posts were from people describing their source(s) of happiness from their own experience, largely from things under their control; the third post decribed that person's sources of anger and discontent., largely outside of his/her control.

The first two posts are polite and engaging, the third post combative and condecending. The first post told of specific actions taken by the author to improve her life and the lives of others. The third post has the author point his/her finger at all the ills, and other than claiming that he/she will "do my part to make my community a better place" gives no hints as to what *action* he/she takes.

This all reminded me of a George Will article (http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/will032708.php3) in which Mr. Will said --

" In 2000, brows were furrowed in perplexity because Vice President Al Gore's charitable contributions, as a percentage of his income, were below the national average: He gave 0.2 percent of his family income, one-seventh of the average for donating households. But Gore "gave at the office." By using public office to give other peoples' money to government programs, he was being charitable, as liberals increasingly, and conveniently, understand that word. "

The third poster so precisely illustrates the point the article was making, I have to wonder if it was simply planted to reinforce the sterotype.