Did you know liberals aren't as happy as conservatives? Of course, you did.
How could you not know it after listening to them incessantly wail, gripe,
whine, and complain about everything? But, let's bring....drumroll, please -- the
science! First, here's the Pew Research
comparison between Republicans and Democrats:
The survey, released this week, points out several disparities based
on lifestyle, beliefs and political persuasion:
* Republicans are happier than Democrats.
* People who worship frequently are happier than those who don't.
* The rich are happier than the poor.
* Whites and Hispanics are happier than blacks.
* Married people are happier than the unmarried...
About 45 percent of Republicans said they were very happy, compared with 30
percent of Democrats. Republicans have been happier in surveys going back to
1972, the Pew study notes.
Here’s more from Arthur Brooks:
In 2004, people who said they were conservative or very
conservative were nearly twice as likely to say they were very happy as people
who called themselves liberal or very liberal (44 percent versus 25 percent).
Conservatives were only half as likely to say they were not too happy (9 versus 18
percent). Political conservatives were also far less likely than liberals to express
maladjustment to their adult lives. For example, adults on the political right were
only half as likely as those on the left to say, “at times, I think I am no good at
all.” They were also less likely to say they were dissatisfied with themselves, that
they were inclined to feel like a failure, or to be pessimistic about their futures.
Further, a 2007 survey found that 58 percent of Republicans rated their mental
health as “excellent,” versus 43 percent of political independents and just 38
percent of Democrats.
Want to be a miserable person? Be a liberal. Want to have a happy life? Be a
conservative. Why is that the case? There are a number of reasons for it.
1) Conservatives believe in personal responsibility: One of the tragic facts
of life is that nobody cares as much about you as you do. That's why, if you want
to have a good life and be a happy person, you're going to have to take care of it
yourself. Conservatives get this. Liberals? Not so much.