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From the journal Psychological Science (June issue), there is a study that backs up a 2006 study that had similar findings: in general, right wing conservatives in the US are happier than their ultra liberal left wing counterparts.
Fascinating. I hadn't realized until today that my own personal happiness should dictate my politics :) So if you're a manic depressive, does that mean you have an overwhelming urge to vote for Obama or Clinton & hug trees?
I believe this is the exact reason why conservatism has risen so much since reagan. I think the republicans caught on to this concept early, and with the rise of FOX Noise (after the fariness doctrine was struck down), the conservative movement was able to trivialize liberal fears, and of course people would prefer to be happier than not, and it was inviting not to have to worry about what was going on in the world. Big daddy (the GOP) would take care of everything. As long as we had our gadgets, toys, and entertainment to keep us occupied, people could care less about politics. And if they did want to know, they had FIXED News and Blimpaugh to reinforce their ideology, as they turned a blind eye to the real damage they were causing.
They have managed to take control our media, and have been able to deflect attention away from real issues, like corporate influence peddling in government. The biggest threat to our democracy in my opinion.
But I am optimistic, and think that they have hit a wall, and everthing is crumbling around them due to the unbelievable greed they have shown, and people are begining to understand that. So it is no wonder conservative are happier. But it won't last much longer. Our long national nightmare will be over on Jan 20, 2009.
The study also stated that conservates were more likely to "turn a blind eye" and sugar coat things than liberals.
Also HUGE, the study also said:
"... Conservatives also scored highest on measures of rationalization, which gauge a person's tendency to justify, or explain away, inequalities.
The rationalization measure included statements such as: "It is not really that big a problem if some people have more of a chance in life than others," and "This country would be better off if we worried less about how equal people are." ..."
As for liberals:
"Our research suggests that inequality takes a greater psychological toll on liberals than on conservatives," the researchers write in the June issue of the journal Psychological Science, "apparently because liberals lack ideological rationalizations that would help them frame inequality in a positive (or at least neutral) light."
The results support and further explain a Pew Research Center survey from 2006, in which 47 percent of conservative Republicans in the U.S. described themselves as "very happy," while only 28 percent of liberal Democrats indicated such cheer.
More on the study here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20080507/sc_livescience/conservativeshappierthanliberals
"because we don't have this fake belief that it's all going to be OK because of some 'being' that will make sure of it. "
Like all generalizations, this one has exceptions. I'm liberal, and I'm also fairly optimistic about the future. Maybe it comes from a study of history, but this country has been through times far, far worse than the ones we are living in right now. Very few people on this board, if any, know what it's like to go through truly difficult times. People have a lot of things available to them now that did not exist in the past even when they are going through rough times.
I'm not looking at this country through rose-colored glasses at all. We've got a lion's share of problems, but it does help to keep things in perspective, especially when you talk to someone who lived through the Great Depression or the stagflation of the 1970s.
LOL
The liberals are probably more depressed because we don't sugar-coat anything -- we acknowledge and are aware of the mass murder in Iraq because of us. We know the dire state of this country, with our mounting deficit, rising gas prices and rise in foreclosures. We don't have this blind faith that "God" will make it ok-- we're realists. That's why we may be more depressed...because we don't have this fake belief that it's all going to be OK because of some 'being' that will make sure of it.
I never knew that science proved that conservatives would be more happier then liberals in general. I can tell you this, I consider myself conservative and, in a good mood. I'm sure whoever is liberal would probably be so depressed all the time that I would agree with you to say, that they probably would go ahead and vote for Hillary or Obomma. Us conservatives will stand up to our troditional beliefs, and values, and, also, stick to principal and stick to what's right for this country.
yeah I agree with the editor, even though I'm conservative in my political beliefs
the truth is not always beautiful if everyone knew all truth, the world would be one unhappy place
and I think that conservatives try too hard to make everything seem happy and normal when the world is one extreme place
I'm going with nerd... ignorance is bliss... It's actually interesting, if you look at research, depressed people are more realistic about themselves than other people... What does that tell you about the average person...? People walk around with rose colored glasses about themselves and life...
I also read recently that the suicide rate among doctors is higher than the major population. So, maybe reality effects happiness more than we thought. Liberals are realists who are tired of waiting for change. I have to agree with the editor.
My father in law is the most conervative person I know, and the most often depressed. He has a realistic view of the problems of the world (as I do, I feel) but doesn't have any hope that anything can be done about them. There we differ.
I'd have to read more about the study before I would decide if it is valid. Happiness is very subjective. How do you objectively assign a number to happiness in order to rate it? Also, correlation does not equal causation.
*** right wing conservatives in the US are happier than their ultra liberal left wing counterparts. ***
No woner I'm so happy. . . As for the Drunk. . . . Ted Kennedy is not a right wing conservative.
Perhaps ultra-right people are happier than ultra-left - I certainly don't know. But I suspect that people who don't give a rats backside about politics tend to be happier still.
as with all politics...the side that turns a blind eye will be happier!
and thus comes another thing about political sides...the ones on top are always going to be blamed...
perhaps blinders work like a sleep mask... the less you see (and acknowledge) the happier you are!
A drunk man is usually happier than a sober one too.
Goes to say, ignorance is bliss.
Ignorance is bliss.
:)
