[maxiep]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/...erthanliberals

It's not the conclusion I found interesting, but the reasoning behind it. Any thoughts?

[SodaPopinski]

It's a rational conclusion, I suppose. By definition, "liberals" or "progressives" do not necessarily find any inherent value in tradition and see change and constant improvement in social and economic causes as a benefit to humanity, so a level of dissatisfaction with the status quo would follow.

Conservatives favor tradition and gradual change, and, as the study suggests, have an easier time explaining away any problems as flaws in the individual and not in the system.

I would challenge the study as to whether ideology has any impact on happiness with your own life, though. Their measures of "happiness" seemed to focus much more on satisfaction with the socioeconomic system than with the subjects' own personal situations.

Interesting report, though. Thanks for sharing.

-Pop

[Hector]

Conservatives seek happiness at the expense of other priorities. Liberals and the left seek truth at the expense of other priorities. In any axiom-theorem system, if the axioms differ, so will the theorems (the value systems) which follow from the axioms.

Another way of saying it is, conservative happiness mainly concerns the individual, while liberal happiness includes a larger group, sometimes all of humanity. It is true that conservatives are happier as individuals, but liberals feel happier if those around them are too. The poll didn't try to measure that.

[crandc]

I admit, there were times I felt a bit envious of those who did not give a damn. The people who never lost sleep about someone else's famine or torture or rape, who did not get sick reading about someone getting 25 years for a trivial offense or none at all, the ones who never worry about the future of the planet.

They would probably rank higher on some happiness scale than I would. But then, so would any domestic pet with a full bowl of food.

[e_blazer1]

Originally Posted by crandc

I admit, there were times I felt a bit envious of those who did not give a damn. The people who never lost sleep about someone else's famine or torture or rape, who did not get sick reading about someone getting 25 years for a trivial offense or none at all, the ones who never worry about the future of the planet.

They would probably rank higher on some happiness scale than I would. But then, so would any domestic pet with a full bowl of food.

And in your mind you presume that only liberals are capable of giving a damn?

[blazerboy30]

Originally Posted by crandc

I admit, there were times I felt a bit envious of those who did not give a damn. The people who never lost sleep about someone else's famine or torture or rape, who did not get sick reading about someone getting 25 years for a trivial offense or none at all, the ones who never worry about the future of the planet.

They would probably rank higher on some happiness scale than I would. But then, so would any domestic pet with a full bowl of food.

Thank you for your close-minded generalization.

[crandc]

Originally Posted by e_blazer1

And in your mind you presume that only liberals are capable of giving a damn?

No, I didn't say that.

Since I am not a liberal.

[Dornado]

Originally Posted by crandc

No, I didn't say that.

Since I am not a liberal.

Is that because "liberal" has become a dirty word and you're running away from it Hilary Clinton-style? or because you're more conservative than peoples general conception of liberals?

[e_blazer1]

Originally Posted by crandc

No, I didn't say that.

Since I am not a liberal.

The article referred to in the original post rates happiness in terms of being of either a conservative or a liberal outlook. I don't know how you classify yourself, crandc, but you certainly don't have a conservative take on any issue I've ever seen you discuss.

[Talkhard]

It's pretty clear what the author thinks of conservative happiness: It's all based on "rationalizations" and faulty thinking about class mobility, etc. Liberals have an honest approach to life's inequalities while conservatives look at life through rose-colored glasses . . .

I would suggest the possibility that liberals have a pressing need to "right the wrongs" of the world and refuse to be content until all the problems are solved, whereas conservatives realize that the world is an imperfect place and that inequality is a part of it, but also realize that each individual is ultimately in charge of his own happiness and success.

[maxiep]

Originally Posted by Hector

Conservatives seek happiness at the expense of other priorities. Liberals and the left seek truth at the expense of other priorities. In any axiom-theorem system, if the axioms differ, so will the theorems (the value systems) which follow from the axioms.

What if the truth is that we're all responsible for our own happiness? For example, I don't like to outsource my charitable acts by writing a larger check to the government to fund a social program. I prefer to do actual work with the charities and non-profits I like. To me, giving my time is more valuable and fulfilling than just giving my money.

[Hector]

To substitute into your words: What if I don't like to outsource my charitable acts toward military, police, and espionage agencies by writing a larger check to the government to fund military, police, and espionage agencies. I prefer to do actual work helping nonconformists hated by military, police, and espionage agencies. To me, giving my time is more valuable and fulfilling than just giving my money.

Taxes pay for more conservative programs than liberal programs. You don't want to pay for the latter. Maybe I don't want to pay for the former. You define downsizing the government as severely damaging only liberal programs, while preserving your side of the government. Look at it from the other side. Cutting taxes might mean keeping the liberal stuff and getting rid of the conservative stuff.

Back to the thread's point: I agree that conservatives are happier, 1) because I think the average conservative is dumber than the average liberal and 2) because my definition of liberal/left includes more angst and worrying about others, caused by pursuing truth instead of happiness. The old expression is "sadder but wiser."

[crandc]

I don't think liberals are necessarily smarter than conservatives, Hector. But I do think conservatives tend to be more complacent and as you say have less "angst". How can you stew over global environmental damage if you think it's a hoax? Cry in empathy over a rape victim if you think rape is "hot"? Worry about education if everyone in your family attends elite private schools? Suffer over torture if you think torture is OK as long as the US does it? Anguish over gay bashing if you think gay people deserve it? I am not saying (e_blazer) all conservatives hold these positions, but we have certainly seen all of them and more expressed here and elsewhere by self-described conservatives.

For me, I think the reason I like sports is it's my escapism. I don't read novels or go to movies, but once in a while I need time off, for a few hours everyone in the stands is a community and the only thing that matters is the score of the game.

[e_blazer1]

Originally Posted by crandc