That’s according a Nobel-prize winning economist:
Nobel prize-winning economist Daniel Kahneman chalked it up to an axis of simplicity and complexity.
“Conservatives tend to have a simple view of life and think they know all the answers: People deserve what they get and they get what they deserve,” the Princeton professor said.
“Liberals aren’t sure whether the world is just. They’re not sure if people get what they deserve.”
Kahneman was commenting on a recent survey which showed that for the last 30 years, conservatives have been consistently and significantly happier people than liberals. The survey is included in a soon to be released book by Professor Arthur Brooks:
While researching his most recent book, which will be published on May 1, Prof. Brooks uncovered a new batch of self-deflating surprises.
“I have some libertarian leanings, and I wanted to find out that people who have a lot of moral freedom are happier, but that is simply not true,” he explained. “Too much freedom blows the moral fuse box. We need a religious choice.”
Apart from learning that extremists on both sides of the spectrum were happier than moderates, he also discovered that U.S. conservatives have been consistently happier than liberals for the past 35 years.
In other words, liberals were no happier, and conservatives no unhappier, during the Republican implosion after Watergate or the cultural wars of the Clinton era.
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% versus 25%). Conservatives were only half as likely to say they were not too happy (9% versus 18%).
He puts it down to religion. Conservatives tend to be more religious than liberals. I don’t know – I’m obsessively, obnoxiously optimistic and I’m as atheistic as they come. But of course there are always exceptions.
Working in the NDP and in the Tories, I have to say, Tories are more fun, more relaxed, and yes – happier than Dippers. Those guys are just too bolshie to be cool. You’re always watching your tongue and expressing sympathy for things. Bleck.
As for the economist cited above? Does he sound like a nuanced guy? Is he living with complexity or is he just throwing labels around? More importantly, who would you want to have over for dinner – this dour spiteful economist, or a so-called simpleton like Mark Steyn?
Filed under: Uncategorized , Atheism, Conservatives, Happy, Liberals, Politics, Religion
I would invite Mark Steyn anyday over the latter. I believe that the reason that conservatives are more happy is because they also are more generous and a lot less cynical. A careful reading of the Bible you discover that God’s greatest purpose for us is for us to be happy and full of joy! Our Lord suffered and died to spare us the same suffering that all will do that do not accept his eternal sacrifice on our behalf.
Incidently my latest blog article quotes heavily on Mark Steyn.
http://saywhatyoureallymean.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-else-is-there-with-barack-obama.html
Well, speaking as a cynical, very conservative ignostic, I do have to admit that I am, indeed quite happy.
Less to do with any ‘religion’ (I am not wired with the capacity for faith), I expect this is more of a reflection of choice to lead my life in a way where I can take full responsibility for each and every one of my actions, and do so with pride!
Yet, I can see how this might make those who demand abdication of personal responsibility (both on the religious right AND the secular left…same thing, really, if you look REALLY deep down) unhappy and uncomfortable. Thus, to them, I, and those like me, remain ‘invisible’!
I am personally a moderate conservative. I do not believe in extreme conservatism, because everything in life, including theories, is not free of imperfections. I have been quite happy. If conservatives are generous, then they have every reason to be happier. A recent study indicated that people find more satisfaction when they give to others than when they spend for themselves. As I said, I do not accept all aspects of conservatism, there should be a bit liberalism in every in life.
Very interesting post. I would second the link between religion and happiness. Generally, having hope and something to look forward to (e.g., summertime for an elementary teacher like me) makes one happier than not having something to look forward to. Thanks for the post.
Interesting post. I think of it from a bit of a different point of view.
What are the liberals lacking that the conservatives have?
Not just faith, but beliefs.
What do Liberals believe in?
Socialism & Communism? They have repeatedly been shown to be a sham in the past 30 – 35 years.
Affirmative action and human rights? Let’s look at the debacle that the HRC’s are involved in right now. Hardly something to hold in high esteem.
Really I think that most liberals are less happy because their whole believe system is in taters. They don’t stand for anything and as a result, most have some degree of existential depression (or angst).
I am an atheist. More importantly, I am an objectivist. This gives me a rational moral grounding and a point of view to interpret the world.
The conservatives have something to believe in, even if most of it is wrong. Therefore they are generally happier than most liberals, who are free falling in a moral abyss.
Ayn Rand said it best;
“The most timid, frightened, conservative defenders of the status quo —of the intellectual status quo—are today’s liberals… What they dread to discover is the fact that the intellectual status quo they inherited is bankrupt, that they have no ideological base to stand on and no capacity to construct one. Brought up on the philosophy of Pragmatism, they have been taught that principles are unprovable, impractical or non-existent—which has destroyed their ability to integrate ideas, to deal with abstractions, and to see beyond the range of the immediate moment…”
“Credibility and Polarization,” The Ayn Rand Letter, I, 1, 2
I don’t see anywhere in this thing your quoting the “simplistic” or “stupid” aspect of conservatism. If liberals are so much smarter, why are they so miserable?
Unhappy is more interesting, no doubting that (Happy people tend to live in a world of small talk.) Realism leads to unhappiness, and education shows the cracks in our comfortable assumptions. It’s good to have happy people, but if it weren’t for the unhappy people nobody would be out there trying to improve the world.
@ Waxingstrage:
something you said made me think… “education shows the cracks in our comfortable assumptions”…
That, I agree with.
However, unlike you, I find it liberating and – yes, it makes me happy – whenever I DO discover that some of my underlying assumptions had been wrong! Why? Because now I will no longer be a prisoner to them! Another mental shackle broken – another prejudice overcome!
And that makes me happy!
Yes, I am educated. However, instead of learning that “unhappy is more interesting”, my education focused on critical reasoning and logic. They do not teach that in ‘liberal arts’ – you have to do math and natural sciences to learn it!
There is a telling attitude in your statement “realism leads to unhappiness”….
This is the haughty attitude that ‘we are all just victims of our circumstances. The ‘underpriviliged’ can never pull themselves out of their sad condition and must be pitied. The ‘privieged’ do not deserve their privileges and must feel guilt. Poverty is the cause of crime. It’s all society’s fault…’
Yes, people with this attitude are usually quite miserable. If they have succumbed to the ‘learned helplessness’ that this attitude so effectively instills, they’ll never really amount to much. Yet EVEN IF they succeed, people with this attitude CANNOT be happy because they believe their success is due to their position in society, so it is not REALLY theirs! Sad, sad world…though you are right, it does appear interesting at a surface glance.
On the other hand, people who take personal responsibility for their own actions tend to look back upon their achievements (and responsible people do tend to be above-average achievers) and feel happy to have made this world a better place. For them, realism leads to happiness!
No, I don’t think we’re all victims of our circumstances. The comment I made about education cracking our comfortable assumptions, was more referring to how much I’ve discovered that education has changed me, by talking to others who have sought no further education (through self study or college) after high school. I didn’t even realize how much I’d gained until I went back out in the real world. By realism I just meant that good people die, and bad people succeed. Sometimes people who deserve worldly success don’t achieve it, and therefore success and happiness should be gauged by achievement rather than social status.
@waxingstrange:
Twist, if you will, but your original statement’s implication was clear: people who become educated see the cracks in their asumptions about the world, and therefore they are unhappy. Only people who never question their assumptions because they are uneducated can possibly remain happy. The sad, educated people have to fix the world for everyone, because the ignorant happy people could never be up to it.
And yes, you meant to say that…because you support it in the next comment, when you say: ‘By realism, I just mean that good people die, and bad people succeed.’
That is precisely the attitude I am criticizing: If you are good, you cannot achieve anything. In your words, if you’re good, you die. So, if you live, by definition, you MUST be bad and SHOULD feel guilt.
And if, by any chance, someone dares to succeed in achieving their goals in life (be they what they may), well, then according to your meter stick, that someone is a bad person!
As for judging a person by their social status: it is not I who does this. To the contrary, I hold each and every person responsible for their actions, regardless of where they start from.
I clearly said that it is by looking back at one’s achievements that a person can derive their sense of self-worth and be happy. And it really does not matter whether their achievements are raising good kids, getting out of an abusive home, becoming educated without relying on anyone else, buying a home in the suburbs – or cheering up that lonely neighbour down the street. That really is up to each individual – to build up a chain of personal successes they can proudly look back on. It is the act of setting out to do something and succeeding at it, that act itself, that builds personal happiness, little bit by little bit.
Re-reading the comment thread, I still don’t see how you thought the discussion to be about ‘worldly success’: perhaps you need more mirrors.
OH. My gosh. I must not have understood the point of your post. Wasn’t your entire point that studies show that “conservatives” are “simplistic, stupid and happy?” Or was it just that people who think that people who think that are too boring to go to dinner with?
Ach. I just lost my temper for no reason. Sorry. I agree with all the sentiments of your last reply.
@ Waxingstrange:
Thank you! I appreciate and respect a person who is able and willing to take a second look at things!
However, I cannot take credit for the post – this is Robert Jago’s blog. I am simply a regular reader who leaves annoying comments…even to comments…sorry for the confusion.
the point of the post was that the Liberal who was criticizing conservatives by calling them simple and stupid is a dick. that’s why the post begins with his comment.
My own views run the gamut from Liberatrianism to European style Social Democracy to probably Syndicalism. I don’ Pidgeon hole myself and I can find something to disagree with no matter who I am talking to.
I can compare friends I have who are more consistantly conservative than I am and their relative levels of satisfaction. Yes, most of them are more satisfied. Without exception they have been very fortunate at times when they formed their political beliefs. They were in professions at times when they were very much in demands. They made lots of money. They were rarely out of work and not out of work for very long. They never worried about healthcare. they never worried about their kid’s future.
Their beliefs are framed very well by the statement that “everyone gets what they desearve and deserve what they get”, and my own interpretation of this is that they are living under the illusion that they are the architects of their own good fortune and are really discounting the role of dumb luck in their success. Its exceedingly convenient to be able to take credit for all things good that happen to you and to be able to blame everyone else less fortunate for their condition, and yes they were all pretty fat, happy and self satisfied.
If I compare this group to others who did not get the timing right, who perhaps worked equally hard or harder, and are probably just as talented, but who felt like they had to go begging to the labor market, never had much choice, never really were fairly compensated for the value they added. Men and women who actually struggled and knew that other people had power over them… folks who looked for a job for 6 – 12 months and worried about their kids and healthcare… they tend to be a lot more liberal in their views. And probably a bit less self satisfied, worry more, and don’t sleep as well at night.
I have pretty much had all of the above experiences. I have been a business owner and entreprenneur. I have also gone begging for work and been a wage slave.
My main issue is when we create a system that holds people responsible (not accountable) for their actions as they relat eto their own well being, and then put them into positions where its next to impossible for them to actually take responsibility.
I am only happy about half the time.
J