In the last 40 years or so, I’ve been to umpteen political rallies, of all stripes, from anti-nuke rallies in the late 70s, to freedom rallies in the last year. They tend to have a lot in common — and one stark difference. It’s as stark as the too-often noticeable difference between progressive and conservative women.
Left-wing rallies tend to be shouty, angry affairs. In the last five years, they’ve come to feature a whole lot of crying, “literally shaking” and screaming helplessly at the sky. They’re also notably dominated by white student types.
Centre-right rallies, on the other hand, tend to be much happier, relaxed affairs. Lots of smiles, certainly a hell of a lot more diversity: people of every hue and appearance, from dreadlocked hippies to buttoned-down young men in suits, all having a bit of a sing as they march down the streets.
There are exceptions, of course, both ways. As would be expected with such anecdotal experiences.
But it may be more than just anecdote.
Ross Pomeroy, editor of RealClearScience, calls it “one of the most surefire findings in all of social psychology, repeatedly replicated over almost five decades of study: American conservatives say they are much happier than American liberals. They also report greater meaning and purpose in their lives, and higher overall life satisfaction.”
Now, I’m generally pretty leery of “social science” claims, but there are some that are pretty solid. The positive relationship between IQ and general life outcomes, for instance. The overall happiness of conservatives is another. For instance, the solidly-conservative Amish are one of the happier groups in America.
But why are “liberals” such miserable bastards?
Given their recent embrace of lockdowns and masking as a societal ideal, drag queens as role models, abortion as a good career move, and sanctions against “misgendering,” it might not surprise you that American liberals are much more prone to neurosis, depression, and anxiety, and, as one recent study cited by Pomeroy pointed out, “have become less happy over the last several decades.” Their unhappiness “is associated with increasingly secular attitudes and actions.”
Think about that for a moment. “Attitudes” and “actions” imply that liberals might be people who choose to be unhappy.
After all, being so angry about absolutely everything, from the weather to what’s in your underwear, has got to get you down, eventually.
Conservative happiness, according to social scientists, rests on three “attitudes” and “actions”. In other words, things you can choose.
The first attitude is religious belief. Now, “religion” is a broad word — sort of like saying “politics” — but in our context, what we’re really talking about is Christian belief, and the action is going to church.
As I wrote recently, despite being a “soft” atheist, I’ve recently started going to church again, with my wife. It’s a deeply satisfying experience: everything from the solemnity of the church itself, to the cup of tea and chat with other parishioners afterwards.
Marriage is the often proposed second pillar on which conservative happiness rests. Marriage might be less easily willed because it requires a willing partner, but conservatives are nevertheless much more likely than liberals to want to get married and have children. Liberals apparently see marriage as an inhibition to their freedom.
Oddly enough, despite their vehemence for gay marriage, liberals are much less likely to actually practise what they preach. It’s almost like the whole idea was to diminish marriage, not “strengthen” it, as they claimed.
The generally cited third source of conservative happiness is “personal agency” or what you and I might call the can-do spirit. Conservatives are much more likely than liberals to believe they can improve their circumstances through hard work. While conservatives revere the past and tradition — where they find examples of American grit and pluck — they are, in fact, future-oriented, focusing on achievement, supporting a family (the next generation), and one’s eternal reward. You could call it: the purpose-driven life.
Spectator Australia
Well, why would a liberal want to bother with all that “hard work” stuff? That’s what the government’s for.
If you can’t get it “free” off the government, it’s clearly worth having. Maybe money can’t buy happiness, but, they tell us, a Universal Basic Income will buy utopia.
