The reasons given are insufficient. The jokes that follow don’t answer the question either.
Republicans, and especially conservatives and religious believers are happier because they have a purpose in life. They feel part of the past and contributing to the future whether this be in their personal, political or spiritual lives.
Many people, we call them saints now, in the past gave up life itself willingly and happily for the purpose they believed in.
Modern liberalism is a credal faith with a litmus test series of ad hoc beliefs that feel good and seem good. They really have no real purpose in their actions even though they claim moral superiority in caring for the poor, the ignorant and the elderly. In actual fact, when surveys are made of charitable giving conservatives trounce liberal every time.
Such is life. Soren Kierkegaard, a devout but self-isolated Christian, saw humans as making choices. Sometimes not all at once. And sometimes without being aware or reflecting on the choices; but, nonetheless we make choices and among these is searching, defining and actualizing our purpose in life.
Conservatives are optimists.
Just look at my tag line! :)
Exactly. And, if you don’t mind, I’d suggest that one of the reasons that conservatives are happier is that they tend to live their lives rather than trying to control the uncontrollable factors in life, as liberals feel the need/desire to do.
Besides, who the hell ever saw a truly happy liberal? I’ll bet that even those Democrats who “are” happy tend to be the most conservative of the bunch, like the wonderful Zell Miller.
“Republicans, and especially conservatives and religious believers are happier because they have a purpose in life. They feel part of the past and contributing to the future whether this be in their personal, political or spiritual lives.”
That’s probably the most succint explanation of this phenomenon (which I’ve been aware of for a long time) that I have ever heard.