Liberalism is Not Conducive to Happiness

Are you all making the assumption that "happiness" (which hasn't been well defined for the purpose of this thread) is a good thing?

By one definition of happiness, happy people will be the ones who accept things as they are without asking questions. I don't think the greats in history would be called "happy".

Happy people didn't question Vietnam, didn't care about civil rights or Woman's sufferange, accepted Jim Crow and paid taxes to King George without complaint.

I wouldn't want "happy" to be the top item on a description of me.

But don't mind me, you can just go back to talking about all the schools and hospitals being built in Iraq. Thinking about costs or issues is just a downer, man.

So you are saying you would rather be thoughtful and well-informed than happy? Is it possible to be both?

Interesting...

As I mentioned in passing, there may be some confusion here about being smug about things and real happiness...

You can both be happy and thoughtful. I believe that happiness comes from within.

A person who is happy before winning a million dollars, would probably be happy after winning it, but a person who was not happy before winning the money, may not be happy afterwards either.

Anyways, I think the truth should be a priority. Happiness without any sense of truth is meaningless.

D'artagnan is right, there is a difference between happiness and short term pleasure.

Foxfyre, this isn't a scientific proposition to be debated - it's a rightwinger talking out of his ass. Will quoted "findings" from a survey where people "described themselves" as happy, and you are acting as if it is wisdom that descended from Sinai.

I don't need a survey to see that's just plain stupid.

So, Snood, if it is so 'stupid' why bother to enter into the discussion at all? Nobody has said it is a scientific proposition. Conservatives like the idea that they are happier. I can't help it if liberal prefer to be miserable.

But in the grand scheme of things, do you prefer to live among people who are happier and content or among the suspicious, the complainers, the pessimists, the angry, the depressed?

I prefer the former and I find that coming from conservatives much more than I do from liberals. The overwhelming success of conservative media outlets also bears that out. If others see it differently, then they should express their point of view.

What's the harm in talking about it, unless it makes you feel uncomfortable?

So, Snood, if it is so 'stupid' why bother to enter into the discussion at all? Nobody has said it is a scientific proposition. Conservatives like the idea that they are happier. I can't help it if liberal prefer to be miserable.

But in the grand scheme of things, do you prefer to live among people who are happier and content or among the suspicious, the complainers, the pessimists, the angry, the depressed?

I prefer the former and I find that coming from conservatives much more than I do from liberals. The overwhelming success of conservative media outlets also bears that out. If others see it differently, then they should express their point of view.

What's the harm in talking about it, unless it makes you feel uncomfortable?

Knock yourself out. Just expressing my opinion of your "debate".

Those idiot anti-immigrant vigilantes who are wandering around in the desert with guns seem very unhappy to me, or at least angry.

I bet all of them vote Republican.

I find a lot of anger in white male conservatives who think they are some kind of threatened species.

But you've got to admit, they sure seem happy when they get the chance to get together for a good cross-burning.

I've often thought that the right-wing mouthpieces are some of the happier Americans trolling the globe. Living your life in complete denial sheltered from the harsh realities that really upset people must truly be utopia found.

Okay liberals or semi-liberals. So far most of you have offered absolutely nothing to the discussion but criticism or sniping at the conservatives. Which just reinforces the original premise of the thesis.
But maybe conservatives haven't been fair here.

Can you list 10 things in the current sociopolitical spectrum that makes most liberals happy? Five things? Anything?

How about you list 10 things in the Clinton era sociopolitical spectrum that made you happy, smarmypants?

I will but you guys go first. You're claiming you're happy while posting nothing but unhappiness. Just giving you a chance to make your point.

Sorry, don't have the time right now. Gotta go drink some happy drinks at the moment!

ciao

Actually, I don't really consider myself a liberal, so I should probably leave your challenge to others who fit the profile.

Should it surprise anyone that snood finds a lot of anger in white male conservatives? I know I am not surprised.

Foxy, Do you really expect a serious response to the rather silly premise of this thread?

OK, then... I will give you one.

There are clearly both unhappy liberals and unhappy conservatives. (Right now there are probably more happy conservatives than liberals, but that is a transient thing that might very well might change in 2006 or 2008).

But the difference is WHY liberals and conservative are unhappy.

Things that make conservatives unhappy:
- Homosexuals marrying.
- Immigrants crossing the border to make a better life for themselve and their families.
- Single mothers getting food stamps.

Things that make liberals unhappy.
- Prisoners of the US government being tortured.
- Kids and wives dying from handguns.
- Families without access to health care.

The difference is clear...
...Liberals get unhappy because others are unjustly unhappy.
...Conservatives get unhappy because others are unjustly happy.

Conservatives are deeply upset with welfare-- even though it doubtlessly helps deserving families who are truly in need-- because some people get more than they deserve.

Liberals are deeply upset with Guantanamo-- even though some of the prisoners are doubtlessly connected to terrorism-- because some prisoners there are imprisoned injustly without cause.

You should keep in mind that the survey was a happiness survey, and the question of "how happy are you" was not asked in relation to politics at all. The political affiliation was part of demographic data. It's actually a very interesting study.