Why Are Liberals So Miserable?
By: Stephen Moore
Source: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
I'm the kind of guy
Who never used to cry
The world is treatin' me bad
Misery
-- The Beatles
Replacing former President Donald Trump with President Joe Biden was supposed to bring joy to the land from sea to sea. We were going to be a united people at last. Every problem known to man would get solved by cradle-to-grave government. Biden was even going to save us from the rise of the oceans.
But just the opposite: A survey by the University of Chicago found that record percentages of people in 2021 described themselves as "unhappy."
For most of the past 50 years, about 1 in 10 people have described themselves as unhappy. In 2021, 1 in 4 say they are unhappy. Typically, almost 1 in 3 say they are "very happy," and now less than 1 in 5 do. The happiness index is falling like a stone. People are depressed.
Gee, I wonder why the public is so glum all of a sudden.
Let me count the ways. First, there is isolation and loneliness from lockdowns, stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions. Then there is out-of-control crime and a significant rise in business failures (from lockdowns), both clearly associated with depression. People are still worried about their health two years into the pandemic that Biden promised to shut down. The border is out of control.
Then there is the financial stress on families from everything being more expensive. Children are depressed because schools are still doing remote learning or they are stuck wearing masks for eight hours a day. The "woke" movement has people feeling like they are tied inside a social straitjacket. Nothing is funny anymore. Don't you dare say an off-color joke or you will be banished.
People are afraid to laugh at anything for fear of offending someone somewhere. When was the last time you saw a funny movie?
But here's what's most interesting about the results of the happiness survey. The people with the most significant happiness deficiencies are Democratic voters. Liberals are miserable. Only 1 in 6 Democratic voters say they are "very happy." Almost twice as many Republicans say they are "very happy."
Why is that? I have several admittedly unproven hypotheses. I will toss them out, and readers can decide for themselves if they agree or disagree.
First, liberals are much less religious, patriotic and interested in getting married and having children than conservatives. It's a Grand Canyon-sized division between liberals and conservatives. I'd venture to say that the love of country, God and family make people happy.
If you don't believe in these things, you will likely believe in false idols, such as big government, as your savior. That's hardly a path to happiness.
Liberals are less likely to be working and more likely to be on government assistance. But every study shows that work is highly associated with happiness. Giving a person a fish rather than teaching a person to fish leads to very different life satisfaction outcomes.
Liberals also live their lives in fear. Liberals are much more likely to believe that global warming will doom us than are conservatives. To listen to some of the more fanatical climate change worriers, they seem almost to want global warming to happen so we can pay penance for our sins to the planet. Similarly, from the start of the pandemic until recently, liberals were twice as likely to be "very worried" about COVID-19 than conservatives. There is something sociologically different about how liberals view risks than conservatives.
Finally, there is the geographical separation between conservatives camped in red states and liberals camped in blue states -- the two Americas. Blue states shut down their economies. They shut down restaurants, schools, parks, theaters, tennis and basketball courts, playgrounds, beaches, bars and any other place where people could, God forbid, have fun.
Amid the dark days of the pandemic, I traveled to New York, California and Florida. New York and California were zombie zones. If people saw you on the street walking toward you, they would lift their masks and swerve so as not to get anywhere near you. They would scowl or look away.
In Florida, people got on with their lives. They took reasonable health precautions, but they got out. You could tell that Floridians were happier than New Yorkers and Californians. It made New Yorkers and Californians all the more miserable and indignant when they saw pictures and videos of the Floridians who were not planted in their living rooms in the fetal position. Some were even partying on the beaches -- swimming, laughing, drinking, mingling. How dare they? And the final insult for the triply depressed liberals was that the Floridians had death rates from the virus that were no different from those living in the liberal states that outlawed fun and most human activity.
Not so long ago, those on the left of the political spectrum were the partiers -- the wild and crazy crowd: sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Live and let live. Now leftists are a bunch of judgmental prudes like nuns in a convent.
And they suffer from a severe happiness deficit. They got Biden in office, and now they're still miserable. Given the damage that Biden has done to our country in just one year in office, one could conclude that it serves them right.
Or perhaps they just miss hating Trump.
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I remember a time when travel restrictions because of Covid were racist. I guess having somebody who has a history of disparaging blacks in office alleviated that.
And when there aren't lockdowns there are the Nazi throw back of you must show your papers.
I LOVE how that has worked out so far. In 13 months there have been more "Covid related" deaths WITH A VACCINATION than there were without a vaccination. By his own standards Biden should resign.
That's what happens when you shut down the wall because, well, because Trump put it in place.
Children are depressed because schools are still doing remote learning or they are stuck wearing masks for eight hours a day.
How about the Laudoun School District telling kids that if they show up without a mask they will be arrested for trespassing. That would have me depressed as a kid. Also, remember this is the same school district that moved a sex offender because of a sexual assault only to have the offender do it again.
Maybe that's why they hate Trump so much. He took away their free shit.
So did many of the fear mongering fools on the left. They made sure they got their vacations in Florida then returned to their dystopia's ranting and raving about how bad it was while they enjoyed a beer on the beach and swam in the ocean.
And liberals from New York and Michigan travelled to Florida to partake in what they denied to citizens of their own states.
That was exactly my point. They lived it up in Florida. Hanging out at the beach, shopping without their version of the Gestapo demanding their papers, etc.
And your point about some school districts and masks as a control tool is right on too.
That's foolish. It's about keeping the children ALIVE.
I think the left looks at things as isolated incidents. and they fixate on those incidents shouting down any and all opinion and fact that doesn't fit their narrative. While doing that they don't see that all these smaller incidents add up to something bigger.
I don't think they have the ability to see the larger picture of what is really going on.
So what if children are far more likely to commit suicide now. The important thing is that don't catch Covid./S
But keep those kids locked down, and masked up! Then acted shocked and horrified when they kill themselves.
No, it’s not. The children are much less at risk than even their own vaccinated teachers are. It’s all been about school board and teachers unions control.
The effects of distance learning and masks on kids have always been worse on them than the disease itself.
Even to the point that a school district is threatening kids with trespassing if they come to school without a mask.
No, it's not.
Even though their Governor or a court said that they could depending on the location.
I see that you agree with me there.
No, I don't.
No it's not. The children are at risk.
You can supply proof right? You have numbers to back up your assertion? Articles from reliable sources? Or at least some inane Democrat talking points?
No they're not. Prove it by posting facts
Didn't know you were Pro Life.
Funny how things change when you point out the hypocrisy.
I didn’t either. Interesting!
True. They have no facts to support the child abuse they have been subjecting our youth and children to
I don't know if you picked this up after I pointed it out in the 3.1.13 post
I hadn’t noticed her change from alive in 3 to at risk in 13. Not surprised. Still the risk to the children is so tiny compared to all the other risks to kids from wearing those things.
Why Are Liberals So Miserable?
That's a great question for this site's liberals. The constant death wishing and fantasies about killing people, glee when someone from the "other side" dies, racist and misogynist attacks against conservatives and the deluge of petty personal attacks that dominate numerous groups on this board point to serious mental health issues among liberals.
You are right to point that out. The author points out a general malaise among the left as a whole and points to reasons why this is the case. Stephen Moore as is so often the case is exactly right! They are an unhappy and miserable lot compared to conservatives.
I happen to think some were abused as children and they for some reason blame traditional society.
That could partially explain it for some.
For some reason I read most of the seeded article and not unexpectedly it's pretty ridiculous. For example I know of no evidence that shows that most Americans have objected to measures to diminish covid. That's a right wing trumpism thing
The rest of the article is equally stupid
Well, gee, is it possible--just POSSIBLE--that things occur without your personal knowledge?
all the evidence one needs to know that the article was brilliant, well reasoned and well written. Thanks!
Or that there is another America out there beyond Chicago and the east and left coast?
Stop trolling
Stop projecting your actions on me.
His point was a legitimate one…
When that happens on NT the trolling accusation is the new racist accusation.
I can't wait to hear some responses although I doubt anyone will admit to being miserable all the time even though there is plenty of evidence to support that they are. If anyone does respond I have a feeling it will include Trump and/or Republicans the reason they are always miserable.
In reality I get the feeling the reason they are always miserable is they can't control everything around them and that makes them anxious. There is nothing worse than living in a world where people have ideas that don't coincide with their beliefs.
Yep, got another one today from one of our resident liberal internet rambos. Three up votes last I checked so they are squaded up with hate per usual. ......
The usual projection, deflection, and denial 'article'. Ho hum.
What do YOU think the article denied?
Deflected FROM?
Projected on what?
[deleted]
I knew they were too hard for you (and besides, they weren't directed to you) but you insist on butting in without saying anything significant in any way.
Why?
Do you feel Tessylo is unable to answer direct questions now?
It was the content of post # 5 that was utterly useless to a discussion of the issues covered within the seeded article. Trying to draw that person and others on that side of the aisle into a meaningful discussion is neither silly or useless
[deleted]
I'll work on making my questions simpler and easier to understand. I had no idea they were so perplexing until I noticed all the deflections instead of answers. Promise I'll try to do better.
Until then, perhaps it is best if you don't read my posts if they are so upsetting.
My tickets tell a real truth compared to your fantasies.
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[removed]
Still protecting Tes I see.
I think that comment should be directed to someone else here.
Really? Here is HER POST:
Here are my questions to her:
And now, in your opinion, my questions are idiotic. I guess you fail to make any meaningful connection with what she wrote and what I wrote.
That's a you problem, not a me problem.
And since you don't what the fuck an idiotic question even is, we are done. No sense wasting my time.
Hasn't done it before now. I don't see why she should change now
I think your question are very clear and not inane in the least. The responses you get are far and away some of the most idiotic I have ever read.
👏👍
Says one who can not defend against a single point the author made nor debate anything he brought to the discussion. Just a sweeping generalization that proves the points the author of the article was making.
It's all bullshit and made up nonsense about the 'libs', as usual. What's to defend?
What exactly did the article deny, deflect from, or project?
Prove it!
A collective and massive inferiority complex ..... poor bubbas.
Bingo!
Why Are Liberals So Miserable?
They weren't breast fed as babies?
Maybe that is why some of them are addicted to sex--or at least TALKING about it all the time?
Could also be why some of them think everyone wants to date them.
Like AOC…
Well, looks like a non-response is a response... I don't count the current liberal responses to this as responses, just non-responsive emotional outbursts...
Since nobody really wants to respond the statements must be true... The points made must be valid...
The truth is a hard thing to refute....
Did you expect anything but emotional outbursts from them? Come on some of them even post memes as "fact".
You called it! Well said. They have no points to make to even try to contest or refute a single point made. Just denial and emotional rage.
Liberals are not miserable. Conservatives are and for good reason. They bought the ticket on 'the train' whose first stop was at Stormy Who and last stop was Hang Mike Pence with nothing except bull crap and cesspool flotsam in between. Went through all of that and still never got to watch Jared and Ivanka do the duet pole dance.
Good to see at least one liberal has a sense of humor.
No problem, no way Trump wins, no way ..... wait a minute ..... DOH!
They still haven’t recovered from that…
And it's obvious right here on NT. Just look at the volume of "but Trummmmpppp" seeds there are. And all by the same group of people.
Not even close and it’s pretty damn sad.
A byproduct of shutting down all the loony bins and letting them out on the street
The tent cities in and around Los Angeles and the Bay Area.
Yep and they hang out in public libraries, using tax payer provided computers to post on internet blogs .....
Without a doubt!
"But a provocative new study shows that people who live in countries with liberal governments are happier on average than those who live in countries with conservative governments. As for the connection between an individual's personal political leanings and his/her happiness, conservatives tend be happier than liberals.
Hmmm. That suggests the best of all possible worlds, happiness-wise, is to be a conservative who lives in a liberal country."
The Surprising Reason Conservatives Are Happier Than Liberals
Interesting that conservatives aren't all that happy living in a conservative country.
What really seems to make conservatives happy is having an 'other' to bitch about. Forget reality. Wait, forget reality, 1972 and windowpane. Happy times.
Conservatives have always been more happy, more God, country, and family centered, and far more charitable than secular progressives.
Well, all I can say is, my life experience would tell me differently.
I’m speaking from my life experiences
Well, I guess that means we are two different people. Imagine that.
And we likely live in very different places.
Well, that may depend upon what time in my life we would be talking about.
clearly a reference to present tense. If you ever once lived in or near Redding, Ca. you would likely not like it now despite the vibrant growth, pleasant climate, and surrounding beauty.