I find American optimism irresistable. But who knows maybe I have only met conservative Americans so far?
According to studies Conservatives tend to be happier than Liberals. Not entirely new, but here is the beginning of an article I have loved reading:
To bemused conservatives, it looks like yet another example of analytic overkill by the intelligentsia — a jobs program for the (mostly liberal) academic boys (and girls) in the social sciences, whose quantitative tools have been brought to bear to prove the obvious.
A survey by the Pew Research Center shows that conservatives are happier than liberals — in all income groups. While 34 percent of all Americans call themselves “very happy,” only 28 percent of liberal Democrats (and 31 percent of moderate or conservative Democrats) do, compared with 47 percent of conservative Republicans. This finding is niftily self-reinforcing: It depresses liberals. (…)
And recently an American friend (thank you so much Eric!) sent me an mp3 file of the Dennis Prager show in which he interviews Arthur Brooks, a professor of business and government at Syracuse University, and author of “Gross National Happiness”. Brooks found that conservatives are twice as likely as liberals to say they`re happy. That`s not necessarily because of their politics but because they are statistically more likely to be married, go to church, and be optimistic about their future—boosting personal happiness. For liberals, the rates are lower.
He explains “Why Conservatives Say They Are Happier Than Liberals”:
Liberals are more likely to feel like victims and feel that collective action is the best way to make things happen. That may be right, but it`s a frustrating way to live. (…)
Conservatives have a different orientation. Conservatives think there is a lot of opportunity in America. A lot of liberals feel this way, too, but conservatives overwhelmingly believe if you go around and work hard and persevere, you`re going to get ahead, as opposed to you are a victim of circumstance or oppression and you are screwed in life.
Well ;-) I guess I can`t deny it any longer: I am a conservative!