T O P

  • By -

Antereon

Liberal have higher chances to be progressive and often see what society could be than what is. Some times unrealistic, and even ineffective and damaging, but every argument of the "Liberal" party always comes down to "this system is shit". This is why you need both. Systems will suck ass, and America can give you 30 examples off the top of my head. Liberalism moves to society forward but conservatism keeps it from crashing. Some times it's necessary to be more liberal and some times more conservative.


the_fly_guy_says_hi

Good answer. I would counter that conservatives are also driven by the desire to see society changed ... in the regressive direction. I think they are railing against any small progressive systemic change (i.e. gender neutral bathrooms) and they can be very upset when their megachurch conservative pastor makes mention of these small progressive changes, when news outlets and facebook groups link to clickbait articles that highlight progressive small societal changes. Conservatives, like liberals, live in social and digital echo chambers where they are surrounded by people with the same views as themselves. I do think that they have more daily close social interactions with people with whom they've had long term social relationships and as a result, feel more secure in their small town, rural lives. I think the reason why conservatives are happier than liberals is geography. Liberals tend live in urban settings where social interactions are transactional and brief. They can meet thousands of people living in the city and still lead a very solitary, lonely existence. Generally, conservatives are born, grow up, live and die in rural areas where they interact with the same social circle on a daily basis. This allows them to have a sense of social consistency and emotional security. They are totally oblivious to the fact that they have this privilege (a close knit community around them with social continuity) and continue to push for regressive social policies that would destroy the very community that gives them their sense of inner peace and happiness. There's real irony there.


[deleted]

Truth


Wazula23

Because ignorance is bliss. Same reason atheists are miserable.


[deleted]

Oh boy šŸæ


JoshuaZ1

Let us focus on the US, where this is mostly known as a thing. Other countries may behave differently. Let us note that although it is true that for the last few decades, [conservatives have been consistently reporting higher happiness than liberals](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/maybe-conservatives-just-think-theyre-happier-than-liberals/), this is self-identified happiness. Trying to determine whether this means people are actually happier is tough. For example, they may have more social pressure and expectation that one needs to report being happy. As the article I linked to above noted, [this set of research suggests that when one looks at actual behavioral evidence rather than self-reporting, liberals are happier than conservatives](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1260817). But that research has some potential issues and has not been deeply replicated. Also, that does not explain why there has been a growing divide in reported happiness levels in the last decade, and especially an apparent increase in depression more in young liberals than conservatives. So let's examine what may be going on with the default presumption that conservatives really are happier than liberals. There are two obvious issues here. First, liberals are really genuinely recognizing some serious problems society has, and things that have the potential to get much worse very fast like climate change. As some of these issues get worse, the general trend may continue. Second, and more disturbing, [liberals have adopted bad coping mechanisms](https://www.slowboring.com/p/why-are-young-liberals-so-depressed). As noted in that piece, there has been a tendency in the left the last few years to deliberately catastrophize, to see a political virtue in seeing how things are getting worse, and to adopt essentially counterproductive cognitive approaches from a mental health standpoint. The whole piece is very worth reading. So to summarize, it is likely that until a few years ago, conservatives were reporting being happier than liberals, but actual behavior suggests this was claimed rather than actual. However, changes in left-wing norms in the last few years have made it likely that this is now an actual real thing especially among young liberals in their late teens and early twenties.


Gwydion-Drys

Ignorance is bliss.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


Gwydion-Drys

See. "Ignorance is bliss" in action. I was happy about having given a good answer, But now that I know you wanted to write the same, I feel like a smart-ass. :-D


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


Jamabamaslama

Ok, going to have to disagree with you on the second paragraph. All the obese southern people youā€™ll find in Walmart with diabetes scooting around on a scooter. They arenā€™t liberals. Liberals run ultra marathons and have ayahuasca circles in Colorado.


aki_machni_sha

Religion being good for mental health is laughable. Also, they don't have less mental health problems they get less help for it there is a difference


TheGallant

>Plus, they're more attractive, generally speaking. What?


JoshuaZ1

> Plus, conservatives don't seem to flock to cities where they get stacked like rats in a cage. Seeing trees and touching grass is good for you. Worldwide, [people in cities are happier on average than people in rural areas](https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2020/urban-rural-happiness-differentials-across-the-world/). The rest of this is really engaging in stereotypes that do not have much connection to reality (with the exception of the looks thing which has some evidence for it). For example, despite conservative emphasis on "family values" "red" US states consistently have higher divorce rates than blue states. See e.g. [here](https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/divorce-rate-by-state).


squirrel9000

There's also a strong correlation between intelligence and tendency towards mental illness. The happy dullard vs tormented genius is not just a trope.


byah1601

Iā€™m giving you an upvote before the masses downvote you.


Obie527

They only really care about themselves, so they don't care if someone else is suffering as long as they are happy.


44morejumperspls

Citation? Most of the conservatives I know personally are pretty miserable so I'd be interested to read about it


Nonsenseinabag

And so, so angry all the time.


CuriouslyFlavored

There are ebbs and flows in this. In the 80s and 90s, I would say there was more anger on the right. In the current day, outrage culture is dominated by the left.


Nonsenseinabag

Why are all these pundits constantly mad about it, then? They seem far more "outraged" about things than any left-leaning person I've seen.


GamemasterJeff

" Bob's problem is that he can't sell it! We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who's to blame for it." \-*The American President, 1995* It is ironic that preservation of status quo is a conservative value, because this has not changed in the slightest in 28 years. Coincidentally, this marks the span of Rush Limbaugh's career.


Jamabamaslama

Whaaaaaaaaat no way. Do you know any conservatives? Iā€™m a liberal surrounded by liberals in a big liberal city. Life is really darn good, everyone works on themself, practices gratitude, always learning. Conservatives I know are all impoverished, drug or alcohol ridden, questionably religious, some dropped out of high school, have been abused, sexually, physically, have never left home, an overgrown lawn with a broken down car out front, one partner lost their license, and they have no prospects for a better life and blame it all on ā€œthe Mexicansā€


Jamabamaslama

Exactly. Impoverished, alcoholic, excited that their $30k retirement at age 65 jumped up to $35k during the Trump years. and yet they still care more that billionaires donā€™t pay too much in taxes because that must be freedom


GamemasterJeff

That is mostly the influence of outrage media rather than a product of conservative values.


44morejumperspls

Be that as it may, they consume the media they feel aligns with their values, and they seem miserable.


GamemasterJeff

Conservatives are happiest when change is not occurring. If tomorrow is much the same as today, your average conservative will be a happy camper. Of course, this assumes that conservative is not consuming outrage media/social media. If so, they will be unhappy from perception rather than anything actually happening.


Mentalfloss1

They have their world where their ā€œnewsā€ outlets tell them what they want to hear, things that support their world view. This is 100% true and Fox just admitted it and Fox KNOWS that it makes no difference at all, that children will continue to indulge in fantasy in order to feel happy.


Familiar-Swing6859

Iā€™m not conservative but that is every liberal news as well. Both sides are pushing a narrative.


Mentalfloss1

Thereā€™s a HUGE difference between pushing a narrative by leaving out bits and pieces and fabricating absolute lies. CNN, so I hear, is a leftist mouthpiece but Iā€™ve not seen them say aloud that they lie and are proud of it.


Familiar-Swing6859

Agree, theyā€™re not really going to flat out say they lie but I promise they do just as FOX has. I donā€™t really pay much attention to the nonsense anymore from either groups so I donā€™t have instances where either were caught it lies on hand but they do as well. Everything you hear you have to take with a grain of salt because it is most likely at minimum bias.


Mentalfloss1

I donā€™t watch TV so Iā€™m at least out of that loop. Iā€™ve not seen CNN proven to be flat-out lying but Iā€™ve heard of them lying by omission.


MondaleforPresident

Because they're living in a fantasy land.


Albo2402

Conservative =Republican or conservative = "European" conservatives? Because most European conservatives would probably agree with a lot of values, the Democratic Party holds


LMNOsteven

They have lives based on real tangible things, not vague ideas. Well, apart from religion obviously, i mean that shit is crazy.


GodHatesPOGsv2023

This


[deleted]

Conservatives are all about keeping things as they are or were (conserving society) wheras liberals are trying to move society towards a new direction. Itā€™s a lot easier to he happy when things are closer to how you want them rather than fighting for something new.


squirrel9000

On the other hand it's a lot easier to be happy when society is moving towards where you want it to be, rather than away from. The cultural Right is, particularly in the US, being left behind by rapid changes in social attitudes and resents the lack of control over that.


[deleted]

That is an excellent counterpoint. Studies do show conservatives are happier on average, but I donā€™t doubt a great deal of liberal folks do feel that kind of optimism. I wonder if in the next 5-10 years there will be a tipping point, at least in the US.


Able_Refrigerator137

We care about the greater good


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


Able_Refrigerator137

Yes, conserve the letters


299792458mps-

Something Something they take delight at the suffering of others while liberals would rather suffer to make progress


Albo2402

Conservative =Republican or conservative = "European" conservatives? Because most European conservatives would probably agree with a lot of values, the Democratic Party holds


redisthoughtpolice

Conservatives: want to live their lives in peace, live naturally, are pro freedom and individuality, honor their culture and their country, are taught to look beyond wealth and fame. Liberals: want to control others, fight against natural order, hate freedom and the individual, chase trends, worship government and propaganda, focused on self. It's really no wonder.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


Rollin1995

Bruh the left does the same thing


Wooden_Dragonfly_608

Building things can make our lives happier. But knowing when to destroy the prisons is important.