Conservatives in Liberal Countries Happiest of All
How's this for a fact?
If you're a liberal, you tend to be more satisfied. But if you're a conservative, you're happier.
Hmm. Which is better?
The study that found this out was actually talking about countries that are liberal and conservative but I'm sure it applies to people, too.
I decided to do my own survey. I'm a liberal, and I guess I'm satisfied. But my husband has become a conservative, sadly, and he's not one of the happier people I know! He's a great guy but he tends toward the pessimistic.
As for my friends, most are liberal. And most are satisfied. But would you call Rush Limbaugh happy?
Here's how it breaks down in the study: Liberal policies make people happy, while personal beliefs make conservatives happier.
I guess that makes sense.
People living in more liberal countries are happier on average than those in less liberal countries, but individually, conservatives are happier than liberals no matter where they live, according to this study of people in 16 Western European countries.
People living in more liberal countries tend to think they're treated more generously and fairly, the survey found.
"Liberal governments tend to do more to shield citizens against certain hardships, such as unemployment and poverty, which can make people feel happier overall," said the study's lead author, Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn, PhD, of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, according to newswise.com. "On the other hand, conservatives rate their well-being higher than liberals because conservatives more readily support and rationalize the status quo, thus, believing that socioeconomic hardships are a result of individual shortcomings."
Could this be any truer in our country, where many of the rich believe the poor just need to work harder to get out of poverty? Meanwhile, forgetting all the advantages that have put them where they are, way out in front of the rest of us.
To determine if a country was politically liberal or conservative, the researchers looked at ease of access to services such as pensions, sickness benefits and unemployment compensation. They also examined each country's level of spending on welfare.
Here's the most amazing finding of all: conservatives living in liberal countries are the happiest of all.
When researchers looked at what a country does for its citizens, greater liberalism corresponded with higher well-being, but when researchers looked at citizens' political beliefs, greater liberalism corresponded with poorer life satisfaction, the Web site quotes Okulicz-Kozaryn.
The study didn't delve into why.
But I'll tell you this. I know I'm happier than Rush Limbaugh!
If you're a liberal, you tend to be more satisfied. But if you're a conservative, you're happier.
Hmm. Which is better?
The study that found this out was actually talking about countries that are liberal and conservative but I'm sure it applies to people, too.
I decided to do my own survey. I'm a liberal, and I guess I'm satisfied. But my husband has become a conservative, sadly, and he's not one of the happier people I know! He's a great guy but he tends toward the pessimistic.
As for my friends, most are liberal. And most are satisfied. But would you call Rush Limbaugh happy?
Here's how it breaks down in the study: Liberal policies make people happy, while personal beliefs make conservatives happier.
I guess that makes sense.
People living in more liberal countries are happier on average than those in less liberal countries, but individually, conservatives are happier than liberals no matter where they live, according to this study of people in 16 Western European countries.
People living in more liberal countries tend to think they're treated more generously and fairly, the survey found.
"Liberal governments tend to do more to shield citizens against certain hardships, such as unemployment and poverty, which can make people feel happier overall," said the study's lead author, Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn, PhD, of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, according to newswise.com. "On the other hand, conservatives rate their well-being higher than liberals because conservatives more readily support and rationalize the status quo, thus, believing that socioeconomic hardships are a result of individual shortcomings."
Could this be any truer in our country, where many of the rich believe the poor just need to work harder to get out of poverty? Meanwhile, forgetting all the advantages that have put them where they are, way out in front of the rest of us.
To determine if a country was politically liberal or conservative, the researchers looked at ease of access to services such as pensions, sickness benefits and unemployment compensation. They also examined each country's level of spending on welfare.
Here's the most amazing finding of all: conservatives living in liberal countries are the happiest of all.
When researchers looked at what a country does for its citizens, greater liberalism corresponded with higher well-being, but when researchers looked at citizens' political beliefs, greater liberalism corresponded with poorer life satisfaction, the Web site quotes Okulicz-Kozaryn.
The study didn't delve into why.
But I'll tell you this. I know I'm happier than Rush Limbaugh!
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