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Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Happiness is being conservative
An opinion article in the Seattle Post explores the happiness gap in a recent study by Pew Research that shows that conservatives are happier than liberals. An interesting observation that caught my eye:
The right to pursue happiness is the essential right that government exists to protect. Liberals, taking their bearings from President Franklin Roosevelt’s 1936 State of the Union address, think the attainment of happiness itself, understood in terms of security and material well-being, is an entitlement that government has created and can deliver.
This can be applied somewhat to Canadians even though our conservatives are about as right-wing as Bill Clinton. It has something to do with self-satisfaction. In my own life, less government interference in my life makes me happier and it goes along with a feeling of pride of accomplishing things on my own and on my own terms.
It took me years to get to this point and away from the idea where I once believed that government owed me a life. I’m a much better person now, and happier. The article goes on to state:
Liberals have made this the era of surly automobile bumpers, millions of them, still defiantly adorned with Kerry-Edwards and even Gore-Lieberman bumper stickers, faded and frayed like flags preserved as relics of failed crusades. To preserve these mementos of dashed dreams, many liberals may be forgoing the pleasures of buying new cars — another delight sacrificed on the altar of liberalism.
But, then, conscientious liberals cannot enjoy autos because there is global warming to worry about, and the perils of corporate-driven consumerism, which is the handmaiden of bourgeoisie materialism. And high-powered cars (how many liberals drive Corvettes?) are metaphors (for America’s reckless foreign policy, for machismo rampant, etc.).
Liberalism is a complicated and exacting, not to say grim and scolding, creed — not one conducive to happiness.
Living in the Wildrose area in Alberta, I personally have not had any contact with liberals since being back in the country other than Judy Stewart (who incidently was not happy to meet me), so time for the thought:
Are conservative Canadians happier then liberal Canadians?
Posted by Darcey on March 1, 2006 in Current Affairs | Permalink
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Comments
Ignorance is bliss eh? Darcey ?
Posted by: Nbob | 2006-03-01 8:55:45 AM
Oh I am definitely out of touch as I was gone five years - but it did give me a chance to have a view outside the looking glass. In a strange way, I now find that I'm looking thru it once again.
Posted by: Darcey | 2006-03-01 9:03:24 AM
The passage you quote says it all. One is much more likely to be happy if one does not give a shit about anyone but himself. Those who care abiut the needs of others are less likely to be happy in the face of their suffering.
So yes, conservatism is the ticket to happiness. But thaty does not make it the morally right path. In fact, it seems good evidence that it is the wrong one.
Posted by: Mark Logan | 2006-03-01 9:19:27 AM
The passage you quote says it all. One is much more likely to be happy if one does not give a shit about anyone but himself. Those who care about the needs of others are less likely to be happy in the face of their suffering.
So yes, conservatism is the ticket to happiness. But that does not make it the morally right path. In fact, it seems good evidence that it is the wrong one.
Posted by: Mark Logan | 2006-03-01 9:20:41 AM
This is not a recent trend that can be attributable to Bush victories. The happiness gap has existed since polling on the topic began in 1972.
Several factors may lead to this. Conservatives tend to value self-reliance more. Married couples with children tend to be more conservative--raising children is intrinsically charitable and gratifying. There is a higher correlation of successful people to conservative values and recent research shows happiness improves success (rather then vice versa). Social activists are the princess in the princess and the pea--they focus on the pea, whereas conservatives are gratified they can sleep on a stack of mattresses. Society no doubt benefits from the Princesses (silk stocking socialists?), but it is not a happy role to play.
Posted by: Murray | 2006-03-01 9:23:23 AM
Happiness is a state of mind. In theory it shouldn’t matter what’s going on as long as one is free to think, and we are, then happiness is up to each of us.
On a micro basis, whether or not one is content all depends on everybody’s day-to-day surroundings, family etc. Hopefully in a place like Canada everybody that is healthy is happy.
On a macro basis, I’d agree conservatives are more content than liberals:
For better or worse a conservative worldview has been bang on. We now can clearly see that the world is a corrupt, dirty, rotten place and needs to democratize so we can more quickly identify and separate the bad guys from the good guys; this is a continual process. We got in trouble when we declared the peace dividend after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
But if you are a liberal, having for years drunk from the wells of cultural relativism, then the evidence coming home to you must be intimidating.
IF you are dealing with it.
But you may choose to carry on in denial like John Kerry or Paul Martin and apart from looking like a deer in the headlights; maybe you’re still content with yourself .. you know, the “ ignorance is bliss” types.
Murray, I’d say conservatives are on the mattress and liberals on the mat; I’ll leave the “silk stockings” (figuratively) for Darcy.
Posted by: nomdenet | 2006-03-01 9:44:58 AM
Like most young people I was left leaning as a young kid. I noted that other liberal types were always angry and complaining about things that they didn't have any control over. They were in some kind of a loop that had no resolution.
Usually it came down to that if government only did what I want, I would be happy, but the 'want' was nebulous. It came down to ... Anger because it wasn't a perfect world.
I knew that what I had control over was my own small life. I could be or do pretty much anything I wanted to ... if I was willing to do what it takes! That is the key. I didn't need to wait for government to finally do what I want, but rather I simply did it myself. It worked ... I am happy.
In a free country, people can live however they like with or without government sanction. This is the key to happiness. It's called FREEDOM. That freedom is freedom from government.
"Successful people are those will do what unsuccessful people cannot or will not do."
Most of the Conservatives I have met have a 'live and let live' attitude contrasted to the Liberals who want everyone to live how they think everyone should live. Sort of a one size fits all. But then ... what of the great mosaic, what if tolerance? What contradictions they live with, no wonder they are nuts.
In fact, they are so relentless in their pursuit of control over the lives of the citizenry that they are quite bigoted toward anyone who disagrees with them. They simply cannot stand not being in control.
These folks simply cannot employ logic in their thinking and remain in denial of anything that makes them 'uncomfortable'.
For a cult that believes that every school kid should pass without learning the curriculum and get a trophy for merely showing up to play a sport, perhaps they should give themselves all a trophy for their efforts to win the day and go home with their trumped up self-esteem and try again another time. BUT ... Meanwhile get out of the way and let those who did win the day ... get on with their job of running the show.
One only has to look at the current state of Russia, Cuba, and even China to see the results of the policies of the Left. Note that two of the three are scrambling toward capitalism in order to feed their people. How'd that happen?
I have arrived at the conclusion that leftists either have a mental disorder or they are simply kids who got locked in the 'anger that it's not a perfect world' and refuse to grow out of it.
I have glimpsed their perfect world and I don't want it.
Posted by: Duke | 2006-03-01 10:14:58 AM
One more point ... I do not give a shit about everyone else, but I do give a shit about friends and family and those who I know.
It is not my responsibility to micro-manage the lives of the public at large ... their families and friends can help make their world as good as possible. It's a cultural thing ... know what I mean?
If we all looked after our own business and our own families etc .. there wouldn't be many left out there for us to have to "give a shit about"
Happiness comes from within.
That is not mean-spiritedness, it is reality.
Posted by: Duke | 2006-03-01 10:32:12 AM
I'm very happy.
Of course, I'm not sitting around waiting for the government to bring me happiness on a silver platter.
Like many conservatives, I have also not abandoned my responsibilities to care for my fellow man to the auspices of a cold and, by definition, heartless government.
"Happiness" is an non-measurable term. But the happiest people I know are the ones who take responsibility for their own lives, their communities, their schools and, especially, for those less fortunate.
Give away responsbibility and you give away the joy that comes from making a difference - even a very small one.
Posted by: Erin Airton | 2006-03-01 10:35:18 AM
There are a few more happy Conservatives in Nova Scotia; they are called Progressive Conservatives
-they just elected MLA Rodney MacDonald aka -
"Rodney The Fiddler" as leader, which resulted in
him being Premier of Nova Scotia (more or less).
Rodney promptly realigned the Cabinet,and appointed several cronies as Ministers - they are
all happy, and appearing in the historic Nova Scotia Legislature as "Rodney The Fiddler and the
Country Bumpkins", which has made Rodney's supporters happy. Nova Scotians are looking forward to their rendition of "Farewell To Nova
Scotia" - which will make a lot of people who are
not Progressive Conservatives, happy. Cheers
Posted by: Jack Macleod | 2006-03-01 11:05:05 AM
I consider myself a true "liberal", a term which has been co-opted by socialists, so I'm now considered a "conservative".
"Those who care abiut the needs of others are less likely to be happy in the face of their suffering. So yes, conservatism is the ticket to happiness. But thaty does not make it the morally right path. In fact, it seems good evidence that it is the wrong one."
Mark Logan, how do explain the fact that countries with the most poverty and suffering usually don't have government-protected individual rights and freedoms (i.e., the right to own your own life and pursue and define happiness)?
What is your good evidence that so-called conservatism (I take that as meaning capitalism) is the wrong path?
Posted by: Angela | 2006-03-01 11:07:11 AM
Happyness comes from Learning, not by whether one is conservative or liberal, left or right.
We learn by growing older, by suffering, by loving, by bearing with the things we can't change, by taking risks.
The things you learn in maturity aren't simple things such as acquiring new information and skills. You learn not to engage in self-destructive behavior. You learn not to burn up energy in anxiety. You discover how to manage your tensions, if you have any, which you do. You learn that self-pity and resentment are among the most toxic of drugs. You find that the world loves talent, but pays off on character.
You come to understand that most people are neither for you nor against you: they are thinking about themselves. You learn that no matter how hard you try to please, some people in this world are not going to love you, a lesson that is at first troubling and then really quite relaxing.
Those are things that are hard to learn early in life. As a rule you have to have picked up some mileage and some dents in your fenders before you understand. As Norman Douglas said, 'There are some things you can't learn from others. You have to pass through the fire.'
Posted by: Cole | 2006-03-01 11:12:38 AM
If a conservative means being autonomous,relying on one's own initiative and effort to resolve one's problems,then yes; conservatives are happier.Or at least have better attitudes to be able to live happier lives.
This opposed to welfare liberal mentality that expects the state to solve all their problems.Now when has the state ever been able to do that?
Conservatives are happier.
Posted by: Nick | 2006-03-01 12:28:51 PM
Mark Logan said, by way of explaining the relative happiness of conservatives "One is much more likely to be happy if one does not give a shit about anyone but himself". I think he's wrong about that, and that giving a shit about other people is the recipe for happiness. I would suggest that despite loud noises from the left to the contraray, conservatives are happier because they DO tend to care for those in their own lives.
In Vancouver it was an oft-noted irony that among a rather large group of us who were vounteers in a non-profit cultural society that those who were on the "right" were, regardless of income level, more likely to look after those around them, including their own families, while those on the left were more likely to instead spend their time tending to some larger concepts, such as "injustice", "Racism", etc.
Two well-known Leftist activists in particular, from the Commercial Drive scene, were widely known to be piss-poor fathers to their own children, who although adorned in rainbow t-shirts and nascent dreads were underfed and often left alone to wander around the Drive, even though they were only five or six.
I think it's really easy for people to take at face value the professed motivations of those who are ostensibly on the side of the poor, the suffering, the victims of American colonialism, and so on. Self-aggrandizement through feasting on the suffering of others is very hard to resist for some people.
Posted by: EBD | 2006-03-01 1:27:47 PM
I suspect that one of the reasons those we would consider to be on the left have problems with happyness is that they think about it too much. The following is from "Pursuing Happiness", John Lanchester, The New Yorker, at http://tinyurl.com/oor7u
"The study showed that people were most content when they were experiencing what Csikzentmihalyi called “flow”—in Haidt’s definition, “the state of total immersion in a task that is challenging yet closely matched to one’s abilities.” We are at our happiest when we are absorbed in what we are doing; the most useful way of regarding happiness is, to borrow a phrase of Clive James’s, as “a by-product of absorption.”
"The trouble is that asking yourself about your frame of mind is a sure way to lose your flow. If you want to be happy, don’t ever ask yourself if you are. A person in good health in a Western liberal democracy is, in terms of his objective circumstances, one of the most fortunate human beings ever to have walked the surface of the earth. Risk-taking Ig and worried Og both would have regarded our easy, long, riskless lives with incredulous envy. They would have regarded us as so lucky that questions about our state of mind wouldn’t be worth asking. It is a perverse consequence of our fortunate condition that the question of our happiness, or lack of it, presses unhappily hard on us."
Posted by: Vitruvius | 2006-03-01 1:50:40 PM
I think that happiness means fulfilment. It has to do with love, respect and freedom. It has to do with choosing life.
Myself, when I was 12, I thought I would be happier when older. When I was 20, I was working hard to become an engineer. I thought I would be happier with my degree in my pocket. When I had my degree, I thought I would be happier when married with a woman I love and a profession with high wages. When I met the woman (women), somehow I desired more. And I kept running after the carrot.
To me, happiness seems like a carrot I've been running after all my life.
One day, when I was in despair, I met Jesus. He came into my heart. And afterwards, I had someone to ask for help when things were not so good.
Deuteronomy 30:9,10 says:
And the Lord thy God will make these plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
If thou shall hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if you turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
15
See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
16
In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgements, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
19
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:
therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.
One can ask: is a consevative happier than a liberal? I think Moses was a conservative. If we consider Paul Martin as an example of a liberal, it is easy to answer. He pushed forward many things against the commandment of God. SSM, hypocrisy, telling lies, using false assertions against adversaries, etc. He more or less didn't care about terrorists having safe haven in Canada. He encouraged polygamy and laws for prostitution.
I think God holds us accountable for our actions and accomplishements. He does not hold society accountable per se, but each individual. We have to take responsibility. To me, that looks very much like what we call conservative today.
I think we could take as an example Preston Manning. He saw a big problem in Canadian society. He did not spare his efforts. I think he is a true Christian. He may have some shotcomings. But overall, he was trying to follow God's plan for his life.
Now, I understand we live under the Gospel, the new covenant of Jesus Christ.
I think to be really happy, one must not fear death. That is no easy task. That means inherit eternal life.
Luke 10:27
And Jesus answering said,
thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.
What attitude we should have is well explained by the example of the good samaritan. I think the first people who went to help in Indonesia after the tsunami were Christians. Not because Indonesians are so nice to Christians. They persecute them.
I do think that many so-called liberals and socialists today are mainly hypocrites. In the Gospel, Jesus was the hardest against hypocrites.
Posted by: Rémi houle | 2006-03-01 2:55:19 PM
Conservatives (men anyways) are happier because they know they aren't going to go bald.
Posted by: rebarbarian | 2006-03-01 7:29:33 PM
rebarbarian,
Hey, speak for yourself! Getting thinner everyday!;-) The Mark Logan's of the world make me laugh, I guess their "care and concern" only applies to when they feel it should. Where was/is their "care and concern" for the Iraq people when they were being tortured and gassed by their so called leader?
And when a Conservative lead coalition works to free these people all they can do is criticize and undermine the effort. The hypocrisy of Liberals condemning Liberation and the people who carry it out is utterly amazing.
Where is their care and concern for the repressed people of the world? When you take it up with them they sputter and spit about wmd's, lies, civil liberties, every form of garbage they can, but none of it can disguise the fact it is them who only care about themselves. They certainly don't care about these people.
Looking south it is equally amazing to see these same Liberals who a few months ago were screaming about racial profiling in the New York subways, now themselves racial profiling an Arab country who wants to buy into the operation of American ports. Unbelievable. You simply have to laugh at the stupidity of these people and the stands they take.
Laughing at these fools keeps me in a good mood!
Posted by: deepblue | 2006-03-01 8:11:02 PM
Happiness truly is being a Conservative, but I too have also found out there are Liberal Conservatives, "wolves in sheep clothing" even the persons like the Conservative Canadian Peter MacKay MP
" It is also very clear to me as well that both the Muslims and liberals, Liberals are wrongfully trying to supress by any means now too the free speech of Christians for many wrong reasons. 85 percent of the Danes now belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church too. They the Muslims and Liberals, liberals are persons with their own false agendas of trying to make slaves of other men for their own benefit mostly too. In fact if you do distribute all of the world's wealth equally amongst all person within likely 3 years 20 percent of them, the bullies, these demon led, inspired persons they will likely have acquired have 80 percent of the world wealth, ny amy meansnow and some of them will profess to be good conservatives too. And that also now in itself explains why the liberals and the Muslims wrongfully do hate, promote hatred toward the Christians, the US, and George Bush so strongly now as well. It is clear that some people wrongfully do not like the others, the good people, the Christians to have a free speech, because these clearly bad guys like to propagate their falsehoods, to draw disciples after themselves and to make them more fit for hell . and that is correct. They the Muslims and the Liberals, liberals will abuse, will lie and even use the Bible to do so as well Making idols of the mere men, any conservative men included , Mohammed was just a mere man still too, is still an unacceptable sin even for professing Christians. A real, true Bible believers rather knows it was the Holy Spirit that made the all of the positive changes and not any man. It is only the grace of God that causes, allows any positive changes and not any man. Man alone still only can make any of the others more fit for hell. But men and women still wrong do too often love to make bad, false idols of leaders, politicians, preachers, relative or anyone for the matter. Thus" Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. (Dan 5:27 KJV) " "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (Rev 3:19 KJV) ""
Posted by: Tom | 2006-03-01 8:27:49 PM
Conservative views which favor traditional views and values and tend to oppose change will make some happy, I am happy of this views Finanically but not politically I am more liberal although I hate Kyoto as most conservatives - and I guess I am more unhappy as other liberals here as most seem stuck here on this Site defending there so called stupid lefty ideas against some heavy hitting neo-cons, it has made me sad at times but am learning much plus and minus from having a political voice. I am sader some days then others. So I agree the world is neo-con friendly at the momnent...and that upsets me.
Posted by: Colin | 2006-03-01 8:54:19 PM
Here's a joke:
What's the difference between Canada and the Soviet Union?
Soviet Union:
A young lady wants to buy a car. The dealer tells her that she will get it in about two years.
She asks "What day?"
The doctor says: "Monday, May 21st, 2008, 4PM."
She says: "That's going to be a problem"
Doc: "Why?"
OLady: "That's when the plumber's coming."
Canada:
An old lady walks into a hospital for a hip replacement. The doctor tells her that she can get it in two years.
She asks "what day?"
The doctor says: "Monday, May 21st, 2008, 4PM"
She says: "That's going to be a problem"
Doc: "Why?"
OLady: "That's when I have my cataract surgery appointment."
Posted by: Ace | 2006-03-01 9:41:03 PM
THIS HAPPINESS INCLUDES NOW BEING A SOBER CONSERVATIVE
Alberta Premier Ralph Klein has apologized to a 17-year-old legislative page after he threw a booklet near her.
Asked about why he did it, Klein told reporters Wednesday: "Frustration ... over health care."
likley it was DUE the acloholic meds he might be taking for his visble shot nerves, from his alcoholic withdrawals.
Klein is also likley a registred offender now for him too often now abusing others
Posted by: COLEEN | 2006-03-01 10:26:58 PM
Conservative Klein's abusive temper was also likely fueled by hearing the bad news that "Prime Minister Stephen Harper signalled Wednesday he is not about to rubber stamp Alberta's "third way" health reforms, saying he wants to make sure any changes respect the Canada Health Act. Harper didn't offer a detailed assessment of Alberta's proposal at a news conference, noting that it's just a working document at this time, but he promised his government will have more to say within days. Still, his statement suggested he is not about to knuckle under to Alberta Premier Ralph Klein without a serious test of wills. "This government is committed to the Canada Health Act," he said. The implication is that Harper will defend the act if necessary, but his comment didn't address what Ottawa can do ensure compliance by a cash-flush province that may no longer be hobbled by a cut in federal transfer payments. "
Posted by: Likeable | 2006-03-01 10:31:22 PM
Conservative Alberta realy does it it, wrecks our health care.
Just say no to the greedy, immoral double-dipping doctors
The worst idea officially put forward in Alberta's Health Policy Framework is allowing our doctors to both work in and out of the public health-care system. That is a clear conflict of interest and should be stopped before it gets going. Doctors should either have to opt into medicare or out of it -- not practise with one foot in the public system and another in their profit-driven private clinic. Why? For myriad reasons, but the most obvious is that a doctor who is consulted by a patient in the public system could -- and likely will -- refer that patient to their own private clinic for surgery. These doctors will cherry-pick the easy cases for their private clinic and leave the tough cases to be taken care of in the public system
http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2006/03/01/1467892-sun.html
Posted by: Doctor who | 2006-03-01 10:35:23 PM
And the Teddy goes to .... Globe and Mail - hours ago Former immigration minister Joe Volpe, the province of Manitoba and the one-time president of the Royal Canadian Mint, David Dingwall, are among the recipients of “Teddy” awards for wasteful public spending.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060301.wteddy0301/BNStory/National/home
Posted by: Non Conservatives | 2006-03-01 10:45:44 PM
>>I think we could take as an example Preston Manning. He saw a big problem in Canadian society. He did not spare his efforts. I think he is a true Christian. He may have some shotcomings. But overall, he was trying to follow God's plan for his life.
Rubbish he comes from a family of pastors, and he Preston Manning sold his religious birthright for money, for he was a trouble maker who tried to seduce other Christians to rebel against the Federal government. I had undeniably specifically ally beforehand mow too wrote to him and had told him clearly he would never ever make it to become a Prime Minister and I was proven to be right as a result too. You should ratherchose a real example of a Christian.
Do first Check your facts with God before you write. Do also see the above post "Making idols of the mere men, any conservative men included , Mohammed was just a mere man still too, is still an unacceptable sin even for professing Christians. A real, true Bible believers rather knows it was the Holy Spirit that made the all of the positive changes and not any man. It is only the grace of God that causes, allows any positive changes and not any man. Man alone still only can make any of the others more fit for hell. But men and women still wrong do too often love to make bad, false idols of leaders, politicians, preachers, relative or anyone for the matter. Thus" Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. (Dan 5:27 KJV) " "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (Rev 3:19 KJV) ""
Posted by: paul | 2006-03-01 10:53:32 PM
And what about the true Blue Conservative, Joe who?
Joe Clark who yelled often at the lunch time waiters to hurry and bring his martinis to drink before he became realy happy.
Happiness was a martini
Posted by: Esther | 2006-03-01 10:57:28 PM
Hey I said it before too an alcoholic conservative, an abusive conservative, a lying conservative, a conservative that lives high on the hog. or one that committed adultery like the now ex Premier Ewes of Ontario really are all still not nay better then the Liberal who does the same thing.
Posted by: Paul | 2006-03-01 11:01:53 PM
>>I think we could take as an example Preston Manning. He saw a big problem in Canadian society. He did not spare his efforts. I think he is a true Christian. He may have some shotcomings. But overall, he was trying to follow God's plan for his life.
.Rubbish he comes from a family of pastors, and he Preston Manning (was just anothjr person who had )sold his religious birth right for money, for he was a trouble maker who tried to seduce the other Christians to rebel against the Federal government. I had undeniably specifically beforehand too now wrote to him and I had told him clearly he would never ever make it to become a Prime Minister, and I was proven to be right as a result too. You should rather chose a real example of a Christian.
Preston Manning to me was a too typical example of the immoral Calgary and Canadian pharisaical evangelical hirelings, shepherds, those persons who wrongfuly do love to be praised in public too. A "hireling" is a new Testament word , and to me it is synonymous for just another prostitute too. I would never choose to be a politician over being a pastor. Never and rightfully so. For a chirstian he Manning talkes more about money that God.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Tim 6:10 KJV)
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (1 Tim 6:11 KJV)
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. John 10:
Posted by: Real Christinaity | 2006-03-01 11:20:39 PM
What I could not understand was that if all of these Alberta Conservatives now are so happy and they are such great good living, moral persons, even these professing Christians one especially in Alberta, why does it not show on their faces? they seem to be also always complaining about something, someone.
and how come they so readily tolerated too the undeniable vices now of the Albertan racism, alcoholism, gambling, where some of the churches even lived from the profitable benefits of Ralph Klein's escalation of gambling, video terminals, betting and alcoholic establishments..
to me it still truly does sounds more like a dual personality of a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde still here too.
In fact I have been to many evangelical churches in Alberta and the only real happy ones I encountered were solely those in Fort McMurray
Posted by: Traveler | 2006-03-01 11:47:42 PM
It's funny, I'm a college kid now but I'm happier now than I've ever been since I was little. Everything seems to work better the more conservative I get - gals, job opportunities, ability at sports, etc.
I kinda drifted a bit from about 13 to 16 because I was seduced by socialism, talking 'big Hegelian thoughts' to justify my own difficulties at school. I really had to pull myself together and come back to my old conservative roots to get thru high school and college.
Using drugs in a recreational setting might seem fun because it connects you with people, but it's not a long-term solution to emotional problem. It's like a Band-Aid on an artery gash.
I'm mostly an economic conservative but I consider myself socially moderate. I oppose SSM, gun control, and I want the justice system toughened up.
I think the religion card is overplayed. Subscribing to basic religious ideas like faith, honesty, respect for your parents and fellow man is enough to turn you into a conservative.
I lived in Guatemala last year for 3 months. I realized that religion is great b/c it's an opiate to the masses. Sermons give people a means by which they can find the good from within themselves and show it off to the world.
Successful people in my experience understand that there are things in life that you can't control(acts of God) and the best thing to do is roll with the punches and hit back at the right moment like a conservative instead of ducking and covering like a liberal.
You don't whine until you get special treatment like a liberal. I was a hell-raiser as a kid because I went and got in trouble for stuff. Then I learned from my mistakes. I sucked up the consequences all the time and learned from them.
If you're a socialist, you tend to deny that you're capable of improvement as a person and so you're unhappy.
Well self-improvement is always possible if you're a conservative and learning is life-long necessity so get used to it.
Posted by: Ace | 2006-03-02 1:21:17 AM
Your post reminds me of a news item from a few months ago. It concerned a study that purported to show that tanning makes people happier because young women who went to tanning salons were generally less depressed than those who didn't. Now that could be true, but the study contains a classic scientific flaw -- the women who went to the salons are a self-selected group, those who showed some initiative, who got up off the couch and went to the tanning booth. So, you can't really prove that it's the tanning rays that make the difference; the tanners may have been in better shape to begin with. What's this got to do with happy conservatives? My observation has been that people who take action, who get up and do something for themselves, are happier than those who don't. There are indeed some liberals and leftists who get up off their ass and make things happen, but there aren't that many.
Posted by: CJ | 2006-03-02 2:35:45 AM
I think the question "are conservatives in Canada happier" is a dangerous one, because we certainly aren't happy with the neoliberal state Canada is in. Happiness itself is such a dangerous phrase to toss around in the first place. The drunk wino is "happier" than the sober wino, yet we wouldn't dare use that as justification for being an alcoholic.
On the same stature, a wise old saying holds that "ignorance is bliss" which certainly holds true for a lot of Liberals! They also pretty much have everything in society they had ever asked for, so if they're still unhappy then perhaps their own ideology is designed to create that, even in them.
Maybe a better question would be "are conservative Canadians happier in liberal Canada than liberal Canadians would be in conservative Canada?" And/or the obvious corollary to that: "would a conservative Canada make conservatives happier than a liberal Canada would make liberals?" Setting up the preconditions such as these would give a lot more insight, even considering the risky business inherent in figuring out how happy people are (the self-reporting required alone makes the repressed psychologist in me shudder).
The Pew Research people maybe are using "happy" when "contented" is more appropriate?
Posted by: Feynman and Coulter's Love Child | 2006-03-02 3:04:07 AM
Actually, the only thing we can say for sure is that Swedes are happier than Canadians.
This is OUR game!
(Besides, most Conservatives in Canada are liberals, and most Liberals are social democrats.)
Posted by: Johan i Kanada | 2006-03-02 6:56:24 AM
(Besides, most Conservatives in Canada are immoral liberals, and most Liberals are social democrats.)
how true.
I cannot see how the conservatives in Alberta who visibly en masse still now do not care about any of the others can be happy with themselves wrongfully for this too.
Are they really happy or just still just merely selfish persons still
Posted by: Coleen | 2006-03-02 7:03:15 AM
Coleen,
I don't know, call me what you want, I'm from Alberta and have no problem laughing at you and your obviously bigoted views!
Posted by: deepblue | 2006-03-02 10:54:40 AM
I don't know, call me what you want, I'm from Alberta and have no problem laughing at you and your obviously bigoted views!
and I am from Alberta too.. so even you agree many albertans are bigots even. Funny ehh
Posted by: Coolen | 2006-03-02 11:29:06 AM
...THIS HAPPINESS INCLUDES NOW BEING A SOBER CONSERVATIVE
Alberta Premier Ralph Klein has apologized to a 17-year-old legislative page after he threw a booklet near her.
Asked about why he did it, Klein told reporters Wednesday: "Frustration ... over health care."
likley it was DUE the acloholic meds he might be taking for his visble shot nerves, from his alcoholic withdrawals.
Klein is also likley a registred offender now for him too often now abusing others
...I cannot see how the conservatives in Alberta who visibly en masse still now do not care about any of the others can be happy with themselves wrongfully for this too.
Are they really happy or just still just merely selfish persons still
And what about the true Blue Conservative, Joe who?
...Joe Clark who yelled often at the lunch time waiters to hurry and bring his martinis to drink before he became realy happy.
Happiness was a martini
Albertawhy does the Alberta think it is the sole west too? BC can speak for itself and it too often does not go along with Alberta
But yes the rest of Canada still mostly does think these conservatives are odd the ones especially from Alberta and it is a realy good laugh for them.
Posted by: BC | 2006-03-02 11:33:53 AM
That was not fair to include typpsy Joe Clark for he originaly was not from Alberta.
Posted by: Colleen | 2006-03-02 11:35:11 AM
Coolen - Awful close to Kool-aid isn't it?
Unfortunately there are bigots in all walks of life, every race, every religion, country, state or province. Thanks for admitting to being one.
I will take that into account when I read your posts. It make them much clearer, and will add to the humor.
Posted by: deepblue | 2006-03-02 11:41:06 AM
By the way, none of my business, I think I already know the answer to this, were you born in Alberta?
If you were then you should know Joe Clark was indeed born in High River.
Posted by: deepblue | 2006-03-02 12:04:05 PM
Feynman, your post made me laugh. "Happiness itself is such a dangerous phrase to toss around in the first place." Aww crud! I just got hit in the face with happiness. Get it off! Get it off! Ahh! I'm melting.g.g.g.g.g.g.g.
But really, your wise old saying is wrong. Ignorance is not bliss. The actual saying is, "If ignorance is bliss then tis folly to be wise." Just because people misquote it all the time does not make them right. Kind of like the "proof is in the pudding" which should be "The proof of the pudding is in the eating" or that "money is the root of all evil" which should be "the love of money is the root of all evil."
There are a lot of things in Canada that I am not happy about, but I do not let them weigh me down. Such things should not affect your day to day mood if they are out of your control. But hey, at least your post made me laugh, and I am happy about that. I am feeling H-a-p-p-y-y-y-y-y-y!
John M Reynolds
Posted by: jmrSudbury | 2006-03-02 2:47:36 PM
Alberta Bigotery show itself.
were you born in Alberta?
is realy none of your business.
so Joe Clark is a bad Albertan conservative too like Ralph Klein who needs a drink to be happy otherwise he is grumpy.
Posted by: Jean | 2006-03-02 3:22:42 PM
We all can see another example what it means to be happy conservative in Alberta Alta. nurse charged with drugging colleagues Mar. 2, 2006. 05:32 PM Sarah Christine Bowes, a licensed practical nurse who worked at the hospital, has been charged with drugging her colleagues and fraudulently using their credit card information.
Posted by: albert | 2006-03-02 5:35:49 PM
Advertising executive Paul Coffin was sentenced last September after pleading guilty to 15 charges related to defrauding the Canadian government of more than $1.5 million under the sponsorship program. He was sentenced to two years less a day, to be served in the community, and ordered to give speeches to university students about ethical behaviour in the business world.
this is a happy liberal
Posted by: Happy | 2006-03-02 5:38:25 PM
Happiness _is_ a dangerous word to be tossing around though in this particular context: a very perilous internal emotional state which connotes that the circumstances bringing it about must be fairly positive.
If a conservative, nay anyone, is happy in the post-Trudeau Canada, I can only assume that they have not been paying attention. Clearly ignorance is bliss whether the old saying or the misquotation weighs in correctly or not.
Posted by: Feynman and Coulter's Love Child | 2006-03-02 7:46:57 PM
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