Gray is underrated. Personally, I tend not to trust people who are completely sure of their political beliefs. But that may make me a miserable sumbich, and their lack of doubt may mean they're the happiest people on the planet. Now that's something to get truly unhappy about. From the Economist, via the Daily Dish:
[E]xtremists of both sides are happier than moderates. Some 35% of those who call themselves “extremely liberal” say they are very happy, against only 22% of ordinary liberals. For conservatives, the gap is smaller: 48% to 43%. Extremists are happy, Mr Brooks reckons, because they are certain they are right. Alas, this often leads them to conclude that the other side is not merely wrong, but evil. Some two-thirds of America's far left and half of the far right say they dislike not only the other side's ideas, but also the people who hold them.
Whats disturbing i think is how many people are happy at assuming they are 100% right, with the implication that hating the opposite opinion and the people who hold them still keeps them happy.
Ignorance, arrogance and prejudice are obviously happy inducing.
I'll just stick to the J.D on the rocks, and a few questions thanks.
Posted by: Bob | Thursday, April 03, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Actually, the happiest people are those who don't know or care a damned thing about politics.
Posted by: Linda | Friday, April 04, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Actually, the happiest people are those who don't know or care a damned thing about politics.
Posted by: Linda | Friday, April 04, 2008 at 11:48 AM
If they're wrong about being right, how do we know they're not also wrong about being happy? People who are sure they're right cannot be self-reflective, and if you're not self-reflective how can you possibly know if you're happy?
I've come across quite a few of these types myself, and I've yet to meet one that seemed happy. How happy can you be when you're in a minority that is right and everyone else is wrong? In fact, these people seem to spend an inordinate amount of time either complaining or trying to force other people to be "right." That's happy?
Posted by: Hermes Ten | Friday, April 04, 2008 at 07:00 PM
"the believer is happy, but the doubter is wise"-Unknown
Posted by: George Arndt | Friday, April 04, 2008 at 07:57 PM