Why are secular liberals so unhappy? This question is provocatively discussed in Arthur Brooks' new book Gross National Happiness. Brooks is a sociologist and statistician at Syracuse University. I am reading his book while vacationing with my lovely wife on the beautiful island of Santorini. So it's natural for me, watching the most beautiful sunsets in the world, martini in hand, to think about the question of happiness.
Brooks' book is full of interesting data. We learn, for instance, that money does buy happiness, but only upto a point. Poor people and poor countries are unhappy, and by the self-description of the people involved. So the movement from grinding poverty to the comfortable middle-class brings a huge gain in happiness. But interestingly economic improvement at this point brings diminishing marginal returns. This is not to say that rich people aren't happier: they are. But not by very much.
Brooks also shows that, in his own words, "people who say they are conservative or very conservative are nearly twice as likely to say they are very happy than are people who call themselves liberal or very liberal. Conservatives are much less likely to say they are dissatisfied with themselves, that they are inclined to feel like a failure, or to be pessimistic about their future." Conservatives' mental health is far better than that of liberals.
Equally fascinating, Brooks notes that "faith is an incredible predictor, and cause, of happiness. Religious people of all faiths are much, much happier on average than secularists." Specifically, 43 percent of those who attend church weekly or more call themselves "very happy," versus 23 percent who attend seldom or never. Observant Jews and Christians are by Brooks' measure the happiest people in America.
So why are secular liberals in general so miserable? I offer two reasons. The first is that liberals are political utopians. They consider human nature to be wonderful, and they expect freedom to be used wonderfully well. So they are always bitterly disappointed when they discover that this is not the case. Conservatives, by contrast, have a dimmer view of human nature. So their expectations are more modest. When things don't turn out half-badly, conservatives are pleasantly surprised. They are happier because it takes less to make them happier.
It's not too hard to figure out why religious people are happier. Belief in God gives people a powerful sense of higher purpose in life. It assures people that the universe is in the benign hands of a omnipotent, omniscient, and compassionate higher power. It offers people a code for how to live. It gives us a reason to hope in cosmic justice, which is better than the imperfect justice of our terrestrial world.
By contrast, secular people have little to hope for. They are sure that they came from nowhere--the chance product of random mutation and natural selection--and are going nowhere. They know that terrible things happen, and they don't believe there is any purpose in this. No wonder that secular people have so few children: they have much less reason than religious people to believe in the future.
So why is an atheist like Richard Dawkins so frequently wearing a conspitated scowl? And why am I usually smiling? Some may attribute these differences to our genetic temperaments. Others may put it down to the fact that I live in sunny California, eating healthy nouvelle cuisine and going on walking tours in Santorini. Dawkins, by contrast, lives in dank, rainy England and eats abominable English food. ("May I offer you some more kidney pie, Professor Dawkins? It's somewhat bland, I know, but perhaps it will work as a laxative.")
But Arthur Brooks would probably say that our temperaments are also the consequences of two very different worldviews, one producing the wholesome optimism of What's So Great About Christianity, the other the angry bitterness of The God Delusion. Read Brooks' new book yourself to see if he's right.
Reader Comments ( Page 4 of 42)
46. WDMC (almost sounds like a rap outfit) was a great movie! It also demonstrates the cosmic injustice of the crude Heaven/Hell system.
Mokele Mbembe at 2:31PM on May 23rd 2008
47. Somber,
You reminded me of something from Huck Finn:
"Now she had got a start, and she went on
and told me all about the good place. She
said all a body would have to do there was
to go around all day long with a harp and
sing, forever and ever. So I didn't think
much of it."
Mokele Mbembe at 2:34PM on May 23rd 2008
48. Mr. D'Souza,
Why is the overwhelming majority of the U.S. prison population Christian? Why is it that the prison population consists of approximately 70 to 80 percent Christians of one denomination or other? Why are U.S. prisons not bursting to capacity with evil, genocide-mad, miserable atheists and agnostics? Why don't we hear daily about roving bands of atheists wreaking havoc in our cities and towns committing murder, rape, robbery, and genocide? What is it about atheists and agnostics that keep them the smallest minority of all in the U.S. prison population. I mean, if they are miserable, hopeless, amoral, valueless, and feel that there are no consequences for anything then shouldn't atheists, above all others, have a much, much higher propensity for criminal activity of all kinds?
Please esplain,in your straw-man like way, why atheists and agnostics do not comprise the vast majority of the U.S. prison population?
Frank at 2:49PM on May 23rd 2008
49. Bummer, and when I got up this morning I was the under the impression that I had a wonderful and fulfilling life surrounded by people I adore doing work that I believe in. Apparently I was mistaken. I'm glad Mr D'Souza was there to set me strait. His entry today must set a new low.
Well, I must be off - I am going to start writing a series of books based upon circular logic and fabrication in the hope that I might one day be able to afford great trips too!
Steve at 2:57PM on May 23rd 2008
50. Because most religions offer messages of redemption (islam) or absolution (christianity) for past mistakes. When you are in prison, the system might never allow you a chance to atone for your mistakes. But by adopting religion you have a chance to improve yourself while still being a convict. Of course it can be skewed for messages of hate or superiority, such as the Aryan brotherhood believing that white people are the chosen people of God. Like most things, religion is double edge and so very very sharp.
BTW Moloke... I love Twain's quote: "You go to Heaven for the scenery and Hell for the company."
Somber at 2:58PM on May 23rd 2008
51. Frank,
Like, um, maybe they all kill themselves instead and that is why their numbers are low.
Mokele Mbembe at 2:59PM on May 23rd 2008
52. hey somber, don't you think it is ignorance when someone chooses to believe in fanstasy over reality? you say that christians are no more ignorant than athiests, but ignorant of what? of facts? reality? proven truths? when someone chooses to believe in fairy tales, i consider them ignorant people, and this is where bliss arrives from ignoring reality (as harsh as it may be at times) and choosing to believe in bible stories.
jeff at 2:59PM on May 23rd 2008
53. "the wholesome optimism of What's So Great About Christianity, the other the angry bitterness of The God Delusion. "
I've read both, and WSGAC is far, faaaaar, more bitter. Clearly D'Souza can't let go of the idea that others don't believe in his superstitions.
mikespenard at 3:43PM on May 23rd 2008
54. Once again I have someone who doesn't even know me telling me how miserable I am. Stop trying to convince me how bad off I am. I am perfectly content with the way my life is and feel no need for religious mumbo-jumbo.
In answer to a point brought up earlier, momey given to maintain a church or to proselitize or to stamp out abortion doesn't count as charity. Giving money for the purpose of advancing a political cause is not charity. Try giving to shelters or to aid in indigent patients. That's a better way to spend your money.
B at 3:03PM on May 23rd 2008
55. jeff, are we as people or individuals more intelligent than our ancestors of 8000 years ago?
JefFlyingV at 3:05PM on May 23rd 2008
56. All you Christians out there just remember that atheists are a necessary evil. Every single time we have our doubts about our faith, here they are to show us the ugly alternative and make us laugh with their foolishness. Chill out and let them serve their purpose.
Eric at 11:06PM on May 23rd 2008
57. Jef,
That's like the Astronaut vs Caveman debate.
Mokele Mbembe at 3:10PM on May 23rd 2008
58. i believe both as individuals and as a people, we are vastly more intelligent than our ancestors from 8000 years ago. your point?
jeff at 3:12PM on May 23rd 2008
59.
People, people, people. Consider the source. Arthur Brooks is a part of the neo-con, far right American Enterprise Institute.
You don't think that DD would get his information from an unbiased source, do you?
I heard about this book on NPR. This is the same guy that "reported" that conservatives are more giving than liberals.
He says in the book that conservatives are happier because they see things in black and white, and liberals are unhappier because they see things as nuanced, or shades of grey.
In essence, simple-mindedness leads to happiness.
Believing in fantasy and supernatural leads to happiness.
Having money leads to happiness.
HAH!
If DD used unbiased sources, or didn't cherry pick his information, he would have a lot more credibility. He is obviously incapable of this.
What a crock of steaming, stinky shit.
Happy holiday everyone.
I, for one, am a very "happy" person.
Linda at 3:13PM on May 23rd 2008
60. The point is jeff, we may be more sophisticated in knowledge, not necessarily more intelligent.
JefFlyingV at 3:18PM on May 23rd 2008