Is the pursuit of happiness making American progressives unhappy?
It’s no surprise that America has fallen in the global happiness rankings. According to Gallup, America dropped out of the top 20 for the first time since 2012, falling from 15th place to 23rd in just one year. (Annoyingly, Finland came out on top for the seventh straight year.)
Despite their strong economy and technology, Americans are increasingly anxious about the future and uneasy about foundational institutions. However, not all Americans are equally unhappy. Studies show that certain groups tend to lag behind others in the pursuit of happiness: bankers are sadder than lumberjacks, the unmarried sadder than the married, and teenage girls sadder than teenage boys.
One long-standing distinction is that liberals are generally sadder than conservatives. This is a global phenomenon, but it is particularly pronounced in America. Regardless of age or sex, liberals are also more likely than conservatives to report being diagnosed with a mental illness.
2024-04-04 07:48:30
Link from www.economist.com