Conservatives are happier

In our last episode, we learned from Arthur Brooks that (much to his surprise as a self-described liberal sociologist) conservatives are more generous than liberals.

Now, in the next installment of the results of his research, Gross National Happiness, we learn that (again to the author's surprise) conservatives are happier than liberals, too. Across the board and regardless of what political party is in power. (So we will apparently still be happier than liberals are, even if their guy or gal gets elected this fall.)

The main predictors of happiness were marital status and religious activity -- Brooks found that married people who go to church are just on average happier people. What doesn't buy happiness, as your mother taught you, is money. Which doesn't help liberals, either, according to the author, since liberals these days tend to be better off financially than conservatives. (They're now country club Democrats, apparently.)

In the NRO audio interview with the author, the question was asked what he could possibly do for an encore -- publish findings that show that conservatives are more beautiful than liberals?

Unfortunately, he said the evidence probably wouldn't bear that one out, but as a consolation he did note that happy and generous people tend to be more attractive, even if they aren't more beautiful...