Party politics? Try political partying

For many people, maintaining happiness is a constant struggle. There are people who go through… For many people, maintaining happiness is a constant struggle. There are people who go through life with many different worries. Like, how am I going to pay for my children to go to college? When will these gas prices get lower? Can the economy get any worse? How am I going to get a job? Many people make themselves miserable worrying about these things.

Except for conservatives.

In a provocative new study, researchers from New York University have found evidence that supports a 2006 PEW Research Center survey. The survey showed that 47 percent of conservative Republicans describe themselves as “very happy” while only 28 percent of liberal Democrats describe themselves similarly.

An article from LiveScience finally cites the all-important reasons why conservatives are so happy. They scored highest on measures of rationalization. They were best able to “explain away” inequalities in our country. Liberals tended to be “frustrated and disheartened” by gaps in economic status. The study was unable to determine whether or not Libertarians have emotions. That last line, by the way, was a joke.

Conservatives who are reading have probably already written off the study as “biased.” After all, it was done at “a college” in “a city.” We all know what kind of stuff goes on there. Liberals who are reading might be smiling at these results. The proof of their unhappiness is perhaps making them happier. As an admitted liberal, I snickered about the results of this study. At first.

Then I actually thought about it. What does this have to say about us on both sides? Is it really the case that half of the country is out of touch and happy? That the other half is depressed over the struggles of mankind? Maybe it’s the case that studies like this one help only to further divide our already split nation.

We’ve all been affected by this. At the Karl Rove event at Pitt earlier this year, I looked around the room to figure out where the College Democrats were and where the College Republicans were. A group of white young men wearing suits and American flag lapel pins sat in the front of the room. I quickly identified them as the Republicans. And patriots. I knew that because of the lapel pins.

A group of students near the back of the room sporting Obama stickers as if Rove was Barack’s presidential competition were easily identified as the Democrats. They weren’t wearing lapel pins, so I can only assume they were also members of Hamas.

By now conservatives and liberals know where the other side stands on the issues. What conservatives and liberals do not need to know is who is statistically more miserable or more ignorant. I don’t care what the survey says. I know plenty of miserable Republicans. So lets get together and celebrate our differences.

What we need is