Conservatives are happier than liberals – especially women.
Brad Wilcox, professor of sociology at the University of Virginia did a study on happiness and found that conservatives were much happier than liberals, especially women. More than twice as many conservative women claim to be completely satisfied with their lives compared to liberal women. Why? Among other things, because conservatives were much more likely to be married than liberals.
Feminism has sold women a bag of goods that happiness is to be found in pursuing careers over family and that family structures must be egalitarian. This will not produce happiness.
November 1, 2022 at 6:42 pm
Egalitarian is God’s intended, unaccommodating way for people to live.
Galatians 3:28
There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.
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November 2, 2022 at 1:52 pm
This isn’t a new study. The discrepancy has been known for many years now, and feminism (among other things) has been blamed for it just as long. I tried to follow the link you provided and search for the original poll, but came up with only an unsupported screenshot and no link to the original poll. It could be that because I’m in Germany and certain sites aren’t available to me, but I’m dubious the source is credible.
The only actual scientific study I’m aware of reveals it is likely honesty in self-reporting that is the reason for the discrepancy, not that there is actually any difference in liberal vs. conservative happiness levels: https://www.science.org/content/article/new-study-questions-trope-conservatives-are-happier-liberals.
From my own experience, though, quite a few women become liberal as a reaction to misogyny, laws controlling their bodies, and limited freedoms and opportunities for them in conservative families (especially if they’re religious). They can be bitter about the way they were treated and the rejection they often experience from their home life and communities. That’s also largely why LGBTQ youth have higher depression and suicide levels. Rejection can be extremely painful, especially when you’re rejected for who you just happen to be.
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November 3, 2022 at 1:17 pm
mizpeh1, Gal 3:28 cannot be appropriated for the debate about God’s structure for church and family. The context of that passage is clearly about justification. Paul’s point is simply that no one is preferred for salvation over another. All are equal at the foot of the cross. But the same Paul who said there is neither male nor female also clearly assigned roles for each sex in the church and family. While men and women are equal in worth, we are not equal in responsibility. There are different responsibilities and authority assigned to men and women in relational contexts.
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November 3, 2022 at 1:21 pm
Derek, there’s no question the study is credible. Wilcox is a famed researcher. And I’m not saying feminism is solely to blame, but there’s no question that it’s partly to blame.
And when I talk of feminism, I’m not talking about the “women should be able to vote” kind of feminism, but the radical feminism that says women are no different than men and should play exactly the same roles that men have traditionally played. That idea is false, and if lived out, will lead to unhappiness in many areas of life.
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November 5, 2022 at 2:29 pm
“Derek, there’s no question the study is credible. Wilcox is a famed researcher.”
But my point was that I couldn’t find ANY evidence that this study actually exists, only a handful of claims that it did. If it did take place, then there should be a link to it, right? Again, perhaps it’s because I’m in Germany that I can’t find it…but if someone in the US can’t even find it, then that would be ample reason not to accept it. After all, you wouldn’t want to believe in something that doesn’t exist, right? 😉
“And when I talk of feminism, I’m not talking about the “women should be able to vote” kind of feminism, but the radical feminism that says women are no different than men and should play exactly the same roles that men have traditionally played. That idea is false, and if lived out, will lead to unhappiness in many areas of life.”
For some, yes. But certainly not for others. I think you’ll find women will OVERWHELMINGLY take the right to choose their own destinies over having their options limited to mothering, shopping, cooking, cleaning, and being forced to live with an abusive husband because she doesn’t have any options to make a living herself. Because that sounds like exactly what you’re advocating for.
Babies are generally happier than adults, I would say, but would any of us choose to go back to living in playpens, others making all our decisions, constant supervision, diapers, no money, etc.? I doubt many would…because freedom and greater options are more important than just happiness to most people, wouldn’t you say?
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