A new report from Gallup shows how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected our attitudes and mental health. Fortunately, things are now looking up. “The pandemic has taken an emotional toll on the public, as self-reported worry soared during the first month of restrictions put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19,” read the article. “In recent weeks, however, Americans have experienced less negative emotions and have reported an increase in happiness.”
Here’s the interesting part. It appears Democrats “report less happiness and more worry and loneliness than do Republicans,” and married people “are happier, worry less, and are less lonely than those who are single and divorced.”
At least to me, this isn’t the least bit surprising. In my experience, married people and conservatives have a much more positive attitude about life and love than do single people and Democrats. In fact, if you’re married and you’re conservative, you may have hit the happiness jackpot.
Having a positive attitude sounds Pollyanna, but don’t underestimate its power. When it comes to marriage, research shows that those who view marriage through a positive and realistic lens fare much better than those who harbor an overly romantic or negative view of love.
For instance, in a 2010 interview with Barbara Walters, the actress Sandra Bullock said, “I always had this feeling that if you got married, it was like the end of who you were.” And in the January 2019 issue of Elle, the twice-divorced Jennifer Aniston said about marriage, “I’m sure, because I was from a divorced-parent home, that was another reason I wasn’t like, ‘Well, that looks like a great institution.’”
There’s just no way to be successful in love when you view marriage in such a fatalistic way. Bestselling author Les Parrott explains in this podcast that the most important trait of happily married couples is the way they think: “Basically, it comes down to you and your attitude — and your partner’s as well.”
This same positive attitude toward love can also be applied to one’s life philosophy, which naturally bleeds into one’s politics. We have a choice to view the world in one of two ways: from a prism of abundance or from a prism of scarcity and oppression. Many modern Democrats (who should not be confused with old-school Democrats) are mired in the latter worldview. They have an increasingly bleak attitude toward life and love that undermines their happiness and well-being.
Far too many believe America is a racist and patriarchal country hellbent on keeping women and black people down. They see injustice everywhere, even where none exists. Rather than empower people to take charge of their lives, as Republicans typically do, Democrats undermine people’s ability to get ahead by insisting they’re oppressed and by embracing policies that undermine their ability to succeed.
Indeed, modern-day Democrats live in a constant state of negativity, forever feeling downtrodden or persecuted. So, when something huge happens, such as a pandemic, they begin the blame game. “It’s President Trump’s fault!”
Moreover, a growing share of Democrats are religiously unaffiliated. Thus, it stands to reason that a catastrophic event would cause them to worry more. They don’t believe there’s anyone or anything to brace the fall.
Are some Democrats and some singles happy? Of course. But as the Gallup numbers indicate, the differences between married Republicans and unmarried Democrats are striking. About 58% of Democrats report feeling worried, as compared to 38% of Republicans — and they’re also less happy. As for singles, they’re twice as likely as married people to be lonely.
So, it’s all very simple, if you ask me. If you want to be happy, get married and become a Republican.
Suzanne Venker (@SuzanneVenker) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She’s the author of five books and a relationship coach, as well as the host of The Suzanne Venker Show. Her website is www.suzannevenker.com.
