Can't Resist

Pew does a regular poll comparing reported happiness to political party. Consistently, Republicans have polled as being happier than Democrats. This is so even when controlling for wealth.

Why?

Allow me to speculate. First, Republicans* tend to see the world in black/white terms. This simplifies life a great deal in that all life situations are view simplistically as either good/bad. Thus all the world's ills can be easily and comfortably categorized accordingly, judged, with solutions at the ready. It's not until they, personally, are faced with a non-manichaen situation that their world get disturbed. Fortunately for them, most of the time they're not in that state and therefore "happy". And even when disturbed, it requires cataclysm to change ideology rather than just a temporary shift .... which is human nature.

I think it may also have to do with denial. Republicans seem to notoriously be able to accept ideology without scrutiny. Thus the ideals that base their dualistic view of the world are easily consumed, integrated and spewed forth without the need to explore, verify or validate. Again, it's not until a personal crisis intrudes that they can be challenged.

This all leads to the famous saying, "a liberal is a conservative who's been to jail". As long as ordinary life bumps along, the oblivion of blind obedience to ideology and ignorance of a world around them makes for a peaceful, almost blissful, existence.

Democrats and liberals on the other hand, by definition of progressivism, are uncomfortable. They are distressed by the world's ills and injustices, even when it doesn't affect them personally (but especially if they're living it). Liberals want change, with the motivating factor being unrest. So of course there's a degree of unhappiness that is always involved as a stimulative force. Note, the poll question doesn't discuss fulfillment but rather happiness. Who would want to maintain the status quo when you think it sucks?

*Of course I'm stereotyping. I realize it doesn't apply to "all" Republicans. But then a poll by definition is an attempt to stereotype.