Democrats and Republicans have two very different visions of America.
Which one will make us happier? Who are the happiest Americans
Surveys show that religious people think they are happier than
secularists, and secularists think they are happier than religious
people. Liberals believe they are happier than conservatives, and
conservatives disagree. In fact, almost every group thinks it is happier
than everyone else.
In this provocative new book, Arthur C. Brooks explodes the myths about
happiness in America. As he did in the controversial Who Really Cares:
The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism, Brooks examines
vast amounts of evidence and empirical research to uncover the truth
about who is happy in America, who is not, and--most important--why. He
finds that there is a real "happiness gap" in America today, and it lies
disconcertingly close to America's cultural and political fault lines.
The great divide between the happy and the unhappy in America, Brooks
shows, is largely due to differences in social and cultural values. The
values that bring happiness are faith, charity, hard work, optimism, and
individual liberty. Secularism, excessive reliance on the state to solve
problems, and an addiction to security all promote unhappiness.
What can be done to maximize America's happiness? Replete with the
unconventional wisdom for which Brooks has come to be known, Gross
National Happiness offers surprising and illuminating conclusions about
how our government can best facilitate Americans in their pursuit of
happiness.
