Friday, February 24, 2006

Happiness Is... Two Kinds of Icecream? No, Being Conservative Silly!

George Will reports about why conservative, southern, sunshine state people are happy and thus? more conservative. Even if you disagree with his sociological analysis, his interpretation is funny--and laughing makes me happy.

But, then, conscientious liberals cannot enjoy automobiles because there is global warming to worry about, and the perils of corporate-driven consumerism, which is the handmaiden of bourgeoisie materialism. And high-powered cars (how many liberals drive Corvettes?) are metaphors (for America's reckless foreign policy, for machismo rampant, etc.). And then there is — was — all that rustic beauty paved over for highways. (And for those giant parking lots at exurban mega-churches. The less said about them the better.) And automobiles discourage the egalitarian enjoyment of mass transit. And automobiles, by facilitating suburban sprawl, deny sprawl's victims — that word must make an appearance in liberal laments; and lament is what liberals do — the uplifting communitarian experience of high-density living. And automobiles . . .


You see? Liberalism is a complicated and exacting, not to say grim and scolding, creed. And not one conducive to happiness.

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