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Feb 232006
 

George Will wonders why conservatives are happier than liberals and predictably comes up with reasons that conservatism causes happiness.

Well, George, you’ve got to understand the correlative fallacy here. Maybe it’s not that being conservative makes one happy but rather that being happy (read: complacent) makes one interested in preserving the status quo and keeping one’s own circumstances as wonderful as possible (at the expense of the people whose own circumstances may not make them so happy).

I’m not saying that’s true, I’m just saying that, you know, let’s not jump to self-congragulatory conclusions just yet.

My favorite part is definitely this impressive bit of compressed contradiction:

Such puzzles show why social science is not for amateurs. Still, one cannot — yet — be prosecuted for committing theory without a license, so consider a few explanations of the happiness gap.

Also, going hunting is not for amateurs. Still, one cannot — yet — be prosecuted for hunting without a license. Apparently.

 Posted by JHW at 11:16 am
  • http://fastcentury.blogspot.com N8

    Jake, like Belle and Sebastian’s legal man you’ve proven you’re no lie with that razor-sharp insight, which you cleverly let last for just a moment. But you undermine your analysis when you take a cheap shot at Will’s bombastic prose and the Vice-President. Moreover, Cheney did have a license, just not a specific $7 stamp that was only recently mandated. Add in that he didn’t get special treatment since everyone’s getting warnings for their first offense apparently and that it was his staff fucked up not him, and aside from preaching to the choir, you’re just limiting who your argument could have an impact on. Cute, but your client is fighting for her life in a federal death penalty trial and you’re eyefucking juror #8 in your closing statement.

    Get out of the office and into the sunshine.

  • http://www.en-dash.com Jake

    Perhaps you’re right that that was an unnecessary cheap shot.

  • http://fastcentury.blogspot.com N8

    Juror #8 is hot, Jake. I don’t blame you. But you might have crossed a line.

  • http://laustintexas.blogspot.com Fletch

    In fairness, I started to compose an email to Mr. Will asking him how exactly a man of his intelligence could make such such a clearly preposterous arguement. Setting up strawmen is easy enough, so let’s try this one: it is easy to be happy when you are devoid of compassion for the plight of others.

  • http://givemesomequeso.blogspot.com Lauren

    Dumb people are happier than smart people too.

    Also, Will took a cheap shot, thus rendering the Cheney joke fair game!

  • http://sethyblog.blogspot.com Pooh

    Being in charge is more fun then not. Somehow I feel that has some bearing on this topic. Also, bow ties cut off circulation to the brain, rendering cogent thought much more difficult.

    N8, that’s a cheap shot.

  • http://fastcentury.blogspot.com N8

    God, where are my sycophants?

  • http://laustintexas.blogspot.com Fletch

    Maybe on yooouuur blog…

  • http://fastcentury.blogspot.com N8

    Hey, Fletch. Go fuck yourself.

  • http://www.en-dash.com Jake

    If you guys are going to malign each other, at least spread it around to other posts as well. That makes me look more popular.

  • http://sethyblog.blogspot.com Pooh

    I don’t know N8, but he sounds like he needs a hug, most likely a sycophantic one.

   
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