Asymmetric Music

I read with interest this report saying how people in high-tax countries are happier (just go with it).

On the other side, there's Mark Sanford:

I think it's safe to assume that mark Sanford probably wouldn't be happier paying 66% of his income so that the government can tell him which doctor to see.

It's my position that people can tolerate almost any government or political system. I'm sure yesterday's serfs were probably happier than many Beverly Hills liberals were under George Bush. Friedrich Engels, noticing this phenomenon, accused people who didn't care for his proposals as having a "false consciousness," or of not being as unhappy as they should be. Conservatives like Mark Levin call people who aren't mad at Obama, "drones."

Anyways, left and right have different views on happiness. To the liberal, happiness is not worrying about stuff. Government's got your back. Thus non-preoccupied with feeding oneself or taking care of one's own children or parents, the person is free to visit museums, take as many classes as they feel like for no other reason than to fulfill oneself, have sex, play video games, and go on vacations. There's little guilt because everybody else can do this.

A song that expresses this view is Evelyn Knight's "Lucky Lucky Lucky Me." She works the government-limited eight hours. No doubt heeding the advice given in an intense public service announcement campaign, she sleeps eight hours. And, she has eight hours left for the above activities. She doesn't have "a dime" because of taxes or the approach to life implied in the liberal version of happiness, but she's got the basics covered and the peace of mind that no matter how little she tries, she'll never lose them. Song above.

The Best of Evelyn Knight by Evelyn Knight and the Stardusters

On the other hand, if the conservative never sees a government official in his life, he would have done well. Being in danger of starving is half the fun. The other half is enjoying his just rewards. He dislikes when the lady with eight kids and no husband pulls out her wad of food stamps. This point of view is musically represented by Cole Porter's "Don't Fence Me In," here sung by Bing Crosby.

Gold by Charles Kenny & Nick Kenny