These differences in threat perception help explain the differing views as to role of government—providing for people (the leftist view; social services, education, etc.) or protecting people (the rightist view; law and order, the military, etc.).* Fear, anxiety, the terror of mortality—it must be a drag being right-wing. But despite that, in a multinational study, rightists were happier than leftists.42 Why? Perhaps it’s having simpler answers, unburdened by motivated correction. Or, as favored by the authors, because system justification allows conservatives to rationalize and be less
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