https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/06/opinion/leftists-happy-coates-haidt.html
("Can the Left Be Happy?")
You are correct Mr. Douthat. The "left" as you would refer to us (as a slight, a derogatory term) are unhappy. But it is not with life itself that we take exception. Rather it is with those who do not treat life with the respect it deserves.
Those who treat climate concerns as a joke, who treat immigrants as lesser beings, who believe gun violence is the price of some ludicrous definition of freedom, who find Donald Trump to be their savior. Those who have lost their moral compass, who sense no evil in the lies, the anger, the hatred disseminated by the ones they hold in the highest regard.
So, Mr. Douthat, pardon me for not burying my brain in the sand, not finding a $59.99 Bible as the answer to our ills. I am indeed saddened that my eyes have been opened to all the ugliness that pervades our society.
But those like me on the left are not unhappy with existence. We are only gravely disappointed in the right who we believe to be so often terribly wrong.
Your response is excellent and so well presented. I might add, having read about the horrors and atrocities that Tony Judt's book deals with ("Post War--a history of Europe since 1945"(, my response to Mr. Douthat would be that much of the horrific postwar atrocitiesdescribed in the book were committed by Russian troops, and sanctioned by Stalin, (the raping of thousands of German women, and the execution of civilians.) The Russians of today have returned to that same playbook of terror, employing those gruesome tactics within Ukraine, again raping of thousands of women, and the execution of civilians. Putin's opponents, whether they are in Great Britain or within Russia, are assassinated by poison or bullets. It is Mr. Douthat's own Republican party that is supporting these horrific events. His trite title "Can the Left be happy" should really be "Can the Right really care about humanity?". How can his taunting and disrespectful words pass muster to get even printed in the New York Times? His party has blood on its hands. --RE
Thank you! Well stated clear response.
Mr. D has an axe to grind and makes inane conclusions.
Any young or old person with awareness and empathy regardless of politics would be concerned with current climate events and geopolitic happenings.