Another Study Finds That "Woke" People Are More Likely To Be Depressed
Recent psychological research in Finland revealed that "those who identified as left-wing were most likely to report lower mental well-being." Some leftists say the correlation is because non-leftists are blissfully ignorant of social problems, but others are questioning the tactics of the political movement.
Researchers developed an innovative assessment to explore individuals' commitment to "social justice principles," that seems to align with other findings regarding the mental health of individuals who identify as liberal, progressive, left-wing, or "woke." Their methods and findings were published by the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology.
The Finnish researchers set out to quantify the attitudes and beliefs that define one's stance on critical social justice issues. The team meticulously crafted a survey that probed into the depths of intersectional feminism, critical race theory, queer theory, and more, aiming to capture the essence of progressive thought. Their findings, based on a large and diverse sample of Finns, shed light on several "truisms" associated with woke individuals. These truisms touch on various topics, from income inequality and racial representation in academia to microaggressions and the understanding of race and privilege.
A Troubling Trend
The most notable and troubling correlation emerged between progressive beliefs and mental health. The data suggested that those who strongly align with certain woke principles, particularly regarding systemic racism and income inequality, reported significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression.
Notably, the study also uncovered a gender divide in attitudes towards woke ideas, with women being much more likely to view them positively, especially those in social sciences, education, and humanities. Conversely, STEM workers and men showed significantly more skepticism. Given the correlation between left-wing beliefs and depression, it's not surprising mental health continues to slide for European and American women, where "woke" ideas are most aggressively pushed through education and entertainment. Young liberal white women continue to be the most depressed and mentally ill demographic in the United States.
Why Does Being Woke Make People So Depressed?
Some defensive leftists suggest that negative results are inevitable because dealing with social justice issues requires more "emotional labor" and intellectual engagement that moderates and conservatives are unwilling to participate in. Essentially, they want to claim that they're the only people on the planet who have an accurate awareness of what's really wrong with society, which, ironically reveals one of the major causes of leftwing angst.
When you see yourself as somehow separate from the rest of humanity, either as a privileged oppressor or a marginalized victim, and then you project those same categories on everyone else based on various superficial identifiers (like skin color and income) you can't see the complex reality of human behavior. Liberals' belief that they possess a higher level of knowledge and compassion than their political opponents isolates them and fuels conflict, but it also creates either an inferiority or superiority complex depending on their circumstances and temperament. Projecting either an attitude of inferior victimhood or smug superiority onto yourself and others makes it hard to self-assess and build sustainable relationships, which are both crucial skills for anyone who wants to solve problems on a large scale.
And not only are "progressive" beliefs typically extremely negative and isolating in general, but there's also the fact that woke individuals and institutions almost always bombard people with those beliefs. Whether it's school, work, or entertainment, woke ideals have to constantly be pushed, otherwise people are told they're "ignoring" various issues or not doing enough to combat injustice.
It's worth considering why progressive politicians use the same extreme "oppressor vs. oppressed" rhetoric today that they did decades ago to describe the plight of women and minorities when (according to those same progressives) so much progress has been made thanks to their political party. It can't be both--either society has become more just, or it hasn't. The double-speak is the result of the fact that progressive political platforms always need more "victims" who can be rescued by expanding government powers (usually in the form of censorship or redistribution). Without these "victims," there is no progressive movement.
Closing Thoughts
The real question more people should be asking is whether the demand for so much emotional "labor" and "burdens" are justified, or if they're being pushed on vulnerable, well-meaning people to advance a powerful political agenda that actually has very little to do with justice.
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