Monday, February 22, 2010

Blacks most moved by beauty of life

MIDUS Study respondents were asked the following question: "On a daily basis, how often do you experience the following: A feeling of being deeply moved by the beauty of life." Here are the percentages who answered "often" by race/ethnicity:

Percent

Blacks 49.0
Hispanics 43.2
Polish 42.3
Amerindian 40.0
Scottish 37.1
English 38.4
Irish 35.3*
Norwegian 33.8
German 33.0*
Jewish 30.2*
Italian 29.9*
French 26.7*

* significantly lower than blacks at the 95% confidence level

Blacks are significantly more likely than several European groups to have this type of experience often. I'm reminded of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" (although he didn't write the song). This is consistent with the higher level of religiosity reported by blacks.  

4 comments:

  1. Wow, French and Italian at the bottom. Maybe that is why they were motivated to create so many beautiful things.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8:47 AM

    I wonder if blacks are so moved in Africa.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous8:55 PM

    "If I could only live at the pitch that is near madness
    When everything is as it was in my childhood
    Violent, vivid, and of infinite possibility:
    That the sun and the moon broke over my head."

    -Richard Eberhart


    This seems perhaps relevant.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've also noticed that mental retards always have a smile on their face.

    ReplyDelete

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