Some libertarians are perpetually frustrated. But I think that most of us have more realistic expectations about how long it will take to make significant political progress, and are only pleased when things go well. When they go poorly; well, that’s what we expected.

And yes, we are more likely than the left and the right to be happy about the cool achievements of a dynamic semi-free society.

That sounds like a cry for help to me. I read it as “you don’t have a cadre of shiny-faced, glad-handing hacks reminding you of who really runs things.”

If I were a liberal, I’d be frustrated to distraction at the lack of gonads on the part of my party. And the unwillingness to fight dirty. If you’re not going to fight at least as dirty as the republicans (see, Swift Boat Dudes) then don’t bother showing up.

I think one reason that libertarians are happier is that a lot of us have been touched by Ayn Rand at one point or another, and her philosophy placed tremendous emphasis on the virtue of pursuing one’s own happiness. She also believed that if you went about it rationally, attaining happiness really was possible. Maybe we’ve succeeded?

I happened to be clicking through the channels last night when I came across a book party for their new book on C-Span’s “Booknotes”. At the answer and answer session, one guy expressed frustration at the “apathy” he felt at the lack of participation in the fall election. After politely pointing out that the turnout this year was unusually high, Nick Gillespie said:

“Maybe people aren’t that involved because they have lives. That’s how it should be. People shouldn’t be involved with politics all the time.”

This is consistent with a view that says maybe libertarians don’t expect to win. But it’s also consistent with a general attitude that sees society as something separate from, and more important than, government.

Maybe that’s why.