# Choice: a happy jerk or an unhappy saint
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [January 20, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182 "2009-01-20T19:05:28Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@sovtawen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sovtawen)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/1 "2009-01-20T19:05:28Z")
Let’s say you can chose to become one of the following two people:
1. A total asshole who is hated by most people, who is mostly happy and satisfied with life. Let’s assume you aren’t a complete loner and can maintain the minimum number of personal ties to keep from feeling isolated. Also, you’re not an evil psychopath who intentionally causes pain – just an extremely annoying, rude, and selfish jerk. When you die, most people will be secretly glad.
2. A kind and considerate person who is liked by most people, but is mostly unhappy and dissatisfied with life. People admire you and constantly turn to you for advice and encouragement. You have many friends and you will be remembered fondly as a pillar of the community after your death.
Which do you choose?
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/2 "2009-01-20T19:16:28Z")
Once you strip all of the fluff off, the question basically becomes whether you would rather be happy or unhappy. I think the choice is obvious.
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/3 "2009-01-20T19:19:04Z")
This makes me think of [Kenny vs. Spenny](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_vs._spenny) . I can’t say who I’d rather be, but Kenny (the dick) is surely more fun to spend time with, at least for a short while.
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### Author:  [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/4 "2009-01-20T19:19:08Z")
There isn’t even really a choice.
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### Author:  [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/5 "2009-01-20T19:54:37Z")
It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied.
- John Stuart Mill
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### Author:  [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/6 "2009-01-20T20:02:58Z")
Well, I am a depressed jackass already, so I would go for happy there, thank you very much.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/7 "2009-01-20T20:13:45Z")
I’d rather be happy, hands down. I mean, I don’t try to spread pain and suffering in my currenty life, but that’s because I know that not doing so brings more dividends. If it’s a choice, well, it’s not even a choice really. I get only this one lifetime and I want it to be as happy as can be.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/8 "2009-01-20T20:22:56Z")
If I’m happy then I can assume that at least one person likes me. If I’m a nice guy then I’m probably a doormat. Since I’m a bit of a loner anyway, the first option appeals much more.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/9 "2009-01-20T20:25:36Z")
I’ve made do with the first choice for over 50 years. I’m not likely to change now.
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/10 "2009-01-20T20:29:15Z")
I’d rather rule in hell than serve in heaven.–Khan, quoting Milton.
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### Author:  [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/11 "2009-01-20T21:05:56Z")
I’m already something of a jerk and am okay with that.
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### Author:  [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/12 "2009-01-20T21:40:13Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#):
>
> Once you strip all of the fluff off, the question basically becomes whether you would rather be happy or unhappy.
This.
A significant part of choosing not to be a butthole is the distress that assholery can bring - guilt over how others get treated, sadness over being despised. Correspondingly, a significant part of choosing to be saintly is the joy it can bring.
The OP scenario dispenses with the distress and the joy, which leaves no reason to be a saint nor to not be an asshole.
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### Author:  [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/13 "2009-01-21T07:07:54Z")
I believe in a fair Afterlife, and life is short but eternity is long, so- the latter.
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### Author:  [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/14 "2009-01-21T08:16:29Z")
The happy jerk. Simply put, the jerk isn’t evil enough to force a choice against him, and the saint isn’t important enough to force a choice for him. It’s not like choosing between being a happy child molestor and between being the miserable guy who stops World War Three.
And given the choice between misery and happiness, like most people I prefer happiness.
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### Author:  [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/15 "2009-01-21T08:22:20Z")
I’d rather be the person who chooses which of the two to shoot. 😉
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### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/16 "2009-01-21T11:22:52Z")
Call me a cynic but doesn’t the OP pretty much describe life as it is now?
Happy for me thanks.
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### Author:  [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choice-a-happy-jerk-or-an-unhappy-saint/482182/17 "2009-01-21T14:59:30Z")
Why is the saint unhappy and dissatisfied with life? IME most kind and loving people with many good friends are…pretty happy. Even when they have terrible circumstances, they seem to deal with them better and more cheerfully than jerks.
I’m gonna go with the unhappy saint, therefore, since I’d rather be a kind and loving person, and I can decide to be happier with what I’ve got.