Atheism and Sadness

[mralstoner]

Are atheists generally sad, unhappy people, as opposed to Christians (true and otherwise) and other believers?

People are (a) not that great at predicting their future happiness and (b) far more adaptable than you think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dnsimet3X_c

And vocal atheists on forums are not representative of majority of atheists who aren't particularly grumpy or angry, they just get on with life much the same as everyone else. 

For me, I'm far more happier as an atheist for one major reason: I don't have the mental burden of trying to maintain, in my head, an imaginary relationship with an obscure god.

However, there is one dimension of atheism/humanism, that a lot of atheists struggle with. And that's (a) the loss of community and (b) the anomie/normlessness that comes with atheism.

So, there's pros and cons of being an atheist. Perhaps we can say that atheists who are strongly individualistic are happy, whereas atheists who need a structure/community might be unhappy.

I don't think the loss of an after-life, or heaven, has much effect on atheists at all.