"Happy people are never wicked."

[raccoon]

A Dutch proverb. You think about it. IME, it's true. When people are acting like assholes, they are usually unhappy people.

There are exceptions. They're called sociopaths.

[Patiod]

1. I've noticed the same thing

I was on the board of a theater company, and the one person who made all the trouble was just miserable and bored. Those of us with full lives just wanted to conduct business and move on.

I used to know a woman who never said anything mean about anyone. If you brought up the name of some troublesome person, the nastiest thing she would say was "he's a....very unhappy person". Interestingly enough, it was usually true - the Big Pain in the Ass was usually just really unhappy.

[pitohui]

2. yes but not very useful

most people are unhappy people, leading those famous lives of quiet desperation, after all, and yet they manage not to be psychotic @#$$@#s about it

and, as you say, sociopaths are often very happy when they're causing trouble, you can see the light come on in their eyes when they're stirring the shit