I have a question I'd like to ask; and before accusations start flying, no I'm not trying to start a flame war, I'm just tying to understand something.

I've known quite a few people who claimed to be atheists, along with seeing quite a few in debates on various political talk shows. Now almost all of those I've known and seen interviews have been some of the most staggeringly unhappy people I've ever seen. It was like there was no life to them; more like they were just surviving day to day.

Now my question is this; why? I honestly can't understand waking up each day feeling miserable and being meanspirited toward pracitcly everyone. I'm just curious as to the reasons is all.

Speaking from personal experience I know what it feels like to stay bitter about everything and I know what its like to wake up each day and be happy I'm on the right side of the dirt. So why would people choose to live each day being so unhappy?