If you know any, do you find Mormons to be different or happier than non-Mormons?

I lived in Salt Lake City for awhile, and worked in an office where there were only a couple of non-Mormons.

I agree with your observations, and my sense is that this is the result of a very strong community/family structure. Mormons learn from day one how to take their proper place in social units. It’s not for nothing that the beehive is a favorite symbol.

I would add, though, that individuals who can’t reconcile themselves to that way of life get marginalized, expelled or self-select out. That necessarily leaves a population of people who can be somewhat happy with such a culture.

It may not be the best of examples, but the only lifelong Mormon I know is my mother-in-law, who was raised in a Mormon household.

Abusive family, too many kids, her grandfather molested all of them. But they didn’t drink alcohol or coffee, dadnabbit.

She never really recovered from her childhood, and sadly all of it really came back with a vengeance after her aneurysm and subsequent brain surgery.

^^^^ Sad. I was getting ready to post that the Mormon influence the OP wrote about was a good thing, and something we, as a society, have lost. Everyone had the same expectations of the children, stuck together, and probably chastised each others kids. That isn’t allowed any more. When I was growing up, the neighbors would holler at me if I was doing something I shouldn’t, and my mom, if she learned about it, would back them up. Today, though, the mothers might go to the neighbors and start a fight over it.
But…on the other hand, there is the potential for abuse, which @Seek_Kolinahr, pointed out. Everyone stuck together. That isn’t always good.
I grew up in the 60’s. One day, when I was about 5 years old I was visiting my best friend next door. She wanted to color on the stoop (a concrete front porch, sort of.) I told her that wasn’t a good idea, but she did it any way. I just watched. Her mom caught “us” and we both got spanked by her! I ran home crying, just outraged, because I got spanked even though I wasn’t doing anything wrong! I brought this old memory up to my mom about 10 years ago. She said “Oh! She came and apologized to me!” I got mad all over again! I said, “She needed to apologize to ME, not YOU!”
I wouldn’t have remembered it if I’d deserved the spanking.

I grew up in Las Vegas where there is a large Mormon population. My best friend of 34 years is Mormon. We met in the 2nd grade and we lived just a few houses from each other for 9 years. I always envied her family. They did many things together as a family and always had so much fun. They were kind and helped anyone who needed help. They treated me like part of their family. I have nothing but good things to say about all of the Mormons I got to know.

When I was little, and living in the UK, Mormons entered our town with a vengeance. All I recall is that they had huge white shiny teeth and nice smiles loll.

I didn’t think Mormons did vengeance things! LOL!

I’ve only met a few, the ones who come to my door, and they seem very nice.

So….I guess I need to become a mormon…lol.

For me, the ones who came to our door were very nice, humorous, well groomed and well mannered. Until one of them brought his Bishop with him to show me a video. When they left he threatened me with Hell. I was shocked and hurt and never felt the same about the church after that. He never returned and he was replaced with a new companion. After one visit we moved into our new house in the country and they never found me again.

Oh my, I think they are just like others, some total jerks and some very nice people. I used to play tennis with a family. I would often make the 4th when mom, pop and son played. Son was so polite and quiet then but I also played him in singles when parents were not around, he had a filthy mouth and was quite the extrovert, typical kid I thought. The thing that most stands out in my mind is that one day I was playing with mom mormon as my partner. It was a social game and there was much chatter at changeovers. One woman spoke of a friend who had a son who had just come out. The mormon mom said she would rather have her son dead than that. I don’t know what the church stand is on homosexuality, but I thought it was unbelievable that a mother would say that about her own son. My best thought about them is that when I was in college in DC Hot Shops were owned by the same mormon guy who owned Marriott motels, that is JW Marriott. Anyhow if you were hungry or broke you could go into any Hot Shop, claim to be a down and out Mormon and they would feed you for free!. There was a huge number of convenient mormon converts running around DC in those days!

Mittens Romney – not so happy. Donny Osmond – happy. It’s a tie.

Being brainwashed normally does result in perceived happiness. I’m sure they enjoy their blissful ignorance quite a bit.