Whats Wrong with being happy

I had to read deeper when I saw a headline on the www.canada.com website that read:

Canadians too "hedonistic" to change politics overnight.

First I had check on the meaning of hedonistic which I always understood to be a positive term meaning being happy. I was right, the online Merriam Webster dictionary says its "having a goal to find happiness." Once again I am confused, because usually the news focusses upon unhappiness or controversy as headline grabbers. Would I be right in jumping to the conclusion that pursuing happiness is a negative thing, because thats how I read it.

Apparently Paul Weyrich did an essay for the Free Congress Foundation, a US based think tank. He is of the opinion that its going to take some time under a Conservative government for us to turn from our public ethic of hedonism. He goes on to say, "but with leadership it well might be possible to change the public ethic". Now maybe I'm way off base here, but I don't think that even in the darkest corner of Stephen Harpers political policy ambitions there is a thought that it would be a good thing to actively seek to have Canadians to want to be unhappy.

I wonder if he will have a comment if he discovers that one of the goals I have in life is to not be hit by a car. I am pretty sure it would hurt and the long term effects could be "terminal". Would he write

"Jim Kinnee enjoys life to much to seek death by being hit by a motor vehicle."

And you know what, no matter how long or persuave an argument someone makes about the benefits of being "run over", I'm not going to change. But maybe I will, Weyrich goes on to state that the solution to this happy, want to live thinking can be overcome by appointing more small c- conservatives to the courts.

I must be dull, I just don't get it