If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve likely seen a post about positivity, vanity, happiness, or even laziness. The fact of the matter is that humans have such features, and if you weren’t on social media, you’d still see such virtues or iniquities. Not surprisingly, our sinful behaviors can have a staggering effect on a population in general. But what you may be surprised to find out is that the vices or harmful behavior, although it may seem minimal, can have a detrimental economic effect, costing billions of dollars per year in social and even medical care.
Consider the fact that gambling problems result in a tremendous strain economically and socially, or that smoking, although it results in huge tax dollars for the coffers, has also cost billions per year in health care. Where there is sinful behavior, there’s a component that requires the sustainability of it. Sometimes that cost is too great to bear. While public acceptance of certain behaviors is on the rise (such as the celebrations that ensue with Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day on the horizon), WalletHub has released a report on 2019’s Most Sinful States, revealing where America’s moral compass could use some tinkering.
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An accompanying video was released with the WalletHub study. It outlines what U.S. states could support a little more ethical enlightenment, which could offset the economic cost of their behaviors. The company compared all 50 states based on what they categorized as seven sinful behaviors. These included excesses and vices, anger and hatred, laziness, jealousy, greed, lust, and vanity. How did Texas fare in the study of what’s considered sinful behavior? Some of the results might surprise you (depending on which part of the Lone Star State you reside in and who you tend to surround yourself with). Our fair state ranked first for lust. Is that surprising? You can be the judge. Although you might question how this places a strain on our economy, consider the results of a broken marriage as a result of infidelity. Counseling for children or either spouse, legal costs for a battle that could be lengthy and hurtful, and health care costs for those who feel the brunt of the guilt, the depression, or the anxiety—it all adds up. And it all results from one’s behavior.
Texas also ranked seventh in vanity (which can lead to economic strain on so many levels), eighth in jealousy, and 16th in laziness (which affects our social and economic behavior as well as those of our children and grandchildren in the long term). Thankfully, we didn’t rank high for anger and hatred, coming in at 27th.
