I don't think this is true? What about people who believe the future will be better, but view change in of self as risky and destabilizing? You can want to turn the ship, but be unwilling to capsize it, no?

> Otherwise, what are they conserving?

They're conserving the things they like as they are, while letting things they don't like change.

This is such a ridiculous strawman view - like saying progressives think all change is good.

Its a generalization. I don't mean to imply that every conservative feels that way about every aspect of the past.

I'm just saying that, in general, conservatives exist in opposition to change.

EDIT: I checked the dictionary. It literally means "a person who is averse to change and holds traditional values."

It's literally in the name.