| It makes sense if you don't use politically-motivated "definitions". Conservative is defined[1] as: >a: tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions >b: marked by moderation or caution >c: marked by or relating to traditional norms of taste, elegance, style, or manners Liber/libre is the origin for words like liberal and liberty, meaning freedom. Liberal is defined[2] as: >2 a: marked by generosity >4: not literal or strict >a: one who is open-minded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional, or established forms or ways [1]: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conservative [2]: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liberal While they might seem at odds (one observes tradition, the other does not necessarily), they are not mutually exclusive and there is significant political overlap in espousing moderation/caution and freedom ("generosity", "not strict", "open-minded"). Small government is the most obvious form of this overlap. Conservatism for political contexts can thus be defined as a desire to exercise a minimum (and ideally no) enforcement of powers in order to protect and guarantee people's freedoms, and a general desire to oppose change unless a change can be demonstrably warranted. As for the saying, the older we get the harder we are set in how we live and conduct ourselves. A man builds stronger and stronger ideals and an identity that defines what is good and evil as far as he is concerned. We become more conservative as we grow older. |