As a recovering leftist, I sometimes marvel at conservative pessimists. Although politically sometimes conservatism ends up requiring a certain amount of radical change (basically to reverse the excesses of liberalism), fundamentally conservatism is a defense of the status quo, i.e. the basic structure of Western civilization: the nuclear family, private property, the rule of law, Judeo-Christian ethics. Every a couple gets married and raises their kids together, that is winning for conservatism, and it’s still the norm nearly everywhere. Every time two people sign a contract in good faith, with the intent to mutually benefit, that is a conservative victory, and it’s still the norm everywhere, more places every day. Etc., etc.
This kind of pessimism is unwarranted, IMHO.
I am a student of history.
No civilization has ever pulled itself back from decline after decadence. Rome, Greece, Persia, you name it.
All fall once things get to far down the slope.
That doesn’t me we stop trying. It does mean that you recognize that fall is here, and winter will be coming.