It does strange things to you to realize that the conservative establishment is forcing you to be a progressive liberal fighter for universal rights.

"A modern day progressive is in fact very rigid. Progressives rarely change, they believe in the same thing repeatedly. Their philosophy is one directional not multi-directional. They confuse progressing through linear (narrow) time and current trends as automatic to progressing in wisdom – hogwash! A Traditionalist is far more genuinely progressive (open-minded) for he observes, relates and synthesizes knowledge and wisdom from all time; past, present and into the future".

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness... &
... Liberalism is, I think, resurgent. One reason is that more and more people are so painfully aware of the alternative.
–

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives...
I never meant to say that the Conservatives are generally stupid. I meant to say that stupid people are generally Conservative. I believe that is so obviously and universally admitted a principle that I hardly think any gentleman will deny it. Suppose any party, in addition to whatever share it may possess of the ability of the community, has nearly the whole of its stupidity, that party must, by the law of its constitution, be the stupidest party; and I do not see why honorable gentlemen should see that position as at all offensive to them, for it ensures their being always an extremely powerful party . . . There is so much dense, solid force in sheer stupidity, that any body of able men with that force pressing behind them may ensure victory in many a struggle, and many a victory the Conservative party has gained through that power."
John Stuart Mill ( British philosopher, economist, and liberal member of Parliament for Westminster from 1865 to 68 )

Service is the rent we pay for the life we have been given.

The desire to avoid short-term hardships leads to major dislocations in [housing] markets.