If you talk to a self-styled conservative, he will probably tell you that the root problem with liberalism is that it incorrectly treats all people as overly rational, materialistic, atomized actors. It is our values and traditions, not individual material self-interest, that motivate the vast majority of our actions. The political system needs to reflect that, and traditions, however irrational they may appear at first glance, are entitled to a strong presumption of correctness, as they represent the collective wisdom of the nation over time.
Fair enough, under normal circumstances. But what happens when the culture and traditions evolve, particularly in a way that conservatives can’t embrace? What do conservatives have to fall back on when the world starts moving way too fast, and in the wrong direction?
Either some form of racism or absolute religious values that have been rejected by the majority of the population. That’s exactly where American conservatism is today. As a result, our “conservatives” don’t actually want to conserve anything; they want to return to a white Christian Brigadoon that never really existed, and certainly doesn’t today.