“Conservatism is not about the choice between good and bad, it is about the choice between bad and worse. “
That is and always has been a losing battle.
Conservatism is not this.
Yes it is this. The core of conservatism is an understanding of the defects of mankind. It is indeed a pessimistic view of the world.
And it is a losing battle of course. Conservatism pre-supposes the courage and fortitude to fight in a losing cause.