Society is becoming more liberal regardless of what party comes into power. To become more liberal means greater emphasis on equality rather than freedom (though there is a radical freedom to the left that demand radical rights). D’Tocqueville saw the US ending with equality winning out, with people electing whomever will give them money and benefits. It doesn’t look good and seems to resemble the decline of Rome, where that masses wanted bread and circuses from the government.
But history doesn’t necessarily have to repeat itself. If the conservatives want to be conservative then they have to address this problem — otherwise, what are they conserving?
I think in general there is a correlation between not having children (being selfish) & not having religion with decline. Both are conditions of decline — think secular, non family Europe. Without religion and children there is no promise of tomorrow, nothing to plan for the better or to leave to posterity after our lives expire. The left reveals in childless sex and secularism as if the moment is all, ever present, a nihilist escape into sexual pleasure that wants to become a religious experience. This is a false, immature path.
Conservatives have allowed the left to define them as old, wimpy, no fun and corrupt (think of the other Lebowski in the Big Lebowski). But today many young conservatives are the opposite of that image and want to protect freedom. That is the attractive, heroic stance. Conservatives have to understand their responsibilities... and if they don’t take their responsibilities seriously then the term “conservative” deserves to go down the toilet.
It doesn’t have to be a rear guard action! Progressives are not cool futurists. Take the fight — at least for freedom of speech, for classical liberalism — to them!
It's a function of urbanization first and foremost. It's probably been the single biggest factor in the demise of every civilization in human history.