> Otherwise, what are they conserving?

They're conserving the things they like as they are, while letting things they don't like change.

This is such a ridiculous strawman view - like saying progressives think all change is good.

Its a generalization. I don't mean to imply that every conservative feels that way about every aspect of the past.

I'm just saying that, in general, conservatives exist in opposition to change.

EDIT: I checked the dictionary. It literally means "a person who is averse to change and holds traditional values."

It's literally in the name.