"Un conservateur est un homme d'État qui est amoureux des maux existants, par opposition au libéral qui souhaite les remplacer par d'autres."
— Ambrose Bierce
Simplified Meaning:
Conservatives and liberals have different approaches to dealing with problems in society. Conservatives tend to stick with the way things are, even if there are problems, because they believe it's better to deal with known issues than to risk new ones. On the other hand, liberals are more inclined to try new solutions because they think changes could lead to better results, even if it means facing new challenges. Imagine a park in a town that has some broken playground equipment. A conservative might prefer to fix the current equipment, thinking it's safer and familiar, while a liberal might propose building completely new facilities, aiming for improvement but knowing there will be uncertainties. In daily life, this quote suggests balancing the desire for stability with the willingness to take risks for potential progress.