Well I really neither mean conservatism or capitalism but greed. Not an ideology at all. As a Sith might say it: There is only power. And those that seek power at all cost, and those who want other things. (same goes for power, wealth or influence). Ideology is just an interchangeable tool, not a belief.

Unfortunately anyone seeking power for "other things" like wanting to make things better has to compete with people who knowingly or unknowingly don't really give a shit about anything.

Anyway, outside current US politics conservatism really only means to continuing to do things the way they have been done so far and / or change things slowly. And actual conservative today would want to continue the social democratic system that made the US great, e.g. affordable healthcare, low education and university costs, high vertical mobility. Keep doing what works instead of trying to reinvent the wheel with crazy new and untested ideas. Theoretically conservatism is a perfectly valid and honorable approach to governance that you can compromise on.

Today's republicans are said to be reactionary or "paleo-conservative", that want to go back to the times pre new deal. They are not conservatives at all.

But really they are neither, they are just greedy or power hungry, completely self serving. They believe in nothing.

I suspect most are on the lower spectrum of sentience, and some people like Trump aren't even able to self-reflect at all and are permanently trapped in a kind of psychotic break. Like Musk they are intelligent and continue to optimize for their power seeking behavior but have made their minds completely subservient to ~~the one ring~~ power/money/influence.

Sorry for the long rant lol