Liberal vs Conservative

Let's take the politics out of the definitions:

From Merriam-Webster:

Liberal:

1. a. of, relating to, or based on the liberal arts <liberal education>.
   b. archaic :  of or befitting a man of free birth.

2. a. marked by generosity.
    b. given or provided in a generous and open-handed way.

3. obsolete :  lacking moral restraint .

4. not literal or strict .

5. broad-minded; especially :  not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or traditional forms.

6. This is the political definition and I'm omitting it.

Conservative:

1.  preservative.

2.  This is the political definition and I'm omitting it.

3.  a. tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions :  traditional.

     b. marked by moderation or caution.
   
    c. marked by or relating to traditional norms of taste, elegance, style, or manners.

Now -- read each definition, carefully. give some attention to your reactions to each definition.  give attention your the biases and prejudices behind your reactions. read each definition again.  

If you're honest with yourself, if you're open-minded, you'll find there's nothing wrong with any of these definitions.  I can analyze each of them for you but you should do that, and honestly, because I think you'll find your own biases and prejudices which are the more important things to give attention to than the actual definitions.  It's your biases and prejudices that create problems in the world; problems for yourself, problems for others.

I have no problem with any of these definitions except in the degree and intensity with which they are held - which, of course, makes me much more of a liberal than a conservative but I can actually claim each of these definitions to some degree, in myself.

Politically, I'm definitely liberal but I'm not a member of any political party which I would be happy to see abolished completely.

I believe that being either one or the other, to the exclusion of the opposite is to be quite insane.

I do take issue with one definition - definition 3 of Liberal - believe me, this is not confined to liberals, that's why it's obsolete.

What about you?  How do you really feel and think about things, and why?  If you never ask yourself....

[I cut and pasted the definitions, thus the font variations]