Neither spouse nor I have become more conservative as we've moved into middle age (we've actually been radicalized across a number of vectors). What I have become, however, is much more pragmatic. I am fine to talk theory and it's important to hold ideals, but at the end of the day (and the conversation, even) I want to know what we can accomplish together IN THE WORLD. I honestly consider 'workability' a MORAL issue, because harm happens in real time.