"I don't know one of my friends who is considered a conservative who has not had to go back and thoroughly think through everything. You do a lot of soul-searching - 'cause we are not going to win any popularity contests"

This quote by Clarence Thomas talks with the difficulty of being a conservative in today's culture. He acknowledges that his traditional good friends have needed to go back and re-evaluate their ideas and worths, which they have actually had to do a great deal of soul-searching. This recommends that being a conservative is challenging, and that it needs a great deal of thought and introspection. Thomas likewise implies that being a conservative is not preferred, which conservatives will certainly not win any popularity competitions. This quote speaks to the challenges of being a traditional in a culture that is increasingly liberal. It also talks to the value of being true to one's beliefs and also values, even if they are not popular.