He felt that institutions such as schools, churches, governments and political organizations of every sort all tended to direct thought for ends other than truth, for the perpetuation of their own functions, and for the control of individuals in the service of these functions. He came to see his early failure as a lucky break, an accidental escape from a trap that had been set for him, and he was very trap-wary about institutional truths for the remainder of his time.

Summary

This quote suggests that the individual believed that institutions like schools, churches, governments, and political organizations often influenced and manipulated thought to serve their own agendas rather than pursuing truth. The person regarded their early failure as fortunate, as it freed them from falling into the trap set by these institutions. As a result, they developed a skeptical attitude towards the truths propagated by such institutions, being cautious about accepting them and remaining wary of their potential to control individuals.

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