So much had been surrendered! And to such little purpose! There had been mad wilful rejections, monstrous forms of self-torture and self-denial, whose origin was fear and whose result was a degradation infinitely more terrible than that fancied degradation from which, in their ignorance, they had sought to escape (...)

Summary

This quote suggests that individuals have often given up or sacrificed a lot in their lives, but with very little outcome or purpose. They have engaged in extreme acts of self-inflicted pain and denial driven by fear, which ultimately led to a degradation much worse than the supposed degradation they were initially trying to avoid. It highlights the misguided and ineffective nature of these efforts to escape suffering and highlights the importance of finding healthier and more meaningful ways to cope with challenges.

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