Most people hew the battlements of life from compromise, erecting their impregnable keeps from judicious submissions, fabricating their philosophical drawbacks from emotional retractions and scalding marauders in the boiling oil of sour grapes.

Summary

This quote suggests that many people build strong defenses around themselves in life by compromising their true desires and values. They create barriers of compromise and strategic adaptations to protect themselves from emotional vulnerability or disappointment. These defense mechanisms may involve retracting from their own beliefs or blaming others for their own shortcomings. However, instead of finding authentic fulfillment, they remain trapped within their self-created fortresses of resentment and bitterness.

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