The need to exert power, when thwarted in the open fields of life, is the more likely to assert itself in trifles.

Summary

This quote suggests that individuals who have a natural inclination towards exerting power and dominance may resort to displaying these behaviors in inconsequential matters when they are unable to do so in significant areas of their lives. When their efforts to exert power are thwarted in important situations, they may compensate by asserting control over trivial or less significant aspects. This highlights the persistence of the underlying need for power and the tendency for it to manifest in different ways when it cannot be fulfilled in more meaningful circumstances.