im stuck with this sentence

Question

"We aren't giving other people what they need, so much as what we think will shield them from seeing whatever it is in us that we think we lack" can you help me figure out the meaning of this?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

andrew123can you help me figure out the meaning of this?

Yes, I believe I can, though it won't be easy. I can see why you might be having trouble with this one.

We aren't giving other people what they need, so much as what we think will shield them from seeing whatever it is in us that we think we lack.

what we lack ~ our shortcomings; our defects
what will shield them ~ things that will protect them; things that will act as a barrier to them

We have shortcomings, or at least we believe that we have shortcomings. But we don't want other people to see our shortcomings. So rather than give other people what they need, we give them something else. We give them things which will prevent them (or protect them) from seeing our shortcomings.

CJ

im stuck with this sentence

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