The quote reflects on the human tendency to constrain one another, highlighting how we create various forms of confinement, from jails to less formal imprisonments. The author points out that this practice is uniquely human, as no other creature confines its own kind in such a way. He emphasizes the irony and arrogance in this behavior, comparing it to how animals coexist freely without the need to imprison each other.
This perspective invites readers to question the morals and consequences of our societal structures. The author's bewilderment reveals a deep insight into the nature of freedom and the contradictions present in human behavior, stirring a reflection on the value of true liberty versus the controlling impulses that lead to human-made prisons.