It's definitely one of my 5 or 3 favorite books, so I didn't have to read the quote. I practically know that part from memory. I first encountered this in an undergrad lit class. The professor pointed out that although his ideas as laid out in part 1 are unassailable, such knowledge does nothing to improve his life. She went on to point out his totally self destructive nature as exemplified in part 2. He can't win. If he let himself win, he would be proven wrong! He even throws away what is apparently his one chance at love by answering affection with cruelty, "contrive[ing] sufferings of all sorts, only to gain his point!"