I feel like this is an incredibly childish and almost insulting reduction of a complicated and important feeling that the author is trying to come to terms with

I feel like this is an incredibly childish and almost insulting reduction of a complicated and important feeling that the author is trying to come to terms with, and one that is likely very common, even if not universal. He spent pages explaining and examining this attitude, and doesn't appear to be using it as a justification at any level, I don't think it is appropriate or helpful to frame it this way at all.