"Nothing goes further toward a man's liberation than the act of surviving his need for character"

This quote by John Ciardi talks to the idea that a person's sense of self-respect and identity is not depending on the opinions of others. It suggests that when a person has the ability to survive without relying on the approval of others, they are liberated from the requirement to comply with social expectations. This liberation allows an individual to be real to themselves and to live their life according to their own worths and beliefs. It is a suggestion that a person's character is not defined by the viewpoints of others, but rather by their own actions and choices. By surviving their need for character, an individual is able to be free from the constraints of external expectations and to live a life of credibility.