"The whole force of the respectable circles to which I belonged, that respectable circle which knew as I did not the value of security won, the slender chance of replacing it if lost or abandoned, was against me"

Ida Tarbell's quote speaks with the power of social circles and the pressure they can put on people to conform to their expectations. She is describing the "reputable circles" she came from, which valued security and stability above all else. This pressure was so strong that it was tough for her to go against it, even if it implied sacrificing her own desires and aspirations. The quote also speaks to the fragility of security, and how it can be quickly lost if it is not held onto. This is a suggestion that security is not something to be taken for granted, and that it can be easily lost if it is not safeguarded. Tarbell's quote is a powerful pointer of the power of social circles and the pressure they can put on individuals to conform to their expectations.