The same fence that shuts others out shuts you in.

Copeland’s aphorism uses the homely image of a fence to expose the double-edged nature of exclusion. Boundaries meant to protect—whether social, emotional, political, or psychological—also restrict the builder’s freedom, relationships, and growth. The line suggests that isolation is self-imposed: by keeping others at a distance, one also forfeits connection, exchange, and the possibility of being changed by others. It can be read as a critique of defensiveness and gatekeeping, implying that security purchased through separation often becomes confinement. The quote’s force lies in its symmetry: the act of shutting out is simultaneously an act of shutting in.