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Context: in a flashback, a Cuban boxer is thinking back to when he was in Cuba
before seeking asylum (亡命) and migrating to America. He had just won a gold
medal for his country in the Olympics.

> 国のためとか… **小せェもんに縛られてる** から底辺止まりなんだよ 凡人共が

My literal translation attempt is:

> For their country, ordinary people remain in the lower classes because they
> are bound by little things.

What is the meaning of 小せェもんに縛られてる? I understand the literal meaning, but what
is he actually referring to? Is this some kind of metaphor I am not getting?

[![comic
strip](https://i.stack.imgur.com/irx0w.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/irx0w.jpg)

Thank you for your help!
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2019-09-25T03:04:28.380
72072
2019-09-25T15:10:39.270
2019-09-25T15:10:39.270
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question
meaning verbs manga passive-voice sports
Meaning of 小せェもんに縛られてる
This 小せえもん ("trivial things") is a paraphrase of 国のため(とか). It's read like
`trivial things such as "for our country"` or `"For our country"... such
trivial things`. In other words, this guy is making light of petty
nationalism, and seeing something even bigger than Cuba.

EDIT: In case you missed it, this が after 凡人共 is a derogatory vocative-like
particle, e.g., "この馬鹿者が!" = "You idiot!" It's also working as the implied
subject of 縛られてる and 底辺止まり, though.
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2019-09-25T03:44:47.500
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2019-09-25T10:09:24.783
2019-09-25T10:09:24.783
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answer