[...]
What the compromises have to do with are that one lives in a society with rules, mores, laws. One of those touch-shit ~~~~~ Interesting parapraxis.
facts of life. You can do what you want, but when it involves other people, restrictions come in. You deal with them, whether you are an artist, programmer, politician, goverment wonk, or whatever.
It has nothing to do with selling out or losing integrity. If you want food and shelter and you're not living in the woods, then you have to play by everyone else's rules if you don't have the power to make your own rules.
Was it Thoreau who said "Consistency is the hobgoblin of simpletons"?
Thoreau was the guy who went to jail rather than pay his taxes when he felt the government was using the money for immoral purposes.