杨鹏长难句一个句子的求助

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Fascination with this ideal has made Americans defy the “Old World” categories of settled possessiveness versus unsettling deprivation, the cupidity of retention versus the cupidity of seizure, a “status quo” defended or attacked.

请问这句话怎么解析啊？尤其是后面a “status quo” defended or attacked是怎么个结构，怎么个意思？
谢谢啦！