please help me understand the meaning and structure of this sentence


> 流行りものとは突き放すことは **しないまでもある程** 度距離を置く

The most confusing part for me is understanding the `しないまでもある程度` part. Another
thing I’m not so sure about is the first と particle.

Is it in this case modifying (?) the verb 突き放す (as in pushing away something
from yourself?) with the topic particle? or maybe not? ; I’m not sure
anymore...  
thank you for helping in advance.




There should be no は after 流行りものと. The correct sentence is:

> 流行りものと突き放すことはしないまでもある程度距離を置く

It's parsed like this:

> ("流行りもの"と突き放すこと)はしないまでも、ある程度距離を置く  
>  [I] won't go so far as to dismiss it as a fad, but will keep some distance
> from it (anyway).

  * ある程度 ("to some degree") is adverbially modifying 距離を置く.
  * ～はしないまでも means "won't go so far as to ～ but ...". This は is a contrastive-wa. 
    * [Relation between ～てまでも and ～ないまでも](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/80490/5010)
    * [とまではいかないまでも meaning](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/30100/5010)
    * [JLPT先生: ないまでも](https://jlptsensei.com/learn-japanese-grammar/%E3%81%AA%E3%81%84%E3%81%BE%E3%81%A7%E3%82%82-nai-made-mo/)
  * 流行りものと突き放す means "to dismiss it as a fad". This と is like English "as"; see [Difference between だと vs と before 認める](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/55990/5010)

The first half of the original sentence can be rephrased like this:

  * 流行りものと突き放しはしないまでも、…
  * 流行りものと突き放さないまでも、…
  * 流行りものとまでは言わないにしても、…




There should be no は after 流行りものと. The correct sentence is:

> 流行りものと突き放すことはしないまでもある程度距離を置く

It's parsed like this:

> ("流行りもの"と突き放すこと)はしないまでも、ある程度距離を置く  
>  [I] won't go so far as to dismiss it as a fad, but will keep some distance
> from it (anyway).

  * ある程度 ("to some degree") is adverbially modifying 距離を置く.
  * ～はしないまでも means "won't go so far as to ～ but ...". This は is a contrastive-wa. 
    * [Relation between ～てまでも and ～ないまでも](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/80490/5010)
    * [とまではいかないまでも meaning](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/30100/5010)
    * [JLPT先生: ないまでも](https://jlptsensei.com/learn-japanese-grammar/%E3%81%AA%E3%81%84%E3%81%BE%E3%81%A7%E3%82%82-nai-made-mo/)
  * 流行りものと突き放す means "to dismiss it as a fad". This と is like English "as"; see [Difference between だと vs と before 認める](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/55990/5010)

The first half of the original sentence can be rephrased like this:

  * 流行りものと突き放しはしないまでも、…
  * 流行りものと突き放さないまでも、…
  * 流行りものとまでは言わないにしても、…

