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A thief thinks everyone steals.

Danish proverb

PhilosophyProverbs

The story behind the card

In Danish the proverb is “tyv tror hver mand stjæler”: a thief believes every man steals. It is said of people who assume their own fault is common, often as an excuse for it. The saying also appears in the Norwegian folk tale “Gullfuglen” (The Golden Bird), published by the folklorist Peter Christen Asbjørnsen in 1871: a prince, caught by a troll, answers him with it. Psychologists call the habit of seeing our own faults in others projection.

Türkçe oku
Hırsız herkesi kendi gibi sanır.
Danimarka atasözü

Atasözü Dancada “tyv tror hver mand stjæler” biçimindedir: Hırsız, herkesin çaldığına inanır. Söz, kendi kusurunu herkeste varsayan ve çoğu zaman bunu kendine bahane eden kişiler için söylenir. Söz, halk bilimci Peter Christen Asbjørnsen'in 1871'de yayımladığı “Gullfuglen” (Altın Kuş) adlı Norveç masalında da geçer: Bir trole yakalanan prens, ona bu sözle karşılık verir. Psikologlar, insanın kendi kusurlarını başkalarında görmesine yansıtma der. Türkçede de aynı düşünce “Hırsız herkesi kendi gibi sanır” diye söylenir.

Sources and further reading

Background reading: Psychological projection
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