What Does "People Who Live In Glass Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones" Mean?

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What Does "People Who Live In Glass Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones" Mean?

5 Answers

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Answer 1

The basic meaning of this proverb is that you shouldn't criticise others for faults which you possess yourself. For instance, if you are in debt or have difficulty in managing money, it's not a good idea to lecture your neighbours on financial management; you will just invite them to point out your own faults. A similar proverb to this one is "The pot calling the kettle black." In the old days both pots and kettles invariably went black from the heat and smoke of the cooking fire, so the meaning of this proverb is that if you yourself have a certain characteristic (unpunctuality, for instance) you can't point it out in others.

There is a Biblical saying with the same meaning: "Before you remove the mote from your brother's eye, see that you remove the beam from your own." All these sayings point to the same idea – that it is much easier to see other people's failings than our own.

Answer 2

Anonymous answered

You shouldnt criticize others for faults and look at yourself first
be more aware of your actions and what you say

Answer 3

It could also mean that it is much easier to recognize other people's failings when those failings are also our own.

Answer 4

It means that you shouldn't be bad to a person if they're just as bad as you. For example, let's just say there are two kids named Jackie and Jake. Jake likes harassing Jackie, and she hates it, even though she does the same to everyone else.

Answer 5

'Tis true, we are fragile, even our homes like snail shells, thin, brittle. But we must beware quietism. To roll all errors into the one - undue criticism - is to risk a failure to understand why we suffer at the hand of others. An absolute dictum of pacifism could threaten our ability to counter injustice. Were someone attempting to hit me, I would hate to hit back, but what reality is there in my specific human condition to justify accepting random victimization? Even the most moral human brain has ancient reptilian foundations. There are a range of reflex reactions environmental stimuli can trigger. The LAW cannot infinitely defend punishing human beings for rationally countering corporate exploitation of ancient brain reflex responses in the name of order, read controlling the population (actually with the motive of profit). I would look at you as a pane of glass and my strike as a monkey's reptile reflex - I throw a stone to feed myself. Time does not stand still. Capacitors and transformers are not hammer and nail. Tools and instruments, martian war machines do not obey the logic of moral perfection. God save the queen bee. Population is not ONE. Feed the people.