mote-beam principle

Matthew 7.1-7.5 mote beam principle

PSYCHIATRY

A popular term for the tendency to perceive–and denounce–in others, characteristics–e.g., prejudices, ideologies, ethnocentrism, aggression, which we ignore in ourselves.

The name is from a passage in the Bible, Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the mote (speck) that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the beam (log) that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the speck out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the log out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7.1-7.5. 

Reference G Ichheiser, American J of Sociology, 1949, 55, part 2