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Money Quote by Charles Dickens

“All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretences did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I should innocently take a bad half-crown of somebody else's manufacture, is reasonable enough; but that I should knowingly reckon the spurious coin of my own…” quote by Charles Dickens
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““All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretences did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I should innocently take a bad half-crown of somebody else's manufacture, is reasonable enough; but that I should knowingly reckon the spurious coin of my own make, as good money! An obliging stranger, under pretence of compactly folding up my bank-notes for security's sake, abstracts the notes and gives me nutshells; but what is his sleight of hand to mine, when I fold up my own nutsells and pass them on myself as notes!””

Charles Dickens

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About This Quote

The narrator confesses that self‑deception is worse than any external fraud, highlighting the irony of cheating oneself with imagined value.

In simple terms: Self‑cheating is the worst fraud.

Key Takeaway

Self‑deception outweighs external deceit.

Themes

self‑deception fraud irony psychology

Mood

reflective wry

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • financial scams
  • personal self‑sabotage
  • creative plagiarism
  • self‑criticism

Key Concepts

cognitive bias self‑identity

Practical Applications

  • practice honest self‑assessment
  • avoid rationalizing personal flaws

Questions to Reflect On

  • What mechanisms protect us from self‑deception?
  • When does self‑critique become destructive?
A Different Perspective

Self‑critique can become harsh, hindering self‑compassion.

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