Freud strikes again

There is this old story I heard a long time ago that speaks for itself a lot.

Back in the good old days when town had gates and elders received strangers

A man entered a village and went to the gate on the edge of town, where he was welcomed by the wise man of the village.

The visitor said, 

“I am deciding whether I should move here or not.
I’m wondering what kind of neighbourhood this is. 

Can you tell me about the people here?”

The old wise man said,

“Tell me what kind of people lived where you came from.” 

The visitor said, 

"Oh, they were highway robbers, cheats and liars.” 

The wise man said, 

“You know, those are exactly the same kinds of people who live here.” The visitor left the village and never came back.

Half an hour later, another man entered the village.
He sought out the wise old man and said,
“I’m thinking of moving here.
Can you tell me what kind of people live here?” 

Again the old man said, “

Tell me what kind of people lived where you came from.” 

The visitor said, 

“Oh, they were the kindest, gentlest, most compassionate, most loving people. I shall miss them terribly.

The old man answered, “

Those are exactly the kinds of people who live here, too.”

other versions:

In the town I am from, everyone is very critical of one another. The neighbourhood is rife with gossip. It's a really negative place to live and I'm glad to be leaving it. It's not a very nice place to live at all."

 "I'm from a lovely town. Everyone there is really close and always willing to help their neighbours out with whatever needs doing. There's always a cheery hello and thank-you everywhere you go.

it seems that in all version the negative man comes first

and one can add all epithets of one's choice.

This story pretty well says what Jon Kabat-Zinn 

states in other words:

WHEREVER YOU GO, THERE YOU ARE.

This story also says 

that if I am surrounded by ignorant assholes,

CHANCES ARE:

that I am an ignorant asshole myself as well

and the only reason I don't see that 

is the same reason millions of other 

ignorant assholes don't see it either:

The good old Freudian defence mechanism:

Particularly PROJECTION a big favourite one

and DENIAL the river of many.