What Do People Say About You? The Pot & The Kettle

An English saying about the pot calling the kettle black refers to criticising others for your own faults.

What about when other people comment on you?

Assume

1 That people are either understating or overstating what they mean.

2 When they comment on you, they are commenting on themselves.
If they praise you, they are praising the qualities they have or wish they have.

3 If they criticise you they are criticising the faults they have or fear they have or try not to have.

4 Their hopes and fears for you are likewise their hopes and fears for themselves.
If somebody worries that you will get mugged, or hopes you will 'get lucky', it is safe to say they feel the same about themselves.

5 Many a true word spoken in gest.