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Schubladendenken

pigeonhole thinking, stereotyping

noun SHOOB-lah-den-den-ken Rare
Mind & Emotions Mental States

Also means

compartmentalised thinking

Usage Note

Schubladendenken (literally 'drawer thinking') is a crisp idiom for the tendency to categorise people or ideas simplistically. It is colloquial and slightly critical: kein Schubladendenken = no pigeonholing.

Examples

"Wir sollten uns vom Schubladendenken befreien und Menschen als Individuen sehen."

Natural Translation

We should free ourselves from pigeonhole thinking and see people as individuals.

Literal Translation

We should ourselves from drawer-thinking free and people as individuals see.

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