Tuesday, October 05, 2021

Identifying mental colonization

How to identify mental colonization? Typically, the colonized won't be self-aware of one's own colonization & there are multiple levels.

Loves the colonizer's land & dislikes one's native place.

Loves the colonizer's language & cannot read/speak/understand one's own language. Even if one can read, will prefer literature & writings of the colonizer's language & will have difficulty reading the native literature. Wishes passionately for all natives to switch to the colonizer's language for 'progress'. Angered if someone opposes & deflects all data driven arguments to the contrary. Tries to adopt the colonizer's accent when speaking & is ashamed of the native accent. Looks down upon native accents.

Respects the colonizer's religion & has a poor opinion of one's own native religion. Views the native religion through the colonizer's lens & will resist reversing the gaze. Celebrates colonizer's religious festivals with gusto. Wishes others with enthusiasm on colonizer religious festivals. Avoids celebrating native festivals. Avoids wishing or reciprocating wishes on native festivals. Possibly has adopted the colonizer's religion partially or has fully converted. Evangelizes the colonizer's religion more passionately than the original practitioners.

Adopts the colonizer's dress, mannerisms & habits. Higher the imitation, feels more superior to the native.

Supports the historic colonization of one's country. Feels that the colonizers civilized the barbaric natives & helped the country 'progress'.

Excessively fawns over any attention given by a colonizer's descendant or system (awards, education system etc). Has contempt for any native who is rooted in the native culture & traditions.

Most colonized people will exhibit at least some of these symptoms. More symptoms mean higher mental colonization.

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