The Colonizer in Our Hearts: How We Turn Against Our Own but Worship Strangers
Southeast Asians have learned to hate each other, and colonialism is the reason
Filipinos mocked for their accent. Indonesians laughed at in Malaysian malls. Vietnamese workers treated like second-class humans abroad. And yet, the same Southeast Asians would throw a red carpet for a white backpacker who can barely pronounce “terima kasih.”
This isn’t coincidence. It’s not even just racism. It’s colonial training. We were divided, labelled, and taught to see each other as threats — while admiring the ones who subjugated us. Today, we continue the cycle, punishing our own while putting white folks on pedestals.
1. Divide and Rule: Still Working Perfectly British colonizers didn’t just divide us by race and class — they made those divisions attractive. They created hierarchies where being closer to whiteness meant more respect. Those at the bottom weren’t just poor — they were taught to be ashamed.
The colonial caste system never left. We just enforce it ourselves now.
2. Regional Xenophobia: A Colonial Legacy Southeast Asians routinely look down on each other. Singaporeans mock Malaysians. Malaysians mock Bangladeshis. Thais sneer at Burmese migrants. But there’s barely a whisper when a white tourist disrespects local customs.
We treat each other like pests, but treat white visitors like royalty.
3. Language as a Weapon We use English proficiency to judge intelligence, class, and capability. Those who speak with a heavy accent are ridiculed. But if a white man says “lah” or “makan,” we treat him like a goddamn cultural ambassador.
Who taught us to be so cruel to each other?
4. Skin Colour Hierarchies In Southeast Asia, lighter-skinned individuals are often seen as more beautiful, successful, or educated — even among people of the same race. This isn’t genetics. It’s colonial programming that prioritised proximity to whiteness.
5. The Expats and the Locals An expat gets a job with a high salary, housing allowance, and a driver. A local with the same qualifications gets... expectations. Expats are seen as global citizens. Locals are seen as lucky to be there.
6. The Double Standards Run Deep We trust white expertise faster than local wisdom. We label our own people as lazy or corrupt before questioning a foreigner’s actions. Even in scandals, white offenders get the benefit of the doubt — locals don’t.
7. Unlearning Begins at Home We must start unteaching the myths we absorbed. That means calling out family members when they praise whiteness or mock our neighbours. That means schools teaching pride in local history, not just colonial timelines.
Conclusion
Colonialism didn’t just teach us to hate ourselves — it taught us to hate each other. Every time we dismiss a fellow Southeast Asian but admire a European, we’re continuing their project for them. It's time to break the mirror and rebuild one that reflects us.
Do you see this happening where you live? Call it out. Share this piece. Let’s stop worshipping the colonizer within.
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