This is precisely the case. I'm sick of the casual racism and love for imperialism that even the most "left-wing" europeans will just say to my face because they think I am one of them. It is so fundamentally baked into every dominant ideology in europe that it feels like there is no possible escape.

This is the consequence of having an entire continent dedicate itself to colonialism and capitalism for 400 years. Both of these things become the total norm. People in europe don't even understand what empire is, or what empires do, even the extent of their own existing empire.

I mean, look at Macron's comments. He literally runs an old school colonial empire (that is thankfully collapsing under his reign). And yet he lectures other countries about "imposing capitals". I don't think he even realises he is being hypocritical here, because European ideology has redefined European imperialism as not counting as imperialism.