The hypocrisy of how "European identity" is gatekept based on convenience.
There is a massive double standard in how Southern and Eastern Europeans are treated in discussions about identity and culture.
On the one hand, these regions are often treated as "less European" or pushed to the sidelines because they don't fit the modern, wealthy Western European standards. Whether it's due to different religious traditions, distinct demographics, or simply not matching the "blond hair, blue eyes" stereotype. It is common to see people from younger nations try to brush away the deep history of these older cultures, especially on online platforms.
Yet, the moment a debate arises where someone claims "white people have no culture," a sudden shift happens. Western Europeans will immediately reach across the map to claim the ancient history, diverse traditions, and rich folklore of Southern and Eastern Europe as a shield to prove that European culture is deep and vibrant.
This creates a bizarre logical trap: How can anyone claim a history as theirs if they don't fully respect the modern people who actually belong to that heritage? By that same flawed logic of gatekeeping identity based on religion or timelines, "true" Europeans would have to be pagan, which would disqualify over 90% of the continent today.
It is incredibly hypocritical to treat an entire region's identity like a light switch, turned on when it’s useful for an argument, and turned off when people want to feel superior. It forces these cultures into a state of being politically and culturally conditional.
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