What countries belong to the "West"

[RealRockingham]

Does Japan?

Does Israel?

Does Turkey?

Does Greece?

Does Russia?

Does the rest of the Slavic world?

Does South Korea(Which is majority evangelical Christian, if the suggestion surprises you)?

Does the Phillipines?

Does the Southern cone Latin American countries?

Do the other Latin American countries?

Does South Africa, and any other African countries?


Please answer them individually.

[Dagda]

Japan has huge US army bases on it-60 years after ww2 and with a tiny army of its own. It follows the US lead.

[RealRockingham]

I mean in terms of culture.

[shrike]

I consider all countries that adopted liberal democracy belong to the "West"

[RealRockingham]

Quote by: shrike I consider all countries that adopted liberal democracy belong to the "West"

CULTURE, not political system, is what I am reffering to,

[Simonius]

Its quite a difficult question, what countries are (culturally) part of the west? Well that is the west's culture?

Do we mean places that are culturally like the USA?

What is American western/culture?

Well perhaps it is liberal, democratic, slightly secular, gay rights, gender equality, racial equality and consumerist.

Just a few random thoughts on the matter!

[shrike]

For me liberal values and freedom=culture.

[SoylentGreen]

I looked it up and think the wiki has done a good job of explaining.

The concept of Western culture is generally linked to the classical definition of Western world. In this definition, Western culture is the set of literary, scientific, musical and philosophical principles which set it apart from other civilizations. It applies to countries whose history is strongly marked by Western European immigration or settlement, and is not restricted to Western Europe. Much of this set of traditions and knowledge is collected in the Western canon. [4] Various uses of the concept of Western culture have included, rightly or wrongly, critiques of American culture, materialism, industrialism, capitalism, commercialism, hedonism, imperialism, communism, Nazism, fascism, racism or modernism.

It is and always has been a generic term that was never meant to be used to classify a specific culture.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Western civilisation is generally considered to be countries whose culture and societal influences mainly come directly from the ancient greeks and romans, as well as related nations. That usually means european countries and those settled by them. (this line get's kind of hazy in the world of globalization.) The west, on the other hand, is really a term associated with the cold war that is kinda outdated now, except maybe to refer to those countries who tend to be american and western European allies.

[Morality Games]

Japan has definitely been more influenced by Western culture than the West has by the East, but it still has a very Eastern flavor.

[gela]

Japan has become quite westernized.. I'd probably call it a hybrid.

[RealRockingham]

Japan is a hybrid? My understanding was that it was pretty distinct from other Eastern cultures to begin with... what tendencies are you reffering to?

Also, I'd like opinions on Israel, Turkey, Russia, South Korea, Subsaharan Africa and Latin America.]

[Hurt]

Overall, Japan is not too distinct compared to other Asian cultures. Life is relatively the same and the culture itself is not too different. hm, I would not consider Japan a "hybrid" as it is still similar to many other Asian countries, it's just that Japan's degree of westernization is a bit more visible than that of other countries.

[Dagda]

The world has or is becoming one large mono-culture. The other day I was walking down the street and realised that, despite the signs, it could have been anywhere in the english speaking world. There is little diffirentiation between the cultures of most cultures in the world now.

[Nono]

Quote by: Dagada The world has or is becoming one large mono-culture.

An illusion.

[Nono]

Quote by: Rockie What countries belong to the "West"?

I'd accept Israel* and Greece.

The southern cone countries are tricky. You mean Argentina and Chile only? I guess I'd accept them too.

I'd also accept various countries in the Caribbean, which you don't specifically mention (as separate from Latin America).

The Slavic countries are also tricky. Russia's out, that's for damned sure. But the others? The Czech Republic, certainly. But it's a far cry from Serbia and Belarus, for example.

As for the others, definitely not.

* Though less so since massive, equilibrium-disturbing immigration from decidedly non-Western countries.

[Hurt]

Quote by: Nono An illusion.

An illusion..? or the effects of globalization..?

[Gods_Mercenary]

No, most people live in small areas where local customs and values still pervade. Globalization has spread ideas to all parts of the world, but by no means do the majority subscribe to one monoculture.

[Hurt]

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary No, most people live in small areas where local customs and values still pervade. Globalization has spread ideas to all parts of the world, but by no means do the majority subscribe to one monoculture.

True, but wouldn't that be "is becoming one large mono-culture"?

[RealRockingham]

;Okay, I'm seeing the stereotypical race=culture stuff I expected from some people.

I'm going to ask, what exactly, about say te South Africa, Japan and and Turkey makes them non-Western(and if you define being non-Christian or non-Caucasian as excluding a state from "Westerness" I'm not interested in your answer)?