The 'Western' World

[aronnax]

They have only started calling themselves that about a hundred years ago.
Before that, they were All under Heaven.

And on a very technical basis, it is to me the centre of civilisation rather than a geographical comparison. So all you barbarians just pay your tribute and leave.

 

[red_elk]

Western European cultural sphere. Originated, probably, from Western Roman Empire.
Plus former colonies, where Britain succeeded enough in extermination and assimilation of natives.

Edit: Greece shouldn't be in the list IMO.

 

[Lone Wolf]

Imperialist exploiters and their Eastern European colonial puppets

 

[luiz]

Do people from Mexico to Argentina consider themselves "Western" anyway?

Yes, they do.

I find it bizarre that people exclude Latin America from the West. A continent that speaks romance languages, adheres to the catholic faith (or protestantism) and whose history and culture is essentially tied to Europe. Every latin american I've met considers himself western.

Mongrel races don't count.

Well, Argentina is much whiter and less mongrel than the USA. In fact, the USA is not a "white country" anymore.

 

[timtofly]

Last Frontier

 

[Alassius]

Obligatory xkcd.

 

[Winner]

Well, Argentina is much whiter and less mongrel than the USA. In fact, the USA is not a "white country" anymore.

"Pure" whites are still the majority, aren't they?

(not that I think that race has any role in defining the West as we see it today)

 

[luiz]

"Pure" whites are still the majority, aren't they?

(not that I think that race has any role in defining the West as we see it today)

Yeah, but they are like 60% in the USA compared to about 85% in Argentina (and Uruguay). Among kids under 10 or so, non-hispanic whites are a minority in the USA. So I would not call the USA a "white country" at all. They are now an extremely diverse country.

So the racial argument to exclude Latin America makes no sense (not that racial labels make any sense anyway).

 

[Tahuti]

I always saw the West as something cultural, an area of cultures whose customs ultimately descended from Ancient Rome and/or Judeo-Christianity. That would include Europe, North & South America, Australia, New Zealand and Israel.

 

[Quackers]

All I see is continental Europeans trying to jump on the bandwagon of the Anglosphere, looking at that map.
Which non-European part of that map did the Czech's colonise again?

 

[Winner]

All I see is continental Europeans trying to jump on the bandwagon of the Anglosphere, looking at that map.
Which non-European part of that map did the Czech's colonise again?

Slovakia

 

[warpus]

White Christiandom.

Doesn't work, you'd have to include a chunk of South America.

How about.. Secular Latin Alphabet Countries where Beer is drunk and uhhh

How about Awesome Countries that are awesome?

 

[Winner]

Doesn't work, you'd have to include a chunk of South America.

How about.. Secular Latin Alphabet Countries where Beer is drunk and uhhh

How about Awesome Countries that are awesome?

Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece...

Aaaaaas I said, totally futile. So let's just call it "the West", everybody seems to have some idea of what is meant.

 

[warpus]

Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece...

Aaaaaas I said, totally futile. So let's just call it "the West", everybody seems to have some idea of what is meant.

I say we go with "the North" just to cause more confusion

 

[Leoreth]

Good question why Latin America isn't considered a part of "The West (tm)". I've never met any European who does so, at least.

I guess it's the fault of different economical, cultural and geographical concepts superseding each other again.

 

[LamaGT]

Good question why Latin America isn't considered a part of "The West (tm)". I've never met any European who does so, at least.

I guess it's the fault of different economical, cultural and geographical concepts superseding each other again.

It's just that South America has many horrifying things that you can find in few other "western" places of the world, it's quite simply strange how could those countries evolve the way they did.
Although culturally it's certainly western, socially it's close to India/Africa(please don't get me wrong, but the favela isn't a thing you see in Europe)

 

[Lillefix]

(please don't get me wrong, but the favela isn't a thing you see in Europe)

With all the welfare cuts, it might soon.

 

[MjM]

Why does it a need a unique name?

 

[luiz]

(please don't get me wrong, but the favela isn't a thing you see in Europe)

Is Slovakia part of Europe?

And of course there are worse things in the likes of Bulgaria or Romania.

 

[Winner]

Is Slovakia part of Europe?

Slovakia? Sure. The parts of it with 90+% Roma majority? That's India.