How do you define 'the West'?

West is a place we all shall go some funny day

I'm not exactly sure why most leave out Latin America, I would recommend reading Samuel Huntington's "Clash of Civilizations" which gives a pretty good description of different "cultures" of the World and, I believe, Latin America is excluded from "the West." I can't recall so I may be wrong, if anyone's read it (or can think of a reason Latin America would be in/excluded feel free to correct me).

<<Regardless of cultural differences, I'd still consider California in the Western US. There's a big cultural difference between Vermont and Kentucky (for example), but they're both in the eastern US. >>

Of course it's in the western US. It's just not int eh part I'd call "out west" (cowboy country). Yes, there are a few cowboys in California, but they just don't seem to "belong" there as much as they do in the emptier Rockies and Southwest. Maybe it's just me. ;P

Latin America is third world. That's why it's excluded from "the West".

Latin America is third world. That's why it's excluded from "the West".

So West is based only in money capabilities? If that so why Japan, China, South Korea and India are not considered part of the West

Japan, China, South Korea, and India are, by almost all English definitions, part of "The East."

It's cultural as well as geographic.