Contours of a civilization at a crossroads
The “West” is elusive, both as a tangible entity and as a concept. It is as comprehensive a civilization as its uniformity and unity are difficult to comprehend. On one hand, it is arguably the most influential civilizational force ever to span the globe. Its ways of thinking are as widespread as its writing system. Worldviews, societal patterns, and technologies originating in the West permeate nearly every corner of the planet. Western influence has been ubiquitous and omnipresent for generations.