"West" seems to signify challenge and adventure here in the US. Is that true elsewhere in the world?

certainly the fulcrum of the Roman Empire was shifted East after Constantine established his new Capitol. The strategic location of Constantinople rendered it the better center for the wielding of power, and the city quickly displaced Rome in every aspect but nostalgia and monuments.

I would think go west had to do with the land the US was acquiring as our country grew.

The coasts are the areas of opportunity and escape.

“Go west” was a rally to a new coast in America.
“Go east” was a rally to survival in communist China?

@ibstubro I’d be surprised to learn go west meant west coast. To me the west is the western states, not the west coast states. I’m not arguing with you, I’m just explaining what I think of as west.

When America was new, the lure of the new territory opening up in the west was strong. The media of the day promoted the idea that a land of ‘milk and honey’ lay just beyond the setting sun. A man could own land, build a home and grow crops to sustain a family. Except for those with wealth, city life was congested, living conditions poor and the struggle to survive difficult. The promise of “go west young man” was a call for freedom and independence. The promise today is that those with a profession can achieve a comfortable middle-class life and for some that find their niche in banking and business and the few whose talents bring fame, wealth.

I thought Israel was the land of milk and honey?

OK, so when I owned the shop this long haired hippy type redneck dude walked in. It was around Christmas time and we struck up a conversation about where we were going over the holidays. He said, he was going “back east” to visit his family.
I took in his flannel shirt, dirty base ball cap, long hair, scruffy beard..he just didn’t look like a “back east” kind of person. So, I asked him where “back east” was.
“Arkansas” he said.
It took every thing I had not to collapse in laughter because I didn’t know if he was serious or not! Still don’t know, to this day.

‘West’ is where our bible belt is.

@cazzie, I thought the bible belt was in the Midwest. Maybe it is everywhere except the East and California ;-)

@Bill1939 I don’t live in the Midwest of where you think.