The Concept of the Sunset

How do we define the self?
Think of it as a sunset.
The sunset has a definition. Most words do.
‘sunset’ has three definitions. We’ll be discussing the third one.
“The time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon.”
There is a past, present and future within this sentence.
What do you think of when you think of the sunset?

That! is the concept of the self.

There are millions of sunsets
Every day
For millions of years.
There is a sunset at noon at one locale and it is three in the morning another spot.
There are many words for sunset in many languages.
‘sunnenuntergang’ ---German
‘coucher du soleil’ ---French
‘zachód słońca’ ---Polish
‘tramonto’  ---Italian
Each places the sun, its setting, and the observer, in different positions.
In each the sun is given meaning by its relation to other things
The setting of the sun is one factor
The observer, another;

That is the concept of the self.


The sunset exists in a vacuum, untouched by man or space or beast.
Until the sunset exists, that is. The sunset exists in its present form: may it be the one you just saw tonight, or one you’ve seen that was memorable, or maybe one that a hawk saw, or one that a tree felt, or one that ended up evaporating some water from the side of the road, or it was one seen by the ghost of your great great great great grandmother, or it was seen by your cellphone or maybe even by your kitchen windowsill. The sunset exists in relation to others around it.

That is the concept of the self.

Did it light up a romantic moment with your partner?
Did it feel nice? Feel warm?
Did it blow the south wind through the autumn trees,
Did it glow with the strength of about twenty six hundred jack O’ lanterns?

That is the concept of the self.

A common phrase surrounding the sunset and sunrise you’ve heard before:
“Red at night, sailor’s delight. Red in the morning, sailors take warning.”
Here, red is a lone factor, then there is the sunset and then, there is the sunrise.
Then there is the delight, the morning, the warning, and the sailor.
The sunset comes before the sunrise;
The sunrise comes before the sunset;
The sunset comes after the sunrise;
The sunrise comes after the sunset;
The sailor takes delight
The sailor takes warning
The night takes the red
And so does the morning.

That is the concept of the self.

Sunsets exist within a defined concept.
Concepts are existent within a defined mass modicum of thinking.
They are relevant in relation to each other.
They are prevalent enough to make it into its own definition;
Sunsets are so frequent they made themselves into a concept!
According to archaeological data, it is estimated that the total population
Of everyone who has ever lived
(Humans. We’re not counting chimps and apes, though they see sunsets too.)
At about 100 billion selves.
So many selves!
And so, there is a word for the Self,
Its plural (selves), its branches in close relation: selfish, selflessness, self-centered, self-taught, self-made, etc.,
Its synonyms: somebody, individual, person, someone, etc.
Its related concepts: consciousness, mortal, soul, etc.
Its related concepts’ related concepts: ego, unique, brain, body, heart, etc.
And on and on and on.

That is the concept of the self.