East

It is interesting how at a certain point in history someone labelled east and west as directions. I think the migration of peoples and the passage of time created new languages — but kept the idea of labelling the point where the sun rises and the point where it sets. I suppose that would be the reason. And with the labelling of north and south, the system was more robust. That raises a question: what came first, east and west, or north and south? Because if east and west came first — from the sun — then north and south, east and west would need to be slightly adjusted to be truly perpendicular.

The way we use time zones and draw maps comes, I think, from European conventions, where they put themselves in the middle of the map. I have seen maps from China where they place themselves at the centre. There are also some striking maps — such as ones where Alaska is shown at full size and the rest of the continental United States appears as a tiny frame in a corner. Humans throughout history have tended to put themselves at the centre — as they did with the planet in the universe. Maybe the great mistakes in human history have happened when ego and individualism take over. The lack of humility and empathy makes us lose the east — where the light rises.