Settenness

Settenness or setness is an idea common to cultures across much of the world that one's existence is always 'set' within an unfathomably greater context, typically a long past but also often a potentially infinite future. Awareness of this then inspires a sort of awe, existential dread, or futility towards one's present moment. The sentiment most notably guides historiography and conceptions of history in general, in which no event or change can be seriously regarded as representing any form of decisive, universal, qualitative change, seen in customs such as tying events and processes to tangible place and personal names to emphasize their historicity. Expansive mythical traditions, such as the Tanuman, are argued to be important in shaping this idea.