The Ocean Reader: Theory, Culture, Politics. ‘Introduction” by Eric Paul Roorda explores the pivotal societal changes around the ocean in language and action. “Because the Ocean can’t be plowed, paved, or shaped in ways the eye is able to discern, it has seemed to be a constant, while the land has changed drastically over the centuries.” This quote is extremely important when understanding the concept of conquering the ocean and how modern scientists, explorers, etc. constantly desire to claim something as their own. The difference between the word “constant” in connection to the ocean and the phrase ” changed drastically” with the ocean is based upon false realities. The ocean is one of the most non-constant regions in the world yet it is marketed as a place that is “constant” and “without history.”

The ocean is difficult to claim as it is constantly moving yet claiming the ocean and discovering it is a huge pursuit of our modern-day explorations. The text states, “The stylebook spelling of “ocean” diminishes it as a geological reference. To capitalize on Ocean is to challenge the conventional wisdom that the sea can be taken for granted. They cannot.” I like this quote because it specifically showcases the wording and how we use the word “Ocean” to represent the world’s relationship to it. Throughout history, society has led through the action of claiming and conquering and has never failed to attempt to establish boundaries and borders. It is in human nature to want to claim something as “mine,” it is one of the first few words we are able to say as children. The issue or should I say upside is that the ocean cannot be conquered, it is almost physically impossible as it is so large and so fluid. I added the image down below due to the theme of conquering through “flags,” we discover something and we place a flag, the moon landing, place a flag… but in the ocean, there is nowhere to place a flag. How do we conquer something that is constantly shifting and moving? Is it possible to truly establish boundaries in the ocean?