In “Blue Humanities,” John Gillis explains the early perceptions and relationships to the ocean and how the exploration of this environment in modern times leads to a fascination with its history and all that lies below it. By learning more about this previously unexplored environment and shifting perceptions about it, this allows humans to care about the ocean since it is part of our history and home on this Earth.

As a result of the ocean being thought of as “an unfathomable abyss, impenetrable and unknowable “(Gillis 5), there is no personal connection to this part of the Earth because it is simply a resource used for food and transportation. There is no need to truly care about the health and well-being of the ocean since it is seemingly unimportant because of its “impenetrable” nature that makes it difficult for scientists to explore and understand what lies below its depths. The ocean becomes a never-ending resource where sailors go around “extracting the wealth of the seas” (Gillis 5) and not caring about the impact that the sea and humans have on each other. It doesn’t matter if people are overfishing its inhabitants and polluting the waters because humans are seen as separate from the ocean, giving them no incentive to worry about what happens to it.

With the advancement of technology and scientific methods, scientists are then able to uncover “the discovery of the temporal and spatial depth of the sea” and even “recognize that waters gave birth to all life on earth, including our own” (Gillis 5). Here, the author formulates a shift in perception since the ocean is now a “living thing” that has deep ties to humans and our origin instead of remaining a dark void. Humans can no longer separate themselves from the ocean because it is part of our history and can tell us about the evolution of the Earth and those who call it home. We can see parts of ourselves in the ever-evolving ocean knowing that our livelihoods are intertwined, and allows it to develop into “a place of spiritual and physical recreation”(Gillis 6) for people. Subsequently, this becomes important because it changes the way humans interact with the ocean and those who live below it. This connection entices humans to see the ocean as more than just an asset, but as a place that provides meaning for us because it allows us to better understand ourselves and our past since it “gave birth to all life on earth.” We have more reason to care about this vast element because it is an archive of history that is often forgotten. If we don’t see the ocean as a place that needs to be preserved and cared for, then humans lose a section of history that can tell us more about who we are as a species and how the environment evolves through time.