Space as the Final Frontier

Metaphor: Space as an unexplored frontier, awaiting heroic conquest by intrepid pioneers.

Problem: This metaphor imports the colonial imaginary into the cosmos, turning planetary exploration into a Wild West land grab. It frames the void as empty territory, erasing the fact that it is neither empty nor passive but teeming with relational dynamics. It’s less “final frontier” and more “ongoing cosmic entanglement.”

Relational ontology: Space is not a blank canvas awaiting human inscription but a relational field in which matter, energy, and possibility align. To construe it as frontier is to shrink it into a backdrop for cowboy fantasies.

Parody punchline: If space were a final frontier, astronauts would carry six-shooters, black holes would be outlaw hideouts, and NASA would issue cowboy hats with every spacesuit.