What is a third place, and why has it practically disappeared?
In the 1980s, sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term “third place” to describe a physical location aside from your home or workplace that facilitates social interaction. One woman on TikTok, however, suggests that nowadays, this “place” is practically nonexistent.
Content creator Emily Ballesteros (@emilybruth) filmed a video discussing this sociological idea and how it evolved with the advent of the internet.
“Have you guys seen the videos about third places, where it’s like people used to have a place that wasn’t work or school and wasn’t home that they would go? Like a local bar, like a skate rink or a park or something like that,” she explains. “And how third places are disappearing and it’s being replaced with the internet basically, so the internet is the third place where people go and socialize, that’s not one of those two places.”
After chatting with “What the Fab” podcast host Elise Armitage, Emily says that she believes we now only have “one place.”
“Nowadays, it’s like we have one place because people are working from home, at home,” she suggests. “And if their third place is social media, then they’re just on their phone.
“When our lives feel that small, it can make us take things way too seriously.”
While acknowledging that she’s a homebody, Emily argues that the lack of a second or third place could result in people feeling an increased sense of pressure and dissatisfaction in their day-to-day lives.
“When our lives feel that small, it can make us take things way too seriously, whereas when we have a variety of enrichment, and we’re spending time in different spaces,” she says. “I think it makes us more leveled and have better perspective.”
In advocating for increased time spent in a physical third place, one teacher argues that we must also acknowledge the socioeconomic barriers many teenagers face in accessing them today, largely due to capitalism.
In early February, TikTok creator @theeldestgenz criticized a New York Times article about the correlation between smartphones and teenage mental health.
“We also have to think about what is the structure we are creating for them so that they are able to learn how to socialize and be social without being gate-kept.”
“I was talking to my parents literally yesterday about how I can justify spending over $125 a month on my gym membership because my gym is literally my only third space,” she explains. “Outside of work and home, there’s not really any other space where people just go to, like, hang out.”
Free, physical recreational spaces aren’t as easy to come by these days, which explains why more teens are relying on their smartphones for social engagement.
“For teenagers today, if you want to go to a place like Dave & Buster’s or whatever, you have to spend a minimum of $50 to $100,” she adds. “We also have to think about what is the structure we are creating for them so that they are able to learn how to socialize and be social without being gate-kept.”
@theeldestgenz isn’t alone in recognizing the privilege there is in having a physical third place. Rich Heyman, an American studies professor at the University of Texas in Austin, also believes that over time, “leisure became privatized.” Social media and smartphones, for both teenagers and adults, pose solutions to this alleged privatization.
“Now we have on-demand streaming and social media, which are further extensions of that fundamental shift,” Heyman tells The Atlantic.
As these two TikTok creators make apparent, while there’s no denying the benefit of having a third place, the truth of the matter is that accessing one — at least physically — is easier for some than others.
In The Know by Yahoo is now available on Apple News — follow us here!
The post What is a third place, and why has it practically disappeared? appeared first on In The Know.
More from In The Know:
TikTok users are revealing the ‘small gestures’ that aren’t small to them with this new trend
6 cute fleece jackets to bring with you everywhere this spring
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.