Third spaces. What are they? Why do we need them? And why do we have far less than some decades ago?
I will answer all these questions in this article.
But first a disclaimer. The idea of third spaces is a bit of a controversy, as you can watch in this video by Radical Panning.
Nevertheless, I will use the term in this article because it describes the topic accurately.
What are third spaces
What is a third space? For a detailed definition, I suggest watching the video I posted. But in short, they are spaces that are neither home (first place) nor work/school (second place). So everything from a bar to a library or a park.
I will focus on third places that don’t demand you to consume anything. Yes, pubs and taverns were and are important places where people from the neighborhood come together. I am not against them. But I think even more necessary than them are places that can be used by everyone, no matter age or income, and without the social pressure to consume alcohol.
Is commuting a third space
If you don’t work at home, you may commute between home and work or school. Is this commute a third space? That depend? Cars are not a third place. Because you usually don’t have to interact with other people, which is a crucial element of a third space. You need to have the possibility to interact with others.
You may scream at other drivers, but that’s not what is meant with interacting. In fact, cars a one main reason why there are less third spaces than some decades ago, but more on that later.
Bikes are a bit more interactive, but also are no third place. Only if you commute via public transit or per foot, you are in a third space. Either in the vehicle or the street. The street as third space is an interesting topic, more on that later.
Why are there fewer third spaces
Why are there fewer third spaces? As always, there are multiple reasons. One of the major problems is that people live further away, they commute for longer and often live in suburbs built without any third places. With lower density, you have fewer third spaces.
Towns which had a lively Main Street or city center often don’t have that anymore. The shops are gone, because of the big box stores outside the town, and the streets where you met people walking, shopping or lingering are now occupied by cars.
In cities, the issue is not as big. But city streets are also no third space anymore, at least most of them. Now cars occupy the streets and make them a living hell.
You can see that, pedestrianized areas or even car less streets are far more vivid. If you can’t use the streets as pedestrian, shops will close because nobody can come to you or discover you randomly walking by. You also can’t meet strangers and neighbors on the street because there is no space apart from parking space.
Less green
Before cars, you met your neighbors on the street. Even if you didn’t talk to them, they weren’t strangers next door. Kids could play on the streets freely and meet other kids. Now they are caged away into playgrounds, where you even may have to drive to.
That’s also true for parks or other green spaces. There are far too little of them in cities because it is a waste of space, if you can’t earn a dime. Even if there is a park, you may not walk on the grass or loitering is forbidden.
It’s the economist, stupid
Why did this happen? Why are streets no lively public space anymore? Two main reasons that are inter-webbed: individualism and neoliberalism.
I found a good definition why this is so on Threads, a new third space, as I will describe later.
View on Threads
It translates roughly like this:
Conservatives have no relationship with public space because they think in terms of ownership. Something that belongs equally to all citizens does not fit into this worldview, which is why public space can never be a living space for them, but only a place for traffic, work and, at most, consumption. That’s why conservatives don’t understand something like Tempelhofer Feld (editorial note: a former airport transformed into a public park in Berlin). They would never think of lying down on the meadow, having a picnic or planting flowers.
This makes so much sense. If it doesn’t make money, it doesn’t exist to capitalists. And if it does exist, they kill it or make profit out of it.
In our actual system third spaces, where you do not consume anything, are unthinkable for economists and politicians.
Eating in a third space
For places like pubs or restaurants, they are only tolerated as third space as long as the guest consume. At best, you order something, eat it and go. Or even better, order it and take it home with you. Or best order it online and eat at home.
Fewer people dining in, means the spots need less space to rent. The rising costs of living are also a reason why there are less third spaces. People often can’t afford to live in dense locations with good infrastructure. So they have to live in the suburbs or the countryside, where they do not have any commodities. I even suggest, we all live in a hotel.
If there are any, it’s mostly big chains in big box stores on a stroad on your way home, where you can order via drive thru.
Internet as a third space
And of course, the internet is to blame. Not the web for itself because it is just a tool. How we use the tool is the problem, or how the big tech companies want us to use it.
The online experience is highly individualized. You do not see the same videos as your friends, read the same articles, listen to the same podcasts or watch the same ads or porn.
Even the online places where we should come together and meet new people, so called social media, is fitted perfectly for your interest. Either to stay in your bubble or even better to make you mad because rage is better for the retention rate and retention means money.
The internet can be a third space. Forums, online games and even social media can be places where to meet and interact with friends and strangers. For some people, like introverts or people who can’t easily leave their home or live in isolated places, it is a valid option. Maybe the only one they have.
But the internet can’t be the only third space available. Firstly because it can never replace meeting people IRL and secondly because nowadays, it is in the hand of a few corporations who define what the internet looks like for us.
Don’t believe in third spaces
Another third space that is not as relevant anymore, at least where I live, are religious spaces like churches, synagogues, or mosques. While I, personally, think it is a good thing that religion plays an increasingly smaller role in the everyday life, it is also a place less where you meet people.
In small towns or villages, the religious space often was the last space where people met. After the pub, the café and the general store have closed, it was the last remaining pillar of society. Now there is nothing left. You can throw a party in your house, but you won’t invite strangers.
How will the good system help third spaces
First, public space is valuable. Not in financial terms but in social terms. We can only have a working society if people know each other, if they can be in places without the pressure of consumption and that are accessible for everyone.
That means we have to design the public space for people, not for cars. They shouldn’t even be allowed in cities because they take away so much space, are loud and dirty and drive climate change.
The street is the best public space because it is right in front of your home. No need to drive anywhere, and you meet your neighbors. With more greenery and places to sit and play, it can be easily transformed from a graveyard of metal and concrete to a vivid place.
Parks should be a place where you can meet your friends and loiter. As we need much more green spaces in the cities to fight the hot summers, there should be a lot more parks in cities.
Of course, in some places you can’t meet outside because it is too hot or too cold or unpleasant. Community centers can be a valid option to meet people without consumption or libraries, but don’t be too loud.
Cafés, pubs, restaurants are also good options. If the housing prices are lower, then these spots can offer more space and have people sitting around for hours.
Lower costs of living people is also necessary to have a denser population, which is necessary for a good variety of different third spaces. To achieve this, housing may not be a private sector but a public service. I’ll write more on that in a future article.
In the few remaining small towns and villages, the religious spaces should be turned into public spaces, where people can meet or listen to lectures or experience art.
The internet shall become a proper third space. Not defined by algorithms or big tech companies, but being an open space where you can have a chat with a person on the other side of the world. Without paying money or selling your data.
Having good third spaces is a necessity for a working democratic and social system. Without them, people are far more endangered to being alone and to feeling forgotten.
It’s as important as having a place to live or to work. But in our current system they are often forgotten. Let’s change this.
My name is Ian DeBay.
I am the founder of iandebay.com. I am a content creator, blogger, podcast, YouTuber. This is my blog where I talk about system change, sustainability and other fun stuff.
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