A second space is where you spend most of your time that is not at home, like work or school.
A third space is everything else. Shops, restaurants, parks, etc.
The issue that young people are facing is that there isn’t really anywhere they can exist that isnt at home or school. Communal spaces where young people are allowed to spend time, especially places where there isnt an expectation to spend money constantly have been eroding away over the past 30 years.
It’s not a coincidence why most pre-2000 teenager-focused media has the mall as a main setting
Thanks for the explanation. Is a second space a space you’re obligated to be, like work/school, or just anywhere you spend most of your time regardless?
in sociology it’s home = first place, and workplace = second place, but Ray Oldenburg calls second place anywhere you spend most of the time when you’re awake
Growing up during the Starbucks boom, coffee shops were absolutely a place to hang out after school. There was probably one a short walk or drive from school, and for less than $5 you could grab a sugary drink or a pastry and hang out in a comfortable indoor space with a few friends. Heck, one of your friends probably worked there. It worked great for high schoolers because there wasn’t any alcohol (so minors could be there), you didn’t have to be as quiet as a library, and you could head there regardless of the weather. COVID has probably changed a lot of that as coffee shops focus more on drive throughs and mobile orders, not to mention inflation.
yea, that’s pretty much it. third spaces include stuff like bars, public libraries, parks, public squares… basically, places where you can socialize outside of work.
they still exist, obviously, but many of them have disappeared over the years, especially the ones that don’t expect you to pay. it’s even worse in suburbs, especially car-dependent suburbs, because those are zoned as housing only (so no libraries, bars, sometimes not even a park), and if you’re a kid you can’t drive to a city, so outside of school (and maybe extracurricular activities, if your parents can afford those), you’re stuck at home where the only place you can socialize is the internet.
Which means what?
A first space refers to the place you live.
A second space is where you spend most of your time that is not at home, like work or school.
A third space is everything else. Shops, restaurants, parks, etc.
The issue that young people are facing is that there isn’t really anywhere they can exist that isnt at home or school. Communal spaces where young people are allowed to spend time, especially places where there isnt an expectation to spend money constantly have been eroding away over the past 30 years.
It’s not a coincidence why most pre-2000 teenager-focused media has the mall as a main setting
The not spending money part is soo key. We should not have to spend money every time we leave our homes.
Thanks for the explanation. Is a second space a space you’re obligated to be, like work/school, or just anywhere you spend most of your time regardless?
in sociology it’s home = first place, and workplace = second place, but Ray Oldenburg calls second place anywhere you spend most of the time when you’re awake
Thank you for that detail
Parks, libraries, community centers, free museums, beaches, etc.
A lot of those places ban unaccompanied minors.
Exactly the problem.
Best we can do are Discord servers
I’m guessing home is first space, work/school is second. Anywhere else is third?
Yeah, but a good third space doesn’t expect you to spend money. And obvs still allows you to be there.
It can certainly offer you the opportunity to spend money, but it doesn’t have to make money from every person.
Card shops are sometimes an example. Church. Coffee shops (but who hangs out there?)
Walkable villages would help a lot. Car brain is hurting our kids and teenagers.
Growing up during the Starbucks boom, coffee shops were absolutely a place to hang out after school. There was probably one a short walk or drive from school, and for less than $5 you could grab a sugary drink or a pastry and hang out in a comfortable indoor space with a few friends. Heck, one of your friends probably worked there. It worked great for high schoolers because there wasn’t any alcohol (so minors could be there), you didn’t have to be as quiet as a library, and you could head there regardless of the weather. COVID has probably changed a lot of that as coffee shops focus more on drive throughs and mobile orders, not to mention inflation.
I honestly hadn’t thought about card shops as third spaces, but they absolutely can be. Also libraries, book stores, etc.
yea, that’s pretty much it. third spaces include stuff like bars, public libraries, parks, public squares… basically, places where you can socialize outside of work.
they still exist, obviously, but many of them have disappeared over the years, especially the ones that don’t expect you to pay. it’s even worse in suburbs, especially car-dependent suburbs, because those are zoned as housing only (so no libraries, bars, sometimes not even a park), and if you’re a kid you can’t drive to a city, so outside of school (and maybe extracurricular activities, if your parents can afford those), you’re stuck at home where the only place you can socialize is the internet.