Picture a locally owned coffee shop on Hempstead Turnpike. There is a group of people laughing in one corner, and the barista is discussing last night’s hockey game with a customer. Imagine someone new walking in, grabbing a cup of coffee to go and leaving without saying a “how are you?” This coffee shop could have been a “third place” for them, instead, their behavior is an exact example of why Generation Z lacks third spaces; they are not engaging with them.
According to @ssummarymagazine on TikTok, a “third place” or “third space” is defined as a place that is neither work or home. This definition, however, ignores central components outlined by the term’s creator, sociologist Ray Oldenburg. According to him, characteristics that define a third place are wide accessibility, playfulness, comfort, no social hierarchies, conversation as the main activity and welcoming of regulars and newcomers. This definition presents third spaces as a series of actions, not establishments.
According to the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), third spaces are vital to civic engagement because creating closeness among neighbors of different walks of life reduces polarization and leads to participation in democracy. They give people connection and foster a sense of community, according to the blog, Verywell Mind.
TikTok content creator @Cosactz’s reasoning for why there are fewer third spaces than ever echoes Gen Z’s sentiment: traditional third spaces are no longer free. Other common reasons are that independent establishments got absorbed by chains and that car-focused suburbs do not provide an adequate platform for third spaces, according to AEI.
I do not doubt these are true, but these reasons neglect a swath of free community places that already exist. Libraries hold free events and weekly meetings, making them the perfect candidate for third spaces. Volunteer organizations like soup kitchens, food pantries and animal shelters, accept volunteers every week or every day. Parks, front lawns and living rooms are ideal places to have consistent meetings with other people. Outside of the brick-and-mortar establishments, apps like Nextdoor and Facebook have digital neighborhood meeting groups that become weekly book clubs or gardening sessions. Inexpensive options like the YMCA, bookstores and local cafés can serve as third spaces as well. Third spaces are all around us.
So, if third spaces do exist in some sort of abundance, what is the problem? I would argue that it’s the lack of “third spacers.” My definition of this term is “someone who can successfully create and participate in third spaces.” They are accepting, willing to talk to strangers and able to contribute to the community. Gen Z generally lacks the latter two traits. It is not their fault, as social media and COVID-19 have rotted Gen Z’s communication skills, but people being able to develop third-spacer characteristics is essential to successful third spaces.
One cannot walk into a third space and expect to immediately reap its benefits without embedding themselves into its community first. They must put themselves out there and engage with people.
The rise of put-yourself-first culture on TikTok values independence over inconvenience. Putting oneself first is perfectly healthy, but when does it come at a cost to the communities that a person wants to be a part of? Joining a third space means occasionally doing things purely for the benefit of continuing the third space. For example, they can donate to or purchase goods from this third space to help keep its doors open. Expecting a third place to be inexpensive is in-line with the characteristic of accessibility, but expecting all third spaces to be free is unrealistic.
Third spacers can also create new third spaces. TikTok creator @bee_lovlii hosts “coffee shop hours” in her house every Monday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. She invites her friends to hang out, make crafts or do work. The best thing about third spaces is that they are just a set of principles, so anyone willing to exercise those principles with a group of others can create a third space.
