"For decades, sociologist Ray Oldenburg argued that healthy societies depend on "third places," informal public gathering spaces outside home and work where people interact regularly and build relationships. (Think: neighborhood bars, bowling leagues, churches, hobby groups, volunteer organizations.)"
""Third places" are places where we can connect with others that isn't our home (our first place) or our workplace (our second place). A "third place" is where we once bumped into people over and over again until they turned into real friends in places like bars, clubhouses, or church."
"But what if we are asking the wrong question? Instead of asking why individuals feel lonely, maybe we should be asking where the infrastructure for belonging went."
The U.S. Surgeon General has declared loneliness a public health crisis linked to depression, cardiovascular disease, and increased mortality. While mainstream advice frames loneliness as a personal problem requiring individual solutions, the root cause lies in the decline of social infrastructure. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg's concept of "third places"—informal public gathering spaces outside home and work like bars, churches, and hobby groups—historically enabled repeated face-to-face interaction that built genuine friendships. These spaces have declined significantly as fewer Americans participate in civic and community organizations. Close friendships require repeated, intentional in-person contact rather than mere intention. Some marginalized communities continue preserving traditional social spaces that mainstream society has lost, suggesting alternative models for rebuilding belonging.
Read at Psychology Today
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