Third spaces, a concept referring to environments outside of home and work where people gather for social interaction, have become increasingly prominent in the 21st century, particularly with the rise of technology and social media. These spaces provide comfort for informal social interactions and allow for a place to spend one's time apart from work, school, and home. Examples of physical third spaces include cafés, libraries, and parks, while digital third spaces take the form of social media groups, subreddits, and even discord servers.
It is common that older generations find community in physical third spaces, such as diners and parks, which emphasize sensory engagements and face to face connection with others. A large part of why older generations emphasize maintaining this physical third connection in their daily lives comes from the childhoods they lived — without much technology and digitalization. However this sensory experience is not restricted to the older generation, in fact, it is common in big cities to find third spaces hidden in nooks and crannies, packed with mingling and social enthusiasts. Envision a Saturday morning, walking into your favorite bagel place packed with regulars and new-comers, coffee steaming and people chatting. Even if it is a space where you spend a few minutes or a few hours, third spaces allow opportunities for gatherings for all echelons of society.
Similarly, with the increased popularity of social media and the internet, digital spaces have become fully integrated into the culture of third spaces. Merging into the scene of physical spaces in the early 00’s and 10’s, games like Club Penguin and Minecraft attracted younger generations leading to the creation of forums and online groups. These virtual groups expanded and now coexist with (and even dominate) the scene of third spaces, with many younger people finding comfort in these digital spaces.
Alongside online forums and gaming communities, group chats and social media can be used as digital third spaces, even movements that cultivate a sense of community. For example, “Stick Nation” is an online community of nearly 3 million people on instagram. This community of "Stickheads" is worldwide, with posts utilizing the communities’ own lexicon as well as several notable celebrity adherents, like Lin-Manuel Miranda and Dermot Mulroney.
In a work environment, there are emerging companies that juxtapose the traditional idea of a mundane second space. Reading Terminal Market and WeWork serve as vibrant third places that promote social interaction, support local businesses, and enhance community well-being. This is all in an attempt to blend the work environment with social life and third spaces.
An article from the University of College London’s Magazine states that the digital third space is the largest of them all, and is a multigenerational space, where adults and children exist together, and the boundaries are limitless. However, with this freedom comes subsequent issues, including echo chambers and biases. Also, in a young generation overexposed to media, screen fatigue and a lack of connection with the real world poses threats in this digital age of third spaces. Studies even show that excessive screen time and media multitasking can negatively affect executive functioning and sensorimotor development. Specifically among younger media consumers, overuse of screen time has also shown lower cognitive ability in the classroom. Therefore, it is important to know and understand boundaries when it comes to creating a comfortable but also healthy digital third space. All in all, this digitalization has pushed the boundaries of what society classifies as a third space, but ultimately is an adaptation that mimics multigenerational shifts and shows changes from physical mediums to digital engagement.
As a reaction against digital life, a small teenage group from Brooklyn was formed in 2022 called The Luddite Club, with the goal of absolutely rejecting social media and large technological agendas from their lives. These teenagers prioritized physical connection and tech-free hangouts, using flip phones to communicate and painting on logs in the park while engaging in deep conversation. In a recent article from the New York Times, Luddite member Ms. Lane says “This phone allows for what I’d call a ‘neo-Luddite’ lifestyle…But I think the dream for me is to be unreachable one day. To have no phone at all.” Evidently, it is hard to live a life without technology, especially in 2025, but centering the importance of life around human connections as opposed to technology and social media, in the case of the Luddites, creates better well-being and overall happiness. Not only this group, but all teenagers and generations following or maintaining the agenda of physical third spaces highlights a desire for slower, more intentional third spaces that focus on humaneness and altruism.
To sum up, physical third spaces generate value in their authenticity, emotional connection, and sensory experience. But in a way, online third spaces can compete with these physical mediums, especially amongst the younger generations, in terms of accessibility and digital freedom. It is important to accept balance in the idea of third spaces and acknowledge that especially in a digitalized age, both can coexist.
Students and communities might redefine or reclaim third spaces in a digital age by creating clubs at school, like the Luddite Club, or encouraging a physical hangout at a park or social setting. So, in the coming warm months, how might you take advantage of these third spaces in your social circles to find connection and comfort?