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Didn’t WFH mean that many people lost their second place?

I remember reading about the third place many years ago, but that idea requires a second place!




"Third Space" - I admit, I should have capitalized it, since it's a proper noun. Third Space is a term coined to mean "not work nor home" and it was constructed during a time when WFH wasn't much of a thing. I use it because the term has a meaning that I intend to convey, not necessarily because it is a person's 'third main space' anymore.

It was the place people gathered. Church, the bar, local park, etc.


I'm familiar with what a "third place" is ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_place

I'm just remarking that the role of the second place -- the office -- has also been diminished

Obviously you don't literally need the "second place" to have the "third place" -- but my point was that in-person interaction has been reduced even further, compared to the 1990's

Probably in 1990, few people would have predicted that the second place would also go away, at least for some affluent part of the population


When I read what you said, I processed it as needless pedantry, implying the "not work and home" should be called the Second Place now, throwing away the historical term and its meaning. If that's not the case, I apologize!

edit: as either needless pedantry, or an unfamiliarity with the Third [Sp/Pl]ace.


Good riddance. As someone who still had third and even fourth places now I can focus on those.


Home. Work. And your third place.




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