We (including you!) are the Third Place Society.
We recognize the importance of free third places, pledge to advocate for their presence and expansion, and stand against the profit-driven motives that threaten their existence.
Let's get started!
What is a Third Place?
The “third place” is a social concept which defines public places where people mingle and spend time together. A person’s “first place” is their home, their “second place” is where they work, and their “third place” is anywhere they spend free time in the presence of other people—a third place could be a cafe, a bookstore, an arcade, or any other public space. Third places carry a very important role in society:
☞ They allow people to meet, communicate, collaborate, and form relationships with one another
☞ They bridge gaps between different people, helping to form solidarity
☞ They provide a place to exist temporarily outside the demands of the working world
Third places like the ones listed above are plentiful in our society, but most which are hospitable at all times of the year (including necessary facilities like bathrooms and temperature control) have one thing in common: they require the purchase of a service or object to use. Since money is a finite resource, many people are effectively barred from these third places, and so miss out on the benefits they provide. It’s therefore necessary to specifically identify Free Third Places—humane spaces which do not cost money to enter, use, and exist within.
Who do Free Third Places benefit?
Nearly everyone in society stands to gain from the existence of Free Third Places.
Hover over each person to find out who benefits and how!
Working Adults
Many social spaces available to adults after work are linked with drinking alcohol. While drinking is totally fine in controlled amounts, it can be detrimental and habit-forming for some people over time. Those going out for social reasons who wouldn't otherwise want to drink (or are medically unable to drink) may feel obligated or pressured to do so due to the transactional nature of the space. This also holds true for venues encouraging gambling or smoking.
Free third places provide somewhere for workers to spend time without the pressure or requirement to take part in potentially habit-forming activities.
Why aren’t there more of them?
Corporations (which own much of our land) know the societal value of third places, and see an opportunity for profit by controlling their supply. Gating these necessary spaces behind purchases is in the corporations’ best interest; conversely, it doesn’t help their bottom line in the short term to provide services to society for free. In this way, we find ourselves surrounded by privately-owned spaces which, while seeming welcoming, are governed by company rules and only available to those
who can afford them.
Corporate-controlled spaces are often designed to move people through them as quickly as possible. What resting places do exist are tied to specific stores and properties, unusable only by paying customers.
As the Third Place Society, we believe that everyone deserves access to useful space. Join us in advocating for
Free Third Places in your area!
