Third Places: Then, Now, and Gone
Bruno Montenegro
Lately, I’ve been thinking back to my younger days when my friends and I instinctively gathered at a park or a friend’s house. I was eleven then, still a few years away from the crippling self-doubt that would later make me question every word I spoke and every expression I made. Looking back, I realize the importance of those carefree conversations—how naturally human it is to be social. Third places have always been vital for social interaction, and their decline is harming both mental and physical health by promoting loneliness. As digital spaces replace in-person gatherings, we all lose. Businesses now prioritize efficiency and profit over community, while popular sitcoms tease us with romanticized versions of a bygone, community-oriented business model.
Getty Museum, 2023. | Bruno Montenegro
Now, I do enjoy an excessive amount of social isolation, but those fleeting moments of what I consider peace are quickly disrupted. An episode; I swipe my arms across the desk scuffing my walls with the randomness tossed. This is only the beginning of my awareness that spawns in a fully focused mind, and I beg to see my friends. Social disconnection is not just an emotional struggle; it is a public health crisis. According to Professor Michele Kroll from the University of New Hampshire, prolonged isolation is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. These people also tend to exercise less and sleep poorly, raising the risk of strokes, heart disease, mental health issues, and early death. No one is telling you to start smoking, but it’s important to understand the cost-benefit relationship. Imagine the social benefits of being a casual, in-group smoker. Effectively, since isolating is worse than cigarettes, you live longer by socially smoking! You’re welcome.
Historically, third places have been crucial in fostering human connection and supporting mental well-being. Third places provide opportunities for organic interactions, where people can engage in an unstructured social space without the obligations of work or home life. As psychologist Abraham Maslow emphasized, "...feeling part of a group larger than oneself... is an essential component in the self-actualization process." We are social creatures and being acknowledged as a self-aware individual is also an important part of personal development. I realized this during one of my self-imposed isolation binges, watching every interaction in Friends and That ‘70s Show—I need my own space. A coffee shop, a basement—anything. These community-oriented spaces build social resilience, develop support systems, and reinforce a sense of identity. Beyond simple enjoyment, research shows that these interactions are linked to many health benefits too. According to The Connection Prescription, "...not only can group membership be a significant preventive factor in developing depression, but it can also be important in attenuating depression symptoms in individuals who are diagnosed with depression." Despite these benefits, third places are disappearing, replaced by spaces that value efficiency over connection. This raises a key question: what happens when we lose these informal but important gathering spots? Well, we already did, kind of.
Gouache by Louis Wain, 1925/1939.
Third places were replaced at large by a culture that prioritizes efficiency, profit, and digital engagement over face-to-face connection. Prior to this focus, business relied on customer retention and encouraged people to linger and loiter/socialize. As a result of the new standard, turnover is optimized, paired with limited seating to keep the outing small and quick. In turn, this keeps us unorganized and dedicated to finding a fix online. The internet is a wonderful thing, yet even Ted Kaczynski saw through the illusion of connection it creates—and so do I. Kaczynski argues that the lack of depth in social media and the internet at large will result in humanity forgetting how to think for itself.
The Miami Beach EDITION, 2020. | Bruno Montenegro
Social media strips the human element from genuine interactions while marketing itself as the solution to disappearing third places. As we continue, our nostalgia for a comfy couch in a coffee shop, or smoking cigarettes in a basement, will mean nothing to anyone.
While the disappearance of third places has contributed to social isolation, there is still hope in re-establishing community spaces and prioritizing real-world connection. Third places still exist everywhere, although now they are at a smaller scale, the human urge to socialize remains. Be willing to support small businesses, attend community events, and create spaces that encourage conversation. Slowly, as people find themselves from within, they will find the courage to express themselves. Someone just needs to be there for the next person.
Hard Rock Stadium, 2021. | Bruno Montenegro
Strike Out,
Bruno Montenegro
Bruno Montenegro recently earned his degree in English Literature from Florida International University and is considering an advanced degree in creative writing, mainly to pass the time between interesting U.S. presidencies. Bruno’s writing explores his observations of exiles, amplifying voices often lost in a world that moves past them as they cling to memories of home. Currently, he keeps busy editing for Strike Magazine Miami and working the overnight front desk shift at a hotel, where he gets plenty of time to read, write, and observe. When he’s not at his desk, he practices time exercises on bass so that his friends can have better jam sessions, and sometimes, he impresses them.
