The third place in sociology refers to the environment that is separate from the usual two social environments, namely the home (“first place”) or the workplace (“second Place”).
Churches, cafes and libraries have been the third places to meet others. With others.
They provide a public space away from home and work where people can gather to share stories and laughs. These places can lead to serendipitous meetings between couples, business partners and long-term friends. They are both comforting and exciting.
Third places have been a cornerstone of communities for thousands of years. From bathhouses and forums in ancient Rome to speakeasies during the Prohibition era in the United States, they are the foundations of our societies.
Then Covid-19 came along.
Covid has (at least temporary) displaced both the second and third place. You may have had to deal with business closures and travel restrictions in your area, or a million Zoom calls made from the living room table. Local watering holes closed and church doors were shut. Everyone lived in their own digital bubble.
As we entered the post-pandemic era, our society underwent a paradigm change. While the businesses were reopened, and travel restrictions lifted, no really wished to return to work. No one was forced to return to work. The workers were in a strong position, they had become accustomed to working at home and had no intention of changing their sweatpants into slacks.
Remote work remained, but “work-from home” became “work anywhere” when travel restrictions were removed. Digital nomads are booking Airbnbs for months to work from dream destinations.
Travel was once confined to weekends, 2-4 weeks paid vacation and rare breaks between jobs. Now, it could be a constant part of the life of a white collar worker.
You want to spend a few days with friends in Denver? Fly out with your laptop for a whole week. You’re planning a lake trip with your friends but have no vacation days left? Make sure the lake house you choose has WiFi, and then do what you want.
The “digital nomad lifestyle” has been a fringe phenomenon of the internet over the past 20-years, but the work-from home revolution made it a reality for the wider labor force.
While I was still working as a financial consultant, I would visit friends in DC and NYC for weeks on end without taking any vacation days. When I traveled last year, I met dozens of people who were working from home around the world.
Last summer, I met Mike Slavei at a hostel located in Lagos, Portugal. He was living and working in Lisbon in an Airbnb. Perry, my roommate in Budapest’s hostel, was working odd hours for a tech company from the west coast. He would be taking Zoom calls at 10 PM in the corner lobby before going on a pub crawl with me. Buenos Aires is a popular destination for remote workers based in the US, thanks to its convenient time zone and low cost of living.
With a WiFi connection and a passport, anyone can work anywhere in the world. What a crazy idea!
You would think that, now free of both the Covid limitations of 2020, and the shackles and restrictions of cubicles and traffic, which were the previous norm, workers, particularly those without children in school, would fully take advantage of the global opportunities provided by the normalization and acceptance of working from home.
I thought about it. Around February this year I thought, “Man, this travel lifestyle would be great for a couple of years.” “
I had no dependents, no responsibilities. Cheap flight to Australia Why not kick it with kangaroos in Australia for a couple of months? The weather is turning colder in the US. Consider a trip to Colombia or Peru. You want to visit 20 countries in just three months? Eurail is an attractive pass.
This idea of non-stop adventure is appealing. The idea that you will never be “settled down” and can turn every moment of your day into a new adventure is intriguing. It *could* become a reality for those who work remotely.
The vagabonding life comes at a price: You sacrifice a feeling of community in favor of an adventure.
Do not get me wrong. There are few things more enjoyable than sharing stories with strangers on a foreign shore, and there are even fewer experiences sweeter than when a travel companion becomes a friend for life.
These joys can quickly become stale when the life of an exchange of superficial introductions becomes a Groundhog Day, week after week and city after city. It’s a constant state of goodbyes and hellos. This is the equivalent of having a constant cycle of one-night stands as the basis of all romantic relationships. Volume may be high but depth is not.
After a year living in Covid, I (and many others) wanted to see the world. Our freedom and travel ability were taken away from us, so it was only logical to go after what we had lost.
We missed more than just the right to travel. We also missed the right to gather 10 minutes away from home. We missed the “third places.”
Ever since I moved to New York City, I’ve realized how important it is to have a strong community.
New York allowed me to meet interesting people in the media and finance fields. You can do remote work or use Zoom, but it won’t replace the chemistry you build by spending time with people in person. Personal, I’ve swapped making new friends each week for building stronger relationships.
It’s not only the vagabonds from around the world who get tired of traveling for the sake of it. It’s not just the international vagabonds who get tired of traveling for the sake of it.
Community matters.
The “idea’ of permanent remote working is intoxicating. It is a great advantage to be able to work anywhere and at any time. We are social animals who want to belong to a tribe. The pandemic has shown us how important it is.
