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(This is my first blog entry, so please bear with me on the formatting.)
I'm 25. I know, I'm fuckin' older than maybe half of the users on this site.
But I'm old enough to remember that when I was a tween, I was broke, but still able to have fun.
And most of that was because of third spaces.
I remember being able to hang out and not having to pay for anything just to exist in that space. I remember not fussing over setting aside some money for an expensive cup of coffee just so I could see my friends. I live in a hot-ass country, so I don't have the luxury of just staying outside to hang out, when the deadly laser of a sun threatens to burn my skin off. My (now former) favorite mall removed their benches just because they didn't want anyone "loitering." Fuck the elderly or pregnant, I guess.
The government in my country is no better, either, with libraries being defunded, and everything else being privatized and for-profit (often due to corruption, but that's another can of worms).
I know it's cliché to say "I wish I was born in [insert decade here]" but I'd say actually being born in that era is more painful because you'd have to live with the memories of a better time.
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Skylar
I'm 27, but I can't really remember hanging out in third spaces very much. I've been pretty much a shut in my entire life. If I'm going to be honest, the Internet was actually my third space.
I didn't have a strong desire to play with friends irl, so I made friends on the computer and spent most of my time in digital worlds like club penguin, Toontown, and webkinz. I also spent a lot of time on a forum that no longer exists called the Sonic Speed Zone. I made a lot of friends there.
But just like real life third spaces, digital third spaces are disappearing too. Asides from like Roblox, I don't know what games kids can play now to get the same interactive experience our generation had with club penguin or similar games. Forums are basically gone and replaced by social media like Twitter and bluesky, but it's not the same. I think the sense of community on forums was stronger
I guess third spaces just aren't profitable enough to keep around. It's extremely depressing and I only see things improving if somebody with a lot of money brings third spaces back. Being stuck inside all day with nowhere to go is so unhealthy; I really hate it
Pexecru 🇧🇷
I'm a little bit younger than you (19) but i get what you're saying, our generation - our youth is pretty much toasted because everything is expensive and we can't afford much. There's not many good places go hang around anymore...
True! I feel bad for those experiencing their childhood right now.
by Anikacin; ; Report