Sure, it’s not a physical space, but getting on voice with the gang serves a very similar social purpose compared to hanging out in a mall or at a park. Not gonna say it’s the best third space, just saying it is one.
I not against this definition and I definitely think that online spaces have been serving as third spaces for many in the last decades. But I want to point out one problem with this. An important element for third spaces is that they have to be free (or very close to be). Having a computer or similar, electricity and internet might seem small for many, but it’s not achievable for everyone. There is a barrier of entry, and we need to be conscious about it.
In Discord you also have to pay with your lack of privacy and your text and voice is used to train LLMs, so that is another very real cost.
Yeah. It is. I pretty much grew up on IRC myself…
It really is the space that me and a handful of friends have met in almost daily for nearly a decade.
Absolutely a third place.
That’s so fucking sad not as in pathetic but just the lack of intimacy just makes me sad.
You say this but I moved away from my friends 8 years ago and we still meet every week to play games together. Something I would not be able to do as easy without discord.
We also meet up a couple of times every year too :)
