The lack of Third Spaces (Hailey Hill)

     After going to the Garden Atrium's little village and having discussions with Dr. Rose and Ms. Duncan, who fostered the project, Dr. Rose brought up the idea that there is less community because of cul-de-sacs. The lack of sidewalks prevents to formation of a community and collectiveness. I'd like to take it a step further and discuss how, especially in my generation, there is a lack of third spaces for kids, teenagers, and even adults. Think about it, when you were a teenager, what did you do for fun? Go to the library, the mall with friends, or go to the park, etc. Now we are seeing a decline in these locations--maybe from Covid-19 or maybe that's just the way the cookie crumbles. In my hometown, King William County, the middle of butt-fuck nowhere, the only things to do as a kid were to go to the library or our local park. The closest Walmart is 20 minutes away, to put it into perspective. Now, my county just passed a bill to remove funding to the local library, i.e., remove the library altogether. The library not only provided a source of community, but it was also somewhere kids could go after school to do assignments if they didn't have internet at home. The library used to host events for kids and youth to bring together our already small town. It's almost like my county fears the idea of togetherness and the idea of educated children because it relies on the backs of the uneducated working-class, but I'm getting too political. 

    Think about it from the perspective of teenagers and young adults. Where can teens go to hang out? The mall? Most are run down or getting demolished and shut down. If you're in college, you rely on clubs and organizations to make friends and suck (school-funded, typically). Outside of academics, do we see this in today's society? The park in my county isn't even well-kept, the paths are overgrown, and people fish in the creek when they're not supposed to. There are no third spaces for the youth, and it's forcing people and communities apart. People over 21 have bars, I guess. Most common third spaces like cafes, bookstores, shops, and things similar are getting replaced more and more by giant corporations: Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, Target, etc. The rise of capitalism in this economy and the money-hungry fucks that continue to push this faster and more efficient world to keep making the rich richer and the poor poorer aren't just affecting you and me on an economic level, but on a social level. With politics in this current climate, we see less community and a divide between people, and with the way things are going, there is little hope of it being fixed anytime soon. 

    I would loop this back to the environment, but I'm already getting too heated. Capitalism will be the downfall of not only the environment, but also the need for community. 

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