Drugie życie trzecich miejsc
Second Life of Third Places

Summary/Abstract: One of the main characteristics of Oldenburg’s concept of Third Places is the condition of being a neutral space, friendly to everyone regardless of social status, age or gender. The concept, in its intended course, enables social activities that go beyond easily available cognitive prescriptions. Consequently, Third Places seem to play an important role in the process of formation of communities. They can be perceived as „places in between”; on the borderline of domestic intimacy and the imposed sterility of the workplace. There is an atmosphere of „freedom from” socialization and „freedom to” engage in relations with „familiar strangers” (Milgram, 1977). This essay aims to demonstrate the possibility of existence the virtual third places and present the argument that the way in which such social spaces develop and operate is a key factor in the implementation and functioning of virtual urban spaces. Self-determined social world Second Life will serve as an example.

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