Comments on: Community needs third places http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/community-needs-third-places/ Semiosis Communications: Sustainable marketing for people, planet, and prosperity Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:45:24 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Mike http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/community-needs-third-places/comment-page-1/#comment-319 Mike Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:17:09 +0000 http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/blog/?p=761#comment-319 Not only is the development of a sense of community important to the creation of “sustainable marketing”, but it’s also critical to development of “sustainable community development.” Last summer, while studying the decline in social capital in rural communities, I stumbled across Ray Oldenburg’s seminal work The Great Good Place. As he described the decline in third places in communities across the US, I came to realize how devastating this trend had been to rural communities. As the number of places for people to meet and get to know each other declines, rural residents tend to trust each other less. And the more people distrust each other, the more the community is fragmented, making it more difficult for positive change to occur. In other words, if we want “sustainable community development” we need third places in our communities. Not only is the development of a sense of community important to the creation of “sustainable marketing”, but it’s also critical to development of “sustainable community development.”

Last summer, while studying the decline in social capital in rural communities, I stumbled across Ray Oldenburg’s seminal work The Great Good Place. As he described the decline in third places in communities across the US, I came to realize how devastating this trend had been to rural communities.

As the number of places for people to meet and get to know each other declines, rural residents tend to trust each other less. And the more people distrust each other, the more the community is fragmented, making it more difficult for positive change to occur.

In other words, if we want “sustainable community development” we need third places in our communities.

]]> By: Lindsay Sauve http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/community-needs-third-places/comment-page-1/#comment-230 Lindsay Sauve Wed, 10 Dec 2008 03:52:10 +0000 http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/blog/?p=761#comment-230 Another iconic Portland "third place" is Lair Hill Cafe on SW First. Naturopathic students, neighborhood regulars, employees of nearby offices make a third home at Lair Hill. Two dollar corkage fee (at least when I last imbibed) for their retail bottles make it the best happy hour (or any hour, for that matter) in town. These places are what help people to feel more human amongst the bustle. Another iconic Portland “third place” is Lair Hill Cafe on SW First. Naturopathic students, neighborhood regulars, employees of nearby offices make a third home at Lair Hill. Two dollar corkage fee (at least when I last imbibed) for their retail bottles make it the best happy hour (or any hour, for that matter) in town. These places are what help people to feel more human amongst the bustle.

]]>