Derek Thompson

Between the early 1900s and 1950, we built a ton of what the sociologist Eric Kleinberg calls social infrastructure. We built library branches and community centers and public pools, and we built places for people to spend time outside of their home and their work. In the last 50, 70 years, we haven't built nearly as much of this stuff.

Absolutely, yeah. Third space or third place is a term that some people have for the place that's not your home and the place that's not your work. And so it's a place that you choose to be with people you're not related to and you're not financially obligated to be around them by dint of the fact that that's where you get your W-2 from.

Absolutely, yeah. Third space or third place is a term that some people have for the place that's not your home and the place that's not your work. And so it's a place that you choose to be with people you're not related to and you're not financially obligated to be around them by dint of the fact that that's where you get your W-2 from.

Absolutely, yeah. Third space or third place is a term that some people have for the place that's not your home and the place that's not your work. And so it's a place that you choose to be with people you're not related to and you're not financially obligated to be around them by dint of the fact that that's where you get your W-2 from.

And so they're important because these places build community. The literal structures that house these third spaces seem to be in decline, and we've simply built less of them.

And so they're important because these places build community. The literal structures that house these third spaces seem to be in decline, and we've simply built less of them.

And so they're important because these places build community. The literal structures that house these third spaces seem to be in decline, and we've simply built less of them.

Kleinenberg was in Chicago at one point reporting for one of his books called Palaces for the People, and he was talking to a community leader in Chicago about the fact that more young men seem to spend time at home, whether it's playing video games or looking at their phones. We're working out. But he said, you're right. They're working out. They're lifting weights. They're playing video games.

Kleinenberg was in Chicago at one point reporting for one of his books called Palaces for the People, and he was talking to a community leader in Chicago about the fact that more young men seem to spend time at home, whether it's playing video games or looking at their phones. We're working out. But he said, you're right. They're working out. They're lifting weights. They're playing video games.

Kleinenberg was in Chicago at one point reporting for one of his books called Palaces for the People, and he was talking to a community leader in Chicago about the fact that more young men seem to spend time at home, whether it's playing video games or looking at their phones. We're working out. But he said, you're right. They're working out. They're lifting weights. They're playing video games.

They're looking into their phone. They're not spending time outside of their home. And a community leader said, you can blame the phones if you want to, but it's just as much about the fact that look around. Where would they spend time? The social infrastructure is dilapidated compared to where it was 50 or 70 years ago.

They're looking into their phone. They're not spending time outside of their home. And a community leader said, you can blame the phones if you want to, but it's just as much about the fact that look around. Where would they spend time? The social infrastructure is dilapidated compared to where it was 50 or 70 years ago.

They're looking into their phone. They're not spending time outside of their home. And a community leader said, you can blame the phones if you want to, but it's just as much about the fact that look around. Where would they spend time? The social infrastructure is dilapidated compared to where it was 50 or 70 years ago.

There's been very little ingenuity spent on building out the external world of social infrastructure. Whereas there's been an enormous amount of ingenuity spent on making our phones more compelling for us to spend time alone on our couches.

There's been very little ingenuity spent on building out the external world of social infrastructure. Whereas there's been an enormous amount of ingenuity spent on making our phones more compelling for us to spend time alone on our couches.

There's been very little ingenuity spent on building out the external world of social infrastructure. Whereas there's been an enormous amount of ingenuity spent on making our phones more compelling for us to spend time alone on our couches.

Something very interesting and troubling is happening for men, that's for sure. Whether it's related to the incel meme or the incel news peg that exists out there, I'm less certain of. But what's very clear in the data is that alone time has increased most for young, single, less educated men.

Something very interesting and troubling is happening for men, that's for sure. Whether it's related to the incel meme or the incel news peg that exists out there, I'm less certain of. But what's very clear in the data is that alone time has increased most for young, single, less educated men.

Something very interesting and troubling is happening for men, that's for sure. Whether it's related to the incel meme or the incel news peg that exists out there, I'm less certain of. But what's very clear in the data is that alone time has increased most for young, single, less educated men.

And there's further research that looks at all leisure time and breaks it out into a bunch of different categories with a bunch of different labels. And basically the exercise is about... How much time do people spend in sedentary leisure, watching television, versus active leisure, say working out or playing a sport?