[Isn't it odd that the norm now is to address strangers online by their first name -- which seems uncomfortably too forward -- yet the idea of addressing you as "Mr. Cebalo" seems uncomfortably too formal?]
I enjoyed reading your March 29 article at Palladium Magazine entitled "Midcentury Planners Demolished America’s Social Fabric."
[One of the posters over at the Ace of Spades HQ blog (https://ace.mu.nu/) linked to it recently.]
Near the end of that essay you discuss the idea of “third places:” those areas of socialization that can be counted as neither school nor work. Having been born in the early 1960's, I can certainly relate to having experienced, witnessed, & lamented the loss of such interactions over the past 60 years. I would humbly suggest that it's no coincidence that the rapid decline in perhaps what was once the most dominant area of "third place" socialization in America -- religion via neighborhood & community churches -- correlates to, if not has been a primary cause of, the rapid decline (in a whole host of areas from morality to education to happiness) of Western Civilization in general and the U.S.A. in particular.
Churches are certainly one of the leading "third places" and historically they've provided for other areas of community life: recreational centers, the practice of the arts, youth summer camps, and so on. But secular life itself did not need to be as empty as it is now. At one time, liberalism prided itself on producing a "civic ethic" and openly promoted community life as part of its national program. This was a core feature of European liberalism in the early 1900s, for example. However, I think later postwar planners in the United States gave up on this idea entirely, instead opting for an approach that simply let the market mediate all social relations, leaving the rest to erode and fall as it may. At the time, it made sense to them because the prerogatives were easy to implement, but living in their designs today some 60 years later reveals how misguided it was.
So not only has church as a third place declined, like you said, but so have all the other areas that would qualify as third places - leaving us with a severely diminished social fabric. And I would say this reality is reflected in the incompetent state of our political class today... but that's another topic entirely!
I have written something else that very much relates to what you said. I suggest checking out my other piece on the ongoing "social recession," where I explore many of the metrics of declining sociability in the United States. I think you'd be interested in reading it!
I support this move! I also feel like the weekly commentary theme has become somewhat congested. However, a monthly review "dump" will be welcomed, just to see which way you are looking at ;)
More so his book than his Substack at the moment, he just got off a book tour and is in a fallow phase at the moment but I’ve really been enjoying the stuff that he does send out. And his book is worldview-shifting. At least it was for me.
Hello Anton,
[Isn't it odd that the norm now is to address strangers online by their first name -- which seems uncomfortably too forward -- yet the idea of addressing you as "Mr. Cebalo" seems uncomfortably too formal?]
I enjoyed reading your March 29 article at Palladium Magazine entitled "Midcentury Planners Demolished America’s Social Fabric."
https://www.palladiummag.com/2023/03/29/midcentury-planners-demolished-americas-social-fabric
[One of the posters over at the Ace of Spades HQ blog (https://ace.mu.nu/) linked to it recently.]
Near the end of that essay you discuss the idea of “third places:” those areas of socialization that can be counted as neither school nor work. Having been born in the early 1960's, I can certainly relate to having experienced, witnessed, & lamented the loss of such interactions over the past 60 years. I would humbly suggest that it's no coincidence that the rapid decline in perhaps what was once the most dominant area of "third place" socialization in America -- religion via neighborhood & community churches -- correlates to, if not has been a primary cause of, the rapid decline (in a whole host of areas from morality to education to happiness) of Western Civilization in general and the U.S.A. in particular.
Cheers!
Haha Anton is fine, thanks for the comment!
Churches are certainly one of the leading "third places" and historically they've provided for other areas of community life: recreational centers, the practice of the arts, youth summer camps, and so on. But secular life itself did not need to be as empty as it is now. At one time, liberalism prided itself on producing a "civic ethic" and openly promoted community life as part of its national program. This was a core feature of European liberalism in the early 1900s, for example. However, I think later postwar planners in the United States gave up on this idea entirely, instead opting for an approach that simply let the market mediate all social relations, leaving the rest to erode and fall as it may. At the time, it made sense to them because the prerogatives were easy to implement, but living in their designs today some 60 years later reveals how misguided it was.
So not only has church as a third place declined, like you said, but so have all the other areas that would qualify as third places - leaving us with a severely diminished social fabric. And I would say this reality is reflected in the incompetent state of our political class today... but that's another topic entirely!
I have written something else that very much relates to what you said. I suggest checking out my other piece on the ongoing "social recession," where I explore many of the metrics of declining sociability in the United States. I think you'd be interested in reading it!
Here it is: https://novum.substack.com/p/social-recession-by-the-numbers
I support this move! I also feel like the weekly commentary theme has become somewhat congested. However, a monthly review "dump" will be welcomed, just to see which way you are looking at ;)
Looking forward to new interesting pieces!
You’re right, I noticed it has been. Monthly review is not a bad idea though, just may do that. Stay tuned :))
I recommend Dougald Hine’s Substack and his new book, At Work in the Ruins.
Thanks, just subscribed.
More so his book than his Substack at the moment, he just got off a book tour and is in a fallow phase at the moment but I’ve really been enjoying the stuff that he does send out. And his book is worldview-shifting. At least it was for me.
That's some high praise, I think I'll have to pick it up then. Thanks for the recommendation.
This is the one i recommend following: https://open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson?r=1swumk&utm_medium=ios
Thank you, I've actually heard of her. She is one of the most popular writers on here I believe.