If you look through the requirements of being a third place (from lecture) this blog satisfies many of those requirements. Conversation is the main activity (not much else you can do on a blog), it has regulars, and the mood is very playful. It's not a third place in the fact that it isn't very accessible and accommodating (you need the internet to get it and it wouldn't be very easy to find if you weren't looking for it) and I wouldn't call this my home away from home.
This blog builds our social capital by building communication networks and connections which can enhance our understanding of topic and enrich our discussion sections.
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14 years ago
I agree with you that the blog fills many of the requirements to being considered a third place. I overlooked the fact that most blogs are full of regulars, that was a good point. This brings up a major difference between blogs and physical third places. Many blogs do have regulars, but others can post comments whenever they want, making the blog completely non-exclusive. This is very different from physical clubs and groups. Although not all organizations are hard to become a member of there is an added sense of comfort and community when you are accepted into one, unlike most public blogs that are open to anyone with an email address.
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