Ray Oldenburg Crtique essays

Ray Oldenburg Crtique essays Stress is a common problem in America today. The cause however, is often times debated. Ray Oldenburg, a sociologist at the University of West Florida, argues that the reason we (Americas) are stressed out is due to a lack of a third place. I couldnt agree more. Oldenburgs effective use of communication, his witty comments, and the examples that he uses apply to us today as much as they did in the past. Oldenburg claims that Americans lives are fragmented due to the lack of an informal social life. He argues that the automobile suburb ruined the informal social life by taking away the possibility of having a village pub or caf that allows people to informally meet together. Oldenburg groups our lives into three places: the first place being home, the second place being work, and the third place being an informal social gathering place (such as a village pub or caf). Because of the lack of a third place, Oldenburg believes that Americans are forced to have social relationships with those that they work with, and in doing so, do not allow for a separation between work and social life. In addition, the introduction of the television and various other technologies has also aided in the breakdown of the informal social life, causing Americans to stay inside their homes. All these, he feels, is the reason why Americans lead a jangled and fragmented life. One of the very first arguments that Oldenburg makes is that Americans lack an informal social life. By saying this, Oldenburg is arguing that we do not have the type of social life that allows us to bump into each other, but instead, we must make appointments. How true this thought process is! I think about the times when I have wanted to see a close friend, and how we were forced to make an appointment with them in order to spend time together. I believe that if anyone were to accurately examine their social life, the...