Friendship, Happiness and the Importance of Third Places

At a time when our nation is facing an epidemic of loneliness, when communities are suffering from loss of trust, low levels of engagement, despair, and political polarization, what if the answer to many of our problems lies in a simple idea? What if we just need to pay attention to the places where we find ourselves?

Rick Kyte is a Professor of Ethics and Director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He writes a regular column appearing in over 70 newspapers nationwide and appears weekly on “The Ethical Life” podcast hosted by Scott Rada. He is a long-time member of the Rotary Club of La Crosse and serves on the boards of Coulee Region Trout Unlimited, LeaderEthics, and the La Crosse Area Community Foundation. His latest book, Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way), was published in 2024.