The World Needs Free Hugs

You’re walking down the street with your gaggle of friends when you spot a stranger holding a sign, “free hugs.” You’re not sure what to do. Do you ignore them and continue on your way? Do you go up to them and ask for a hug? You question why someone is openly giving out hugs to people they do not know.

This person is affiliated with the Free Hugs Campaign. The movement started in response to when a man going by the pseudonym Juan Mann received a hug from a stranger at a party. Mann commented that upon receiving the hug, “[he] felt like a king! It was the greatest thing that ever happened.” Before the hug, he experienced feelings of depression and loneliness due to some personal difficulties.

The hug from the stranger inspired Mann to start the Free Hugs Campaign. Mann began his journey with the iconic white poster board with emblazoned thick black capital letters FREE HUGS in his hometown Sydney, Australia in 2005. After his first day hugging strangers, more people joined the campaign before the police put a pause, saying Mann hadn’t obtained public liability insurance at the value of $25 million. A petition that collected 10,000 signatures allowed him and others to continue to give hugs without insurance.

The uniqueness of this campaign sparked many onlookers. However, many also fully embraced the strangely bizarre spectacle of two strangers hugging. It's these hugs that make the world a special place. These selfless acts are meant to bring a smile to the faces of others who are navigating life’s triumphs and tribulations.

In a time when people around the world are living separate, enclosed lives, we are not interacting much with others, especially people we have not met. While we’re proceeding with our lives  from the comfort of our homes, we’re missing the moments in society where we accidentally bump into someone at the grocery store, brush someone while running, and sideswipe a fellow concert goer. These random moments of human contact, in a way  unite the world, reminding us we’re one and the same. When we return to normal, it is important for us to remember the friendliness of strangers and the importance of human connection, and perhaps even a hug.