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The other day I observed a man outside of the Thomas Building giving free hugs. Things like these are not rare on college campuses. I’ve seen people exercising their right to free speech all over State College, from the famed Willard Preacher to the people downtown who look into your future and tell you all about your life. My friend and I were once walking downtown and ran into one of these groups. I tried to save my friend from his misery, but it was too late, he was convinced that they could read his mind. It was ridiculous. Why are people inclined to take time out of their day to give free hugs to strangers, or give out inspirational wishes, or convince students that they can talk to god and then look into your mind? On the other hand, why are people willing to give some random person a hug or tell a random person all about your life so they could “attempt” to look into your future? Is it just because people are in need of attention, or are they trying to spread an idea? Looking into this topic further, these random acts of kindness, affection, and interest are clearly to better our world. In a time when people are sheltered behind their iPhones and computers, these activities are spreading awareness of the need to get engaged and be happy with our lives. There are probably so many people in this world that do not have the blessing of close friends or loving families. Giving free hugs or little words of encouragement throughout the day can turn someones day upside down and could make them feel great about themselves. Although we don’t want to think it, compliments make us feel great about ourselves and boost our confidence, especially when were down in the dumps.. In respect to those motives, these things are not nearly as creepy.
I agree. I think we often overlook how sometimes the smallest kindnesses can make our day so much better.
ReplyDeleteI found the guy giving free hugs to be kind of funny, but you're right that it is not uncommon on a college campus. I have seen people do this before and though it is pretty weird, maybe it really does make a difference some people's days. I did end up giving this guy a hug along with two of our classmates just for the hell of it, but I wasn't really considering how this could actually be meaningful to someone. Now that you mention though, I can definitely see how it can have an impact on someone in that people really do love compliments. Odds are these hugs really do make people feel happy just as a compliment would which is interesting to think about.
ReplyDeleteI think that, especially outside of college campuses, the uniqueness of these actions makes even bystanders happy. Seeing something nice out of the ordinary makes me smile and remember we are all human beings, that people are nice and care, and that even when stress can get the best of you, everyone knows the feeling. Even though you probably will never see me standing anywhere giving free hugs, I say good for the guy who is. Paranoia, stress, and the daily grind try to get the best of people, but when someone like the "Free Hugs" guy crosses your path, it is nice to smile, even if you just laugh.
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