Were I more professional, were there world enough and time, I would hold off on mentioning this front page New York Times expose that blows the lid off the whole teenagers hugging "phenomenon" until I had something illuminating to say about it. But it's early, and I'm tired, and Jesus, what DO YOU EVEN DO ABOUT THIS?
Hugging appears to be a grass-roots phenomenon and not an imitation of a character or custom on TV or in movies. The prevalence of boys' nonromantic hugging (especially of other boys) is most striking to adults. Experts say that over the last generation, boys have become more comfortable expressing emotion, as embodied by the MTV show "Bromance," which is now a widely used term for affection between straight male friends.I mean, I just... I... oh, FUCK IT. CANNOT DEAL. I need a hug.
I can only suppose that everyone is turning gay.
Turning?
"Riley, I saw you hug Kaitlin and that was so more than a friend hug."
"No way, Ashley, I've known her since second grade."
"Then I guess you can like go to prom with her hug-slutty ass."
Whoops. That was not supposed to be a reply.
No, you need a stiff drink and someone to tell you to quit being such a nancy boy.
Alternatively, a quick upper cut from the first stranger you try to hug should do the trick.
RELATED: Cuddle-buddies - people that just want to come over and cuddle without the sex - ARE WASTING ALL MY PRECIOUS TIME.
I have to admit I don't get it. Are you pissed that this is a trumped up non-story on the front page of the NYT? Or that it might be true and you hate hugs?
Hugging is a gateway activity.
Hugging leads to hard rubs.
peer-pressure teen hugs, clearly the date rape of 2009.
"This hugging, Alex, were no crime."
I'm not gonna read an article about hugging but I will say that anybody who's against it when otherwise kids are occupied with simulating or perpetrating violence is an idiot.
That said, don't hug me unless we're tight.
I now conclude my pointless comments*.
*on this post
I want the lede of this article to be something about hugging leading to the spread of swine flu.
Why you gotta go there Sally? Don't you remember the tomato scare of 2008? Not funny now, is it?
Andrew Mackay paid me to hug him!
Guys hugging girls is really just a covert way of copping a feel.
Much of being a teenager is really just about covert ways of copping a feel.
As a proper grown up, I still enjoy copping a feel.
What happened to chowing box during saturday afternoon matinees?
Kids stay at home and watch TV, and the Tori Spelling reality show killed all sexual impulse.
Hugging is for 6th graders. By 8th grade we had all moved on. I'm back to hugging again. Circle of life people, circle of life.
Like most fads, this probably began in prisons.
You think this is bad? try living in Yurp. KISSING total strangers on the cheek is a large part of my day, even BUSINESS clients, on the first meeting no less. My cheeks retract in horror.
Have you seen this?
http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/210-french-kissing-map/
The restraining order on my refridgerator door takes me out of this game.
Let me know when 'The Thigh Lick' is the new handshake.
This may have a connection to the couple of wars we are in???
If purple shirt girl on the right wasn't photo bombing, she should lie and say she was.
This article could have saved me 7 1/2 uncomfortable years upstate.
This story on hugs made me want to punch a New York Times editor in the junk. Is this really a trend? If so, isn't it bigger than just teens? It seems like we've been moving towards a more hug-oriented society for the last 20 years or so. And to argue that there are no pop-culture influences--that this is a "grass-roots phenomenon"--is kind of clueless. Has nobody at the NTY seen Entourage? Or maybe The Office?
I would like to send 12 dozen of each of these T-shirts (http://bit.ly/o41tL) to every single person at the Times involved with this story.
And then punch them in the junk.