Free Hugs: The Virus of Connection | Personal Democracy Forum

Well thought out blog posting, connecting the "Free Hugs" campaign to, well, political campaigning.

(HT: anonymous commenter. Someone with a jouranlist colleague. Orange?)

One final thought. Who would be the *most* awkward politician to try and pull this stunt. Besides, The Veep of Darkness. Santorum? Allen? ('Come and give me some sugar, ya little macaca, you.')

Free Hugs: The Virus of Connection | Personal Democracy Forum: "Free Hugs' also hits our consciousness at a time when we are being carpet-bombed daily with messages of fear and disconnection. That guy in the shopping mall with a backpack? He might be a terrorist. Report suspicious activity, the signs say everywhere (at least in New York, where I live). Surrender your personal items before boarding a plane. A full-body pat-down by the TSA doesn't do much for my emotional state. I'm not much of a Jungian analyst, but the human need for connection doesn't go away, even in times like these.

Now, when you think of politics today, does any of it inspire you to be hopeful? Right now, the messages I'm absorbing are either about fear (and the need to trust the President to protect us) or about anger (and the need to stop the President from making things even worse. As a woman who was at the Demos talk I did yesterday with Allison Fine noted, we're mostly seeing activists using the new technology to shout even more loudly at each other, rather than figure out how to bridge differences and solve problems. None of the 2008 contenders are doing much to convey hope about the future.

Which is why I think it would be really smart for some politician to embrace the 'Free Hugs' campaign right now. C'mon, John and Elizabeth, go stand in a shopping mall in North Carolina with a 'Free Hugs' and get a volunteer to tape you! How about it Hillary? Mark? Do they dare? If you're really for 'One America' that goes 'Forward Together,' why not?"