Now that I have moved totally into streaming, I am watching all the old TV comedies that I loved. It just seems like they were better in the good old days. OMG, I am becoming one of those old farts aren’t I? Anyway, the thing that brought on this post came from the TV show Frasier in 1997. He made the comment “When did we become a nation of huggers?” He went on to say that we hug each other for everything, even getting a good haircut.
Looking back, that was probably true in the 1990s, but it has almost disappeared in the twenty-some years since. This post will try to say why I believe that is.
There seems to be several reasons why we don’t hug each other as much as we did in the good-old- days.
The Pandemic
The pandemic has been going on for about 20 months now, but seems like years. Not only are we not allowed to hug, we can’t even come within 6 feet of each other. I would like to think that this will be over soon, but I thought that 6 months ago. If/when it does end, will we go back to at least some level of hugging? I don’t know.
We are afraid of harassment charges
Of course, all of us remember all the negative stuff the Republican are still trying to put off on President Biden for his hugging. He was a hugger when he got in to crowds. He loves hugging children, he loves hugging women, and yeah, also men. In the 90s it was the norm but not anymore. Now, it is called sexual harassment if someone feels uncomfortable with being hugged. Of course, this is the result of people like Weinstein, Cosby and others. That is totally justified, but in the process it has made friendly hugs impermissible.
People will think we are gay
Now that gay marriage is the norm, a man hugging another man brings on the thought of sexual choice. A macho guy can’t possibly hug another man anymore.
We need to ask permission
Hugging has been pretty much a spur-of-the-moment thing. If you have to ask permission whenever the hugging mood strikes, it loses its spontaneity.
Given these things, hugging is quickly going out of style.
Looking back, my father was part of the “Greatest Generation” and I honestly don’t remember that he ever hugged me until just a couple of years before his death. He never showed any emotions, for that matter. My mother on the other hand was totally about herself and basically never showed us kids any emotions, unless it helped her image for someone she was trying to impress.
Will we ever become a nation of huggers again?
RJ's Corner 