FROM FREE HUGS TO FREE SEXRemember the "Free Hugs" viral thing? That handwritten sign on a piece of cardboard, held by someone standing in the middle of the street, hoping some brave soul would go in for a little spontaneous affection. It became a full-blown phenomenon a couple of decades ago—a simple, feel-good gesture that, at the time, actually felt kind of revolutionary.
It all started with the “Free Hugs” movement back in 2004 in Australia, when a guy named Juan Mann hit the streets with his sign, just looking for a bit of human connection. It didn’t take long for the video to blow up on YouTube and turn into a symbol of hope, empathy, and human closeness—at a time when the world was already getting lost in screens and fast-paced routines.
A lot has changed since then. And while the cardboard + message + spontaneity combo is still around, let’s just say it’s taken a few… interesting turns.
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TED TALKSTED Talks (short for Technology, Entertainment, Design) are those short but punchy presentations — usually under 18 minutes — where smart, interesting people share ideas they believe are “worth spreading.” And to be fair, a lot of them actually are.
They started back in the '80s as a half-tech, half-artsy kind of event, but really blew up in the 2000s when the talks were posted online for free. That’s when it all went viral. Now there’s TEDx — local versions popping up in cities everywhere, with speakers of all kinds: scientists, activists, artists, teachers, ex-cons, even kids.
The talks are super polished, both in content and delivery. Everything is packaged like it’s the idea that’ll change your life. Sometimes it is. Sometimes... not so much. But the format hooks you: good storytelling, clear messaging, and a closing punch that leaves you thinking (or reposting it to look deeper than you actually are).
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When you're with your crew Vs when you're on your own.