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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