People and their 'Please Hug Me' signs
I write this rant only a day before I leave for Otakon, the largest anime convention on the East Coast down in Baltimore, MD.
There are a few things I KNOW I'm gonna see at anime cons. I'm gonna be seeing guys dressing up in sailor fuku outfits, using this as a reason to publicly wear women's clothes without worry of ridicule. These are they guys that go a step beyond wearing women's clothing than the average guy (ie: average guys don't go beyond putting women's panties over his head) I'm gonna to see fat chicks cosplaying in outfits several sizes too small for their otherwise fatass bodies (ie: girls who have bellies that extend farther out than their tits). I'm also going to see people carrying 'Please Hug Me' signs.
This brings up a question. Why do we see people walking around anime conventions with those 'Please Hug Me' signs? Were they not hugged enough when they were young and now seek that form of affection now that they're older? I doubt that's the case. Why do these pGeople seek this kinda of attention? Could it be because they're attention whores and starving for physical contact? Doubtful. Could it be because they think they're being cute in doing this even though they really aren't and instead look pathetic? Bingo!
What I find funny is the sight of all these 'Hug Me' people. The first thing that crosses my mind when I see someone walking around holding a 'Please Hug Me' sign, I usually ask myself 'Wow, what the fuck does this guy hope to accomplish?'. Really, I think that.
What sense of accomplishment do you get out of receiving some pity hug from some stranger? Is the embrace some kind of silent connection you momentarily share between yourself and the stranger hugging you? I'm sure there must be some kinda connection.
After the hug, then what? You just part ways? Or do you use that hug as the ice breaker to indulge in conversation with said stranger? Could you be a person so inept at starting a conversation with someone, anyone, that you need a crutch such as a pity hug to use it as an ice breaker to start a conversation with 'em? From what I see, walking around with those 'Hug Me' signs accomplishes ABSOLUTELY NOTHING except perhaps combining your BO and the stranger's BO into some new but equally offensive oder.
I don't mean to be an asshole, but I can't help it. I'm more of an asshole than not and have grown to accept it and enjoy it. I know I'm gonna piss off some people with this rant. Of course, I'm only pissing off the people who have done the 'Please Hug Me' bit at an anime convention and then read about this rant and decided to get all pissy and believe this is a personal attack at them. And you know what, I don't care. I don't care if I piss people like you off because I would probably be better off not knowing people like you. Not only do I NOT want to know people who would actually get offended by stuff I wrote, or offended at anything in general, but I also don't think I would enjoy the company of someone who believes receiving hugs from random strangers is fun.
Maybe I have a lotta anger in my life to not understand the connection behind hugging someone, but frankly, I don't care. I haven't hugged my mom since I was six. Granted, it could be because I'm Chinese and I don't think any typical Chinese have ever hugged their mom past the age of six, but still, I'm sure the connection with hugging a complete stranger is lost with me. The only occasions where I believe a hug is worthy is when you meet someone you haven't seen in a long time and when you're consoling someone who have recently suffered a loss in his or her family. For everything else, a hug is meaningless because a firm handshake can get the point across just as well.
Sure, we should live in a society where hugs should be given more freely, but we don't. While I don't like conformity and am the type of person who would hug someone simply out of spite to conformity, I don't like people in general so hugging someone bugs me which is why I prefer a handshake.
I find it rather sad if you're a guy doing this. For instance, if you're a guy with a 'Hug Me' sign, it's obvious your real intentions is to get girls to hug you as pathetic as that may seem. And if you're a guy and you see a girl with a 'Hug Me' sign and hug her, it's probably a sign that you seek any female attention, even something as pathetic as a hug.
Okay, so you're a girl at the convention and you have a 'Hug Me' sign. So what does that make you? That's easy, an attention whore, and a rather pathetic one at that. You're probably seeking attention from otaku guys....the same kinda otaku guys would jump at the chance to hug ANY girl. Do you realize what this means? You're seeking attention from guys who would give you attention at the drop of a hat. Way to go. I'm sure you feel a great sense of accomplishment. You're probably the same kinda people that feel a sense of accomplishment tricking a dog.
Now, before you go flaming me when you feel that this is a personal attack on you because you actually did carry around a 'Hug Me' sign at a convention, any convention, let it be known that I'm not making a personal attack on you. I'm just making a personal attack on your inane belief that walking around with a 'Hug Me' sign is cute. Hm, from the sounds of it, it seems like it is an attack on you and your stupidity. Okay, whatever. Flame away.
Why the hell would I ever wanna carry a 'Hug Me' sign? Not only do I not wanna hug a smelly otaku, be male or female, but I also find the idea of hugging a complete stranger for no reason downright stupid. Keep in mind I'm also a very cold person so perhaps that's why the art of the hug is lost to me. Even if I do get a hug from some hot chick, it'd probably make me feel even worse as it would probably make me realize I've got no game and need something stupid like a 'Hug Me' sign to get your attention.
From my point of view, the whole premise of those 'Hug Me' signs seem pathetic which is why I tend to view the wearers of said signs pretty pathetic.
Hey, wouldn't it be amusing if people printed this and posted it on the bulletin boards at anime conventions so that those 'Hug Me' people could read this?
Updated:
Well, I'm back from Otakon. Below are a few pictures of some
of those 'Hug Me' people that I was talking about. I didn't bring a camera with
me so I asked some friends of mine to take the pictures in my stead. These are
a few of the pictures taken over the course of the three days. There were many
more 'Hug Me' people that I've seen around the con but I hafta make do with
what I was given. If you are one of the people in any of these pictures and
are upset about having your picture on my page to be looked at by everyone who
visits my page, feel free to email me and I'll remove it.
There is no need to threaten me to remove the picture. But, in case you feel
the need to be a dick about it, I can be a dick right back. For instance, nothing
obligates me to remove your picture if I don't want to. Why? Didja know that
if you are in any public place, your picture can be taken and used by the photographer
in any way they see fit? The rights to the picture goes to the photographer,
not you. Therefore, you have no say in what I do with the picture.
I'll be happy to remove the picture of you if you just ask nicely.
Note: If anyone takes pictures of those 'Hug Me' people, I'd be more than happy to post 'em on my page for you. Just send 'em my way^_^
The guy in the picture above RULES!!!