Matthew Bates

I have a confession. When I was in college, I got a reputation for giving giant bear hugs that would crack someone’s back and feel really good for them. I did this to one of the women in my dorm—a tiny Asian woman— and she loved it so much that she told all of the other girls in the dorm. From that day forward, I would frequently get asked for “chiropractic bear hugs”.

If you know a very tall, soft (fat) guy, you should ask him to do it. Here’s how it’s done:

1. The tall guy put his arms under the arms of the other person, and joins his hands behind their back, right where the shoulder blades meet.

2. Then the tall guy leans back, lifting the other person off of the ground.

3. Finally, the tall guy squeezes his hands towards himself, cracking the back of the person in the middle.

For an added bonus, the tall guy can sway side to side at that point, which stretches the other person’s back even more.

I’m told it feels really good for the person being hugged. I wouldn’t know, as I would need a guy who is about seven feet tall and 500 pounds to do it for me. If I ever meet a guy like that, I will ask him for one. I do get my wife or teenage daughter to walk on my back from time to time, and it feels really good. I figure it’s the same idea, pressure on the spine, just from a different position.

Anyway, to answer your question: It depends on the context. Does the stranger look clean and trustworthy? Sure, I’d give them a hug. I’d hold my wallet and phone in my hand, to make sure they didn’t take them. But I’d give them a hug.

I’d say no if:

· It was a kid or teen. I’d assume it was a set-up to get me fired for “touching a kid”.

· The person was dirty and I didn’t want to get dirty too. I know, I know… Jesus would not approve of this reasoning.

· The person looked creepy or threatening.

Aditya Salunkhe

If my stranger is an extremely good looking chick, in her best clothes, smelling like freshly plucked strawberries, face covered in multiple layers of makeup, I won’t hug her. No wise guy should. YouTube pranksters leave no chance to earn. Instead checkout for camera & run as fast as you can.

If my stranger is a guy, looking broken, down and worried, I would definitely hug him as I do my brother. A guy isn’t much emotional and expressive usually, but if he is, there’s something terribly wrong with his life.

Image Credit: funcheap.com

If my stranger is a small kid, asking for a hug, with those huge eyes staring at me, I won’t think for a second, before hugging him/her.

If my stranger is an elderly man or woman who tries to see their son that passed away fighting cancer years back in me, I would hug them with same compassion I hug my parents.

If my stranger is a stray dog in some random park, sitting besides me like a good boy, wagging his tail, with eyes still hoping to find a good human, I would hug him with no second thought.

If my stranger is an Indian girl, draped in self consciousness, worried for some reason or happy enough to forget the chains society made for her, I would definitely hug her. Indian girls are taught not to even talk with strangers right from childhood, but if she’s into it, I need to calm down the whirlpools of her mind.

Via Quora