Lab #8

This lab asks us to build social capital in our own communities through some sort of political action. On December 30th, my friend Ellen and I took the train downtown Chicago (from the suburb where I live) without a plan as to what we would do or where we would go. We were walking around the Bean (famous sculpture in Chicago) when we saw a group of foreigners running around with signs that said "FREE HUGS!" in a number or different languages.The Chicago Bean


They ran to us while asking if we wanted free hugs, and almost before we could answer we were engulfed in the arms of friendly strangers (in a not-creepy way, don't worry). We asked the group why they were standing in 20 degree weather hugging strangers the day before New Year's Eve. The seven strangers each had various answers:
"To spread the love!"
"Because its almost New Year's!"
"Because everyone needs a hug!"
"Just because I want to!"
"Why not?"

Ellen and I were inspired my these people's willingness to stand in the cold and build social capital by hugging strangers and wishing everyone a happy new year. I said to my friend, "This is such a good idea! We should get our friends to do this sometime."
The leader of the group heard my comment. "Join us!" he exclaimed. "We have some extra signs over there."

We could not pass up this oppurtunity to build social capital in a fun and exciting way. So we picked up signs and joined the crew of strangers. After about 45 minutes, they didn't feel like strangers at all. We found out that the group contained two Brazilians, one man from Ireland, one man from Greece, and a woman from Sweden. A man named Jason and his wife served these people as a host family at thier Chicago home.

Ellen and I stayed downtown with our new friends for about two hours, hugging hundreds of strangers and spreading the love and the cheer associated with a new year beginning. We went downtown with0ut a plan, and found ourselves building social capital in two ways: by hugging strangers and becoming friends with a group of poeple that was different from us.