# What is this hugging/cuddling craze about?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hugging-cuddling-craze-about/628704>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 19, 2012, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hugging-cuddling-craze-about/628704 "2012-07-19T11:53:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hugging-cuddling-craze-about/628704/1 "2012-07-19T11:53:49Z")

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I mean what?

And why the insistence it is non-sexual, its not like I care anyway whether you are popping a boner or not, so why the need to insist on it?

😕

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**Author:** ![toofs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toofs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toofs)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hugging-cuddling-craze-about/628704/2 "2012-07-19T12:07:01Z")

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You sound like you need a hug.

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**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hugging-cuddling-craze-about/628704/3 "2012-07-19T12:29:12Z")

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…with or without a boner.

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**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hugging-cuddling-craze-about/628704/4 "2012-07-19T13:32:38Z")

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Preach. I barely tolerate people I know touching me; the thought of strangers all snuggled up and in my business makes me want to flail defensively just in case anyone happens to be near my bubble currently.

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**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hugging-cuddling-craze-about/628704/5 "2012-07-19T15:52:24Z")

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The theory is that people like physical contact, and that many of us don’t get enough intimate physical contact that isn’t part of the sexual experience.

Thus, non-sexual cuddling as part of an effort to reclaim that physical happiness and warmth that a good snuggle brings, without the baggage of it being expected to escalate into sex.

I think from a Sociological perspective, it’s all part and parcel of the extended childhood ideal that is currently embraced, at least in the US, that has men and women often well into their 20’s living and behaving exactly as they did as teenagers, up to and including living at home, having their parents do their laundry, etc.