Difference between revisions of "2419: Hug Count"

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This is due to the fact that in 2020, when the pandemic happened, everyone had to social distance and avoid contact with strangers. This was a widely used method of slowing the spread of COVID-19. People are asked to not closely associate with those outside a very limited 'bubble' or even isolating individuals in their own household. As such, people have had less physical contact with each other since the beginning of this pandemic, including hugs.
 
This is due to the fact that in 2020, when the pandemic happened, everyone had to social distance and avoid contact with strangers. This was a widely used method of slowing the spread of COVID-19. People are asked to not closely associate with those outside a very limited 'bubble' or even isolating individuals in their own household. As such, people have had less physical contact with each other since the beginning of this pandemic, including hugs.
  
No explanation is given for the variations year-to-year preceding 2020, and much of it may be [[2101: Technical Analysis|random walks]]. However, one can see a major spike in hug levels in 2010 and 2011; [[Randall]]'s wife [[818|was diagnosed]] with cancer in late 2010 (see [[:Category:Cancer]]). Loved ones of those with cancer tend to receive much compassion from others, and compassion tends to beget hugs.{{citation needed}}
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No explanation is given for the variations year-to-year preceding 2020, and much of it may be [[2101: Technical Analysis|random walks]]. However, one can see a major spike in hug levels in 2010 and 2011; [[Randall]]'s wife [[818|was diagnosed]] with cancer in late 2010 (see [[:Category:Cancer]]). Loved ones of those with cancer tend to receive much compassion from others, and compassion tends to beget hugs.{{Citation needed}}
  
 
The title text states that, while [[Randall]] isn't very big on hugs, he too desires hugs. It plays on the common phrase "I'm not to big of an (x) person", which is used to indicate that someone isn't extremely fond of said activity. One could then assume that being a "small person" regarding some activity would mean that said person is not fond of the activity at all.
 
The title text states that, while [[Randall]] isn't very big on hugs, he too desires hugs. It plays on the common phrase "I'm not to big of an (x) person", which is used to indicate that someone isn't extremely fond of said activity. One could then assume that being a "small person" regarding some activity would mean that said person is not fond of the activity at all.

Revision as of 10:24, 2 February 2021

Hug Count
I've never been that big of a hug person, but it turns out I'm not quite this small of a hug person either.
Title text: I've never been that big of a hug person, but it turns out I'm not quite this small of a hug person either.

Explanation

Ambox notice.png This explanation may be incomplete or incorrect: Created by a HUGGABLE ROBOT. It would probably be good to add a bit more explanation on the pandemic. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.
If you can address this issue, please edit the page! Thanks.

The comic strip is simply a graph showing the number of Individuals Hugged vs the Year, spanning from 1996 to 2021, and goes up to 35 individuals. While it varies a decent amount for the first 24 years, it drops sharply in 2020, and goes even lower in 2021. However, it should be noted that 2021 (at the time of the comic) had just begun, which is why the final bar is grey - the year isn't over yet and as such it is incomplete.

This is due to the fact that in 2020, when the pandemic happened, everyone had to social distance and avoid contact with strangers. This was a widely used method of slowing the spread of COVID-19. People are asked to not closely associate with those outside a very limited 'bubble' or even isolating individuals in their own household. As such, people have had less physical contact with each other since the beginning of this pandemic, including hugs.

No explanation is given for the variations year-to-year preceding 2020, and much of it may be random walks. However, one can see a major spike in hug levels in 2010 and 2011; Randall's wife was diagnosed with cancer in late 2010 (see Category:Cancer). Loved ones of those with cancer tend to receive much compassion from others, and compassion tends to beget hugs.[citation needed]

The title text states that, while Randall isn't very big on hugs, he too desires hugs. It plays on the common phrase "I'm not to big of an (x) person", which is used to indicate that someone isn't extremely fond of said activity. One could then assume that being a "small person" regarding some activity would mean that said person is not fond of the activity at all.

Transcript

Ambox notice.png This transcript is incomplete. Please help editing it! Thanks.

[Title of Chart:] Estimated Number of Distinct People Hugged per Year

[Y Axis:] 0 to 30

[X Axis:] Years from 1996 until 2021

Year People
1996 31
1997 28
1998 23
1999 25
2000 21
2001 18
2002 28
2003 24
2004 17
2005 19
2006 14
2007 35
2008 17
2009 16
2010 27
2011 29
2012 18
2013 15
2014 16
2015 22
2016 15
2017 21
2018 19
2019 25
2020 5
2021 2


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Discussion

I don't know how this makes me feel. I just don't hug. Maybe a couple of female relatives as I leave the traditional Christmas gathering (that didn't happen in 2020) because they expect it of me. But some societies (I'll namecheck the Italians, but there are many others) would possibly break those totals in a day (pre-Covid) just by going to the market-place and sealing deals with the local tradespeople. So my chart dipped drastically ast year, but not so much by absolute count. (No, not looking for sympathy, or virtual hugs, just saying...) 141.101.77.126 23:33, 1 February 2021 (UTC)

What happened in 2007? Seems like a sizeable spike. Being in a reception line at a wedding, for instance? 173.245.54.211 23:43, 1 February 2021 (UTC)

No citation. Is this Randall's personal chart, do you figure? Ekedolphin (talk) 00:18, 2 February 2021 (UTC)

The title text would certainly suggest so. Fyndegil (talk) 19:32, 26 February 2021 (UTC)

2007 was the year of the xkcd meetup, which involved a lot of hugs, some of which may have involved Randall. Randall also moved from Virginia to Massachusetts that year, which may have resulted in separate small groups of people hugged in the same year. (Both of these facts are mentioned in his blog post from that October 1st.) 108.162.219.56 01:35, 2 February 2021 (UTC)

The Free Hugs Campaign peaked between 2006 and 2007.

2011 is the year Randall announced his gf's cancer. This might mean more people hugged him in support. 2010 might have been a time when some people close to him already knew about that (before the announcement), this would explain the big number in 2010, too. In 2015 he went on a book tour and had many signing sessions, where people might have hugged him. --162.158.129.59 03:54, 2 February 2021 (UTC)

Mine is between 0-3 every year since 4th grade. Primarily my sister, my mother, and now my niece. I am nearly old enough now to go through a midlife crisis. Any other true anti-social people here just now realizing how little you get out? 108.162.237.134 09:22, 2 February 2021 (UTC)

I'm probably in the 10-15 range most years, but around 5 for the past year. Being mostly confined to the house really hasn't bothered me, though, so I might well qualify as anti-social... 162.158.78.108 12:42, 2 February 2021 (UTC)
Thinking about it, there are just three months in year (and not even WHOLE months) I'm getting out less with covid than without. Winter vacation with possibly shopping for it, summer vacation with possibly shopping for it, and then I'm going on one con. Outside of those three opportunities I don't really mind AND nothing really changed. I'm still angry for losing those three opportunities. Also, well, outside of family the con tends to be only opportunity to hug someone ... -- Hkmaly (talk) 13:53, 3 February 2021 (UTC)

Whether or not this is significantly less for some people or not, it's still sad for me. Of course, being an extrovert might have impacted that, but to me, it just represents everything, in general, that's happened. Char Latte49

It's sad about 2020, but appears to be hopeful about 2021. He already has 2 hug in the first month. If that trend continues, it should end up being an average year. And it may accelerate as more people are vaccinated. Barmar (talk) 18:13, 2 February 2021 (UTC)
If he has a small set of people he can get hug under Covid rules, likely he'd hug them early in the year, and the number would look normal at first but then not increase much in later months. Just saying: hope is good, yes, but the number of hugs in January doesn't really mean much. --Pi one (talk) 19:23, 2 February 2021 (UTC)

I did a quick statistical analysis of that, and neither 2020 nor 2021 are an outlier (above lower fence), but 2020 is unusual (z-score of -2.05)162.158.155.82 21:45, 25 September 2023 (UTC)