“What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.“
— Thomas Paine

Hugs are special. They provide comfort in times of need, and express joy following triumph. And it is their relative rarity that gives them that value. That works out well, because our passions and emotions are rarely at those highs for very long.

For my generation however, those hugs are doled out without a second thought – they are literally free.

I find this a little troubling, because these actions provide a veneer of rapport and camaraderie over what are really very shallow relationships. If a hug is just a way of saying “hello”, how do we express real intimacy? Not with kisses, because guys are ending their text messages with them. Is it symptomatic of an instant-gratification culture where we try to fast-track bonds of affinity, and in the process destroy the worth of those relationships?

Call me a cold bitch if you want, but I find the excessive touchy-feelyness of other young people quite icky. Harden the fuck up people, and save hugs and kisses for when they are actually warranted!

XOXO

This iPhone app pieces together the life of Vincent Van Gogh through his own artwork and letters. It’s a hefty download at 302MB, but totally worth it. Check it out!

(courtesy of The Economist)

[Yes, I am procrastinating.]

What made him cross borders, continents, wind and seas?
Was it all for waste or chaste, the spirit that he chas’d?
From the land of tuppence to the Orient gates,
did the winding Silk road embolden frail ego?

… Read MoreVerily! cries this echo.
Puerile exteriors mask a wise pneumic self.
Levi by another name, this winged saint shall soar.
’nother rev’lution, yet Sol barely notices,
the world will know this man, his time has barely come.

• Unstable Fables: 3 Pigs & a Baby film

Spider-Man 2