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Billie Mandelbaum

Free Hugs Gone Bad - 21 views

started by Billie Mandelbaum on 29 Apr 13
  • Billie Mandelbaum
    #1 Billie Mandelbaum on 29 Apr 13
     
    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/27/nyregion/the-hugs-are-free-but-are-not-without-a-cost.html?ref=nyregion&_r=0

    Exploitation of a mentally ill man or good journalism? How can the Tam News effectively cover the "characters" in our community?
  • Emma Boczek
    #2 Emma Boczek on 30 Apr 13
     
    At first glance this article seems like it would be a charming profile of a neighborhood character, but I think it leans more on the side of exploitation than harmless entertainment. Something about using this man's story does not sit well with me. It seemed strange to have several paragraphs lamenting about the sad state of his life, with quotes from his parents to top it off - a very personal issue made very public. The publicity will make it even more difficult for this man to find employment in the future. The New York Times was taking complex issues of mental illness and crime and turning them into some sort of fun meet-this-weird-guy-you-see-around-town piece.
  • Sander Lutz
    #3 Sander Lutz on 30 Apr 13
     
    Somewhere in-between the two. Only relevant for the whole "showing the characters in our community" angle, but what really rubbed me the wrong way was the way the story divulged information. The story would be fine if this guy was just kind of an asshole, which is what the author gets you to believe, but then halfway through it's let out that he actually has a mental illness. That makes me feel like this is more exploitation. If we cover people like this, let all of that information out in front, and be very aware, especially if we cover people different than ourselves, that we're giving them a fair and balanced chance to speak and that we're not reporting in any sort of a patronizing way.
  • Veronica Russell
    #4 Veronica Russell on 30 Apr 13
     
    I'm just confused as to what this article is supposed to be. It is half a profile on this guy and half a warning to the public that he is somewhat a menace. His whole thing sounds a little creepy to me. Simply holding a sign up to people that says "Free Hugs" is fine, but approaching girls and offering is another thing. By the end of this article I was creeped out, but I don't know if that was even the point of the article.
  • aidan hersh
    #5 aidan hersh on 30 Apr 13
     
    I am stuck in between feeling whether or not this is fair of the NY Times to portray him like this. The first instance when I felt they were being harsh to him was when they said he was "shoving the bills into a back pocket." They subtly made the reader think that he was a greedy man who only cared about money. After reading the whole article, I don't really feel comfortable about him being in the park, simply because he has the potential to have a temper tantrum at any time. However, I do think the writer was a bit harsh on him and could have had a bit more sympathy.
  • Jackie O'Boyle
    #6 Jackie O'Boyle on 20 May 13
     
    I think this article makes him seem like a bad person and he may not be. The parents also seemed to turn on him in the article and made him seem like a bad person. They should get a balance of who likes him and who doesn't. This would give me a different look at this article and let me decide if I like him or not.
  • weston lazarus
    #7 weston lazarus on 21 May 13
     
    I agree with Jackie it make this guy look like a bad guy, the way they put so much negative vibes in about his parents saying that they don't condone this. I think they wrote it the right way giving both sides of it about how hes just out there trying to cheer people up, but also putting in quotes from college students saying that they don't like him and that hes to agressive.

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