Startup Incubator Advocates Free Hugs at Height of Social Distancing
With NYC under full lockdown, entrepreneurial program Heroes of Purpose has a surprising plan to cope with COVID-19.
New Yorkers, take heart. We’ll get through this together. All we have to do is trust one another. At least, that’s what the founders of Bali-based entrepreneurship program Heroes of Purpose would have you believe.
On April 23, 2020, a post appeared on the Heroes facebook page outlining “The I Trust You Experiment,” which entails the following: “Blindfold yourself with a sign saying “I trust you, do you trust me? Give me a hug.” Look at how it transforms the streets of New York!”
I know what you’re thinking. They’re trolling, right?
Oh, if only. Though to be fair, Heroes aren’t making an unsubstantiated claim here. Their method is grounded in hard science: “Hugging releases the chemical oxytocin, which lowers stress, creates happiness, and forms trust between people.” Well, there you have it.
C’mon, they must’ve scheduled that post a while ago, right? Pre-pandemic? This is just some innocent mistake.
Yes, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps, having spent the past several weeks blindfolded inside their remote estate in Bali, the heroes of purpose failed to notice the pandemic sweeping the globe.
Only…look at the hashtags.
#entrepreneurlife #socialentrepreneurship #onlinecourses #podcastersofinstagram #growthmindset #lifehacks #mindfulness #podbean #fyp #womentrepreneur #wfh #corona #faithoverfear #quarantinelife #lovetheplanet #goodvibes #innovation #womenempowerment #newventure #discover1k
Yikes.
In reality, our heroes are probably not in Indonesia at the moment. Like most businesses capable of doing so, Heroes instated a WFH policy and now offers a 4-week remote workshop in place of the anticipated tropical getaway (Bali will sorely miss them). The revised “core program” includes, among other perks:
- 1 week of personal development to discover your why
- 1 week of social media growth to promote your purpose-driven message
- Life-changing insights on how to make purpose-driven entrepreneurship a viable career path
Perhaps we shouldn’t be so surprised to witness a company like this displaying such heroic tone-deafness. Heroes is emblematic of the empty ambition (and emptier language) animating many so-called entrepreneurs in the Valley and beyond — and also of the parasitic sub-industries that have risen up around the venture capital gold rush. The Heroes website is outfitted with various traps aimed at snaring gullible would-be unicorn founders: Steve Jobs quote, corny inspirational writing, and promises to “learn from 7-figure purpose-driven entrepreneurs, NASA space scientists, and coaches with millions of views online.” But don’t think for a second that Heroes doesn’t have a place for you, too. Indeed, as the name implies, Heroes caters to more than one type of hero. Beneath a header asking “Which hero are you?”, we find the following options: Passionate Pioneer; Curious Changemaker; Hardcore Hustler.
But lest you think this is all about the money, keep in mind that Heroes is an organization dedicated first and foremost to empowering young entrepreneurs: so much so that for every enrollment in the “Hero Experience,” Heroes is willing to give away a free enrollment to a student in need. In the words of one of the co-Founders: “When we have the knowledge, resources, and community in place, we can do anything…purpose-driven entrepreneurship, using money for good, becomes the best way to make an impact.”
That’s not to say that you can’t make an impact in the absence of knowledge, resources, and community. If you really think about it, “The I Trust You Experiment” requires none of these things, yet it can still make an impact, whether by “empower[ing] people to connect with each other,” “remind[ing] people of the beauty of life,” or promoting outrageously irresponsible behavior in the epicenter of an already deadly public health crisis.
Remember: “It’s small actions like this that bring the world closer together.”
