A new internet craze called "planking" involves lying in a horizontal posture in, on or across various objects in some situation guaranteed to attract attention. Being able to simulate rigor mortis is a definite plus, along with powers of endurance when it comes to holding a position for an indeterminate period of time.
Facebook pages that have attracted large numbers of planking fans have pics of plankers doing their thing on chimneys, the backs of camels, railway lines, fire hydrants, escalators, street signs ... you name it. Planking Australia boasts over 100,000 fans and hundreds of pictures. On some American comment threads WTF reactions would suggest that not everyone is as enthusiastic.
It's not hard to understand the appeal. It's free and it's fun for those who get off on lying around in strange places. All you need is a place to plank, a cellphone or other picture taking device and a bud or two to bear witness.
It can also be high risk and possibly illegal. A few planking-related incidents in Australia made the news recently. Nate Shaw, a 20-year old from Gladstone was arrested for planking on a police car. He was charged after the cops spotted a pic of the stunt on Facebook.
Nate Shaw planking on a police car
There was also an unfortunate tragedy. In Brisbane a planker in his 20's named Acton Beale fell to his death from a balcony railing. Incidents such as this have prompted police in Queensland to consider placing dodgy planking stunts in the Unauthorized High Risk Activity category.
Aside from the seriously risky stuff, planking comes off as a novel way to make a statement for those who feel the need. A few pundits wonder if the urge-to-plank says something deeper about our harried existence these days. Maybe on some subliminal level it's a way of giving the finger to controls, expectations, the rules and regs that seem to be crowding out our lives. Whatever is behind it, it would seem to be growing in popularity... even in Taiwan:
There is now a Global Planking Day - May 25, 2011... an annual event from here on in.
Video beneath with lots of planking going on:
Video beneath with lots of planking going on:
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Link also to MSNBC - BBC
