Over its history, the internet has spawned a lot of stupid trends and memes. So when I say that I’m pretty sure planking is the dumbest of them all, you should know that means something. While I never really saw the point in misleading somebody to a YouTube video of Rick Astley, at least it was a kind of prank. A dumb prank, but a prank none the less.
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]
If you’ve seen your Facebook friends post pictures of themselves lying still as a board horizontally face down with arms at their sides, then you’re in the know. You’re a part of one of the trendiest phenomenons sweeping the globe — and Rio Linda / Elverta.
But planking? What the hell is the point?
“Hey, look at me! I can lay flat on something! I’m kind of a big deal.”
I don’t get it, and I look forward to the day when the next stupid thing replaces it. Unfortunately that hasn’t happened yet.
While several Northern California residents are catching on to the trend of planking, it might catch some off guard that the trend dates back to the late ’90s.
“Planking is hilarious,” said Carleen Sills on RioLindaOnline’s Facebook page. “It’s meant to be fun and harmless. I’ve seen people planking on top of houses, down stairways and other so called ‘dangerous’ places. I think it’s a fun idea to get people to lighten up.”
Planking involves lying face down in a public place and posting photos on social-networking sites.
“I like everything about planking,” said Rio Linda resident Tommy Hall. “It’s a sport.”
Hall said he was prompted to start planking by seeing other pics posted on his Facebook page.
“It made me want to be the best,” he said.
While Sills, Hall and others show their passion for planking, others in Rio Linda feel there’s no point to the fad.
“Planking isn’t stupid … it’s stupid planking by stupid people,” said Scott Hall of Natomas, on RioLindaOnline’s Facebook page.
Whether you find planking cool or you don’t see the point of it, people across the globe are catching on.
The Planking Australia Facebook page has more than 170,000 followers, and the “official” Planking Facebook page has 618,389 friends.
Requests for interviews from both Facebook sites went unanswered.
[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
