Planking: Stupidity Degrading The Dignity Of The Human Person?

[Seven77]

Recently, the rapper Xzibit called the practice of planking racist because it is reminiscent of how slaves were transported in ships to America. It seems that most of the people engaging in lying face down and stiff as a board have no idea why they're doing it besides the fact that “everybody's doing it.” To me, it's just plain dumb. Actually, the more I think about it, willful dumbness is against the dignity of the human person. I mean, don't get me wrong, humor is a good thing but frivolity is not. What do you guys think?

[Laudate_Dominum]

My knowledge of the subject is basically captured in the wikipedia article I just read. There doesn't seem to be any explicit symbolism intended. It started out as "the lying down game" in the '90s and has only recently become an internet phenomenon. I'm not inclined to read into it. I see it as little more than a fun absurdity. The planking posture makes people look silly and there is fun in trying to plank in an amusing and/or original place.

[Laudate_Dominum]

On the other hand it is an interesting behavior. I wonder what future cultural anthropologists will have to say.

[MIKolbe]

I think some people take their humor seriously

[Seven77]

[quote name='Laudate_Dominum' timestamp='1310854591' post='2268361']
On the other hand it is an interesting behavior. I wonder what future cultural anthropologists will have to say.
[/quote]

they'll prolly think something like " even their entertainment resembled death"... Interesting.

[Laudate_Dominum]

[quote name='Seven77' timestamp='1310855064' post='2268368']
they'll prolly think something like " even their entertainment resembled death"... Interesting.
[/quote]
Yikes! Btw, I hope that we get a culture of life in the future! (Not to derail or anything, just amen-ing your sentiment I suppose.)

[Seven77]

[quote name='Laudate_Dominum' timestamp='1310855170' post='2268369']
Yikes! Btw, I hope that we get a culture of life in the future! (Not to derail or anything, just amen-ing your sentiment I suppose.)
[/quote]

i'm positive that we'll get a culture of life--hopefully in our lifetimes but definitely for those future anthropologists/archeologists and historians.

[Laudate_Dominum]

[quote name='Seven77' timestamp='1310855602' post='2268372']
i'm positive that we'll get a culture of life--hopefully in our lifetimes but definitely for those future anthropologists/archeologists and historians.
[/quote]

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='Seven77' timestamp='1310853882' post='2268351']
Recently, the rapper Xzibit called the practice of planking racist because it is reminiscent of how slaves were transported in ships to America. It seems that most of the people engaging in lying face down and stiff as a board have no idea why they're doing it besides the fact that "everybody's doing it." To me, it's just plain dumb. Actually, the more I think about it, willful dumbness is against the dignity of the human person. I mean, don't get me wrong, humor is a good thing but frivolity is not. What do you guys think?
[/quote]

Until I read this, I didn't even know that slaves were transported in ships to America lying down on their face. And, I don't think a lot of other people know this, or think about it when "planking."

Personally, I see no harm in frivolity. Sometimes it's just fun to be silly. There are so many serious things in life that some frivolity helps keep life in balance. Sometimes to keep sane we need to be a little frivilous.

As for planking, it seems that most of it is harmless silliness. I never thought of it as resembling death, because in our culture, dead people are put in their coffins facing up, not down.

With any fad, there are always going to be a few stupid people who do dangerous things. The government tries to pass laws against people doing dumb, dangerous things, but virtually any activity could be dumb and dangerous. Are we going to stop people having electricity in their homes because some dummies play with electricity and some parents don't supervise their small children? We can't legislate EVERYTHING. Heck, we can die from eating if we choke.

I suspect the planking fad will die in time as most fads do. Then there will be some other fad.

If one of the rules of planking was that you had to be naked, then I would think it would degrade the dignity of the human person. Otherwise, no. And, if people who like to do dumb, dangerous things didn't have planking, they'd do something else dumb and dangerous. Most pictures I have seen of planking have been funny, not degrading, and there was nothing dangerous going on.

Anyone want to eat some goldfish? Now THAT was a weird fad!

Let's concentrate on much more seriously dangerous things, like drinking and driving.

Edited July 16, 2011 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[Laudate_Dominum]

[quote name='IgnatiusofLoyola' timestamp='1310857235' post='2268393']
Until I read this, I didn't even know that slaves were transported in ships to America lying down on their face. And, I don't think a lot of other people know this, or think about it when "planking."

Personally, I see no harm in frivolity. Sometimes it's just fun to be silly. There are so many serious things in life that some frivolity helps keep life in balance. Sometimes to keep sane we need to be a little frivilous.

As for planking, it seems that most of it is harmless silliness. I never thought of it as resembling death, because in our culture, dead people are put in their coffins facing up, not down.

With any fad, there are always going to be a few stupid people who do dangerous things. The government tries to pass laws against people doing dumb, dangerous things, but virtually any activity could be dumb and dangerous. Are we going to stop people having electricity in their homes because some dummies play with electricity and some parents don't supervise their small children? We can't legislate EVERYTHING. Heck, we can die from eating if we choke.

I suspect the planking fad will die in time as most fads do. Then there will be some other fad.

If one of the rules of planking was that you had to be naked, then I would think it would degrade the dignity of the human person. Otherwise, no. And, if people who like to dumb, dangerous things didn't have planking, they'd do something else dumb and dangerous. Most pictures I have seen of planking have been funny, not degrading, and there was nothing dangerous going on.

Anyone want to eat some goldfish? Now THAT was a weird fad!
[/quote]
Great post. This is basically how I feel about it too.

[Seven77]

[quote name='IgnatiusofLoyola' timestamp='1310857235' post='2268393']
[/quote]

Good points. You know, I wonder what St. Philip Neri would have to say about planking.... just maybe he might see it like that....St. Philip pray for us!

Aside from the fad though, I've heard that people were injured trying to plank themselves... I'm not so sure that it's harmless... especially for unsupervised children who like to imitate adults, and unfortunately there are a lot of not so bright adults.

Edit: Oh yeah just to clarify: What I meant by frivolous was just good old-fashioned mindless stupidity-- not in the sense of fun or lighthearted silliness.

Edited July 16, 2011 by Seven77

[Seven77]

This thread is somewhat meant to be frivolous in both senses of the word--- just FYI! lol

[Groo the Wanderer]

[img]http://erroraccessdenied.com/files/images/serious_cat.jpg[/img]

[To Jesus Through Mary]

[quote name='IgnatiusofLoyola' timestamp='1310857235' post='2268393']
Until I read this, I didn't even know that slaves were transported in ships to America lying down on their face. And, I don't think a lot of other people know this, or think about it when "planking."

Personally, I see no harm in frivolity. Sometimes it's just fun to be silly. There are so many serious things in life that some frivolity helps keep life in balance. Sometimes to keep sane we need to be a little frivilous.

As for planking, it seems that most of it is harmless silliness. I never thought of it as resembling death, because in our culture, dead people are put in their coffins facing up, not down.

With any fad, there are always going to be a few stupid people who do dangerous things. The government tries to pass laws against people doing dumb, dangerous things, but virtually any activity could be dumb and dangerous. Are we going to stop people having electricity in their homes because some dummies play with electricity and some parents don't supervise their small children? We can't legislate EVERYTHING. Heck, we can die from eating if we choke.

I suspect the planking fad will die in time as most fads do. Then there will be some other fad.

If one of the rules of planking was that you had to be naked, then I would think it would degrade the dignity of the human person. Otherwise, no. And, if people who like to do dumb, dangerous things didn't have planking, they'd do something else dumb and dangerous. Most pictures I have seen of planking have been funny, not degrading, and there was nothing dangerous going on.

Anyone want to eat some goldfish? Now THAT was a weird fad!

Let's concentrate on much more seriously dangerous things, like drinking and driving.
[/quote]

This.

And to mention, this is one fad I do not get.

Reason #5889 to enter the convent: Planking is actually a form of entertainment in the world?

[Vincent Vega]

Warning: Mildly graphic image
[spoiler][img]http://media.apnonline.com.au/img/news/2007/11/12/impaled_t325.jpg[/img]
YO DAWG I HEARD YOU LIKE LAYING DOWN ACTING LIKE WOOD SO I PUT SOME WOOD IN YOUR BODY SO YOU CAN BE A PLANK WHILE YOU PLANK.[/spoiler]

[cmotherofpirl]

I think its no different that playing Chinese fire drills, stuffing people into phone booths or small cars. Its definitely better than swallowing live goldfish~!

[Mary Magdalene]

planking: harmless fun

[cruciatacara]

A couple of people have died planking on top of tall buildings - on the balconies - and fallen to their deaths after they lost balance. I think it is sheer stupidity to do it someplace dangerous. I have seen it done on top of trash cans - and that's funny - but to do it someplace where you could fall to your death is just about the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Most sports, even the extreme ones, have some safety features, like helmets or pads etc. (maybe a parachute for the really tall buildings??) This is even stupider than base jumping. To endanger ones life for such silliness is definitely devaluing human life.

There is common sense to all things... and idiots are everywhere I guess. Personally, I don't see what the fun is in this particular 'sport' or game or whatever it is.

[Mary Magdalene]

[quote name='cruciatacara' timestamp='1310888033' post='2268651']
A couple of people have died planking on top of tall buildings - on the balconies - and fallen to their deaths after they lost balance. I think it is sheer stupidity to do it someplace dangerous. I have seen it done on top of trash cans - and that's funny - but to do it someplace where you could fall to your death is just about the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Most sports, even the extreme ones, have some safety features, like helmets or pads etc. (maybe a parachute for the really tall buildings??) This is even stupider than base jumping. To endanger ones life for such silliness is definitely devaluing human life.

There is common sense to all things... and idiots are everywhere I guess. Personally, I don't see what the fun is in this particular 'sport' or game or whatever it is.
[/quote]


Some of those people who have died planking, just took it too far. There was one bloke in Australia who died planking off a balcony. He was under the influence of alcohol. Those people who choose to be silly about it, ie. drink and choose absolute stupid locations or objects to plank off then are just stupid and are devaluing human life. But its just a fad which can be fun and creative providing you do not put yourself in any immediate danger where you could potentially harm yourself or others.

[Papist]

Tagging planking racist is plain silliness. Tag it by its proper label, LAME.