Planking

After a 20-year old Queenslander fell to his death whilst he was planking on a balcony railing of a highrise building  in Kangaroo Point (Brisbane) on May 15, many people wonder what planking is.

It's the latest internet craze that is taking the world by storm. The idea is that you lay down flat, face down, with your arms next to your body, fingers flat, toes pointy and your body has to be rigid. Location? Anywhere. A friend takes the picture which gets posted on the net, with a title. There's a planking association in Brisbane that already states that you should not bring yourself or others in danger naturally. I have seen a few pictures and many are amazing. Some of them very artistic, some very daring. Of course the police responded with caution, hoping not having to arrest or rescue too many silly people.

I like the idea of planking and I'm amazed how this all will pan out in this new virtual era. On local radio not long ago a concerned psychologist talked about a new development in social networking though. There seems to be a real danger of exceeding narcissism and codependence amongst younger people. You post on Facebook and you can't wait for your 'friends' to respond. You are becoming dependent on feedback, so much so that  behaviour becomes equal to person. If you don't get so many 'likes' then you feel dreadful and depressed. If you forget to 'like', or positively respond to a friend's post then you're out. Busy and stressful times!

According to the psychologist this behaviour is extending to 'real life' at home and at school. Kids, when told to do something or when criticised, go in a fit, they 'chuck a wobbly'. They take the comment personal. They get angry.  Criticising behaviour has become as seen as an attack on the person itself.
Now that is a real worry.