Easier than Twister
July 16, 2009 12:06 PM Subscribe
This was also discussed by photographer Ben Roberts.
posted by chunking express at 12:10 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by chunking express at 12:10 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
Most of them look uncomfortable instead of relaxed. I think the person should appear loose and floppy for best results.
posted by exogenous at 12:11 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by exogenous at 12:11 PM on July 16, 2009
This is SO excellent.
posted by ElmerFishpaw at 12:13 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by ElmerFishpaw at 12:13 PM on July 16, 2009
No no, they shouldn't look relaxed. It should look like a robot faceplant.
posted by DU at 12:14 PM on July 16, 2009 [8 favorites]
posted by DU at 12:14 PM on July 16, 2009 [8 favorites]
Awesome. I'm going to play on campus once school starts again.
posted by spitefulcrow at 12:15 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by spitefulcrow at 12:15 PM on July 16, 2009
How do you win the game?
posted by mrstrotsky at 12:15 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by mrstrotsky at 12:15 PM on July 16, 2009
It's no woman-spinning-on-an-escalator trick.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:16 PM on July 16, 2009 [23 favorites]
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:16 PM on July 16, 2009 [23 favorites]
It's like the movie Ringu, except instead of cursed videotape, someone's worked out what the man says at the end of Radiohead's Just.
posted by permafrost at 12:17 PM on July 16, 2009 [9 favorites]
posted by permafrost at 12:17 PM on July 16, 2009 [9 favorites]
I love the fact that they take Really Big Pains in the Facebook group to point out that "THE LYING DOWN GAME" is copyright. These guys are fishing for a book deal or a TV show or something.
posted by the dief at 12:20 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by the dief at 12:20 PM on July 16, 2009
I know all there is to know... about the lying game.
I've had my share... of the lying game.
posted by GuyZero at 12:20 PM on July 16, 2009 [6 favorites]
I've had my share... of the lying game.
posted by GuyZero at 12:20 PM on July 16, 2009 [6 favorites]
No, I like the tenseness, it's like they are not lying there as much as they are frozen there, like they're supposed to be vertical and all standing-up-supporting bones and muscles, but like some confused sprite in a computer animation routine gone awry it's just projected there, horizontal and locked in place.
Very unsettling, very beautiful.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 12:26 PM on July 16, 2009
Very unsettling, very beautiful.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 12:26 PM on July 16, 2009
I used to go aruond doing this in high school. It's not on my resume.
posted by cmoj at 12:28 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by cmoj at 12:28 PM on July 16, 2009
I love the fact that they take Really Big Pains in the Facebook group to point out that "THE LYING DOWN GAME" is copyright. These guys are fishing for a book deal or a TV show or something.
I don't know, maybe? Sounds kinda facetious to me:
This is the Official Lying Down Game© group which has a copyright certificate and was founded when facebook first started.
Either way, it has some weird 'born in Geordieland' mythology which the Facebook group contradicts:
This game was originally masterminded by the legendary Gary Clarkson and partner in crime Christian Langdon two lads from Somerset.
I was more willing to believe that it stems from recreating drunken fotos, but hey.
posted by Sova at 12:29 PM on July 16, 2009
I don't know, maybe? Sounds kinda facetious to me:
This is the Official Lying Down Game© group which has a copyright certificate and was founded when facebook first started.
Either way, it has some weird 'born in Geordieland' mythology which the Facebook group contradicts:
This game was originally masterminded by the legendary Gary Clarkson and partner in crime Christian Langdon two lads from Somerset.
I was more willing to believe that it stems from recreating drunken fotos, but hey.
posted by Sova at 12:29 PM on July 16, 2009
Holy Crap, it's The Happening!
posted by roue at 12:29 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by roue at 12:29 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
Pre-zombies. Someone should really cut their heads off. Right. Fucking. Now. Once they start moving again, we'll all be pretty busy.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:38 PM on July 16, 2009 [5 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:38 PM on July 16, 2009 [5 favorites]
I would LOVE to see a pixilated film made from these photos. It would be like Neighbours!
posted by ocherdraco at 12:39 PM on July 16, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by ocherdraco at 12:39 PM on July 16, 2009 [2 favorites]
This is fucking fantastic.
posted by Damn That Television at 12:42 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by Damn That Television at 12:42 PM on July 16, 2009
Hah, this is fantastic. Next time I'm out with my photographer friends, I'll have to challenge them to come up with some good shots.
posted by defenestration at 12:42 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by defenestration at 12:42 PM on July 16, 2009
Some of these people are dead.
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:42 PM on July 16, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:42 PM on July 16, 2009 [2 favorites]
When I was a young teenager there was this Beavis and Butthead spinoff show on MTV called Daria. One of the episodes had Daria babysitting and in order to get the hyper kids to shut up, she had them play this really stupid game. It was called "Graveyard." The dialogue of her instructions basically went like this: "Okay, kids, we're going to play a really fun game called Graveyard. Lie on the floor and pretend to be dead. The first person to move loses." And then later in the episode, when the kids tire of this game, she invents a new one. "Okay, kids, we're going to play a game called Lichen. Lie on the floor and pretend to be a piece of moss growing on the side of a tree. The first person to move or drop a spore loses."
A couple of years later I was a summer camp counselor, and I was having a really frustrating day, so I somewhat sarcastically suggested to my 8 year old charges that we play Graveyard. They loved it. They thought it was the most fun game ever. And I was torn between being completely boggled that they were actually entertained, and being massively amused with myself for pulling it off.
All of which is to say - I was thinking this link would be something like that. But it wasn't.
posted by marginaliana at 12:44 PM on July 16, 2009 [13 favorites]
A couple of years later I was a summer camp counselor, and I was having a really frustrating day, so I somewhat sarcastically suggested to my 8 year old charges that we play Graveyard. They loved it. They thought it was the most fun game ever. And I was torn between being completely boggled that they were actually entertained, and being massively amused with myself for pulling it off.
All of which is to say - I was thinking this link would be something like that. But it wasn't.
posted by marginaliana at 12:44 PM on July 16, 2009 [13 favorites]
I know all there is to know about the lying (down) game.
posted by Mister_A at 12:50 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Mister_A at 12:50 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
It's all fun and games until some dude doesn't get his Heimlich hug.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:50 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:50 PM on July 16, 2009
Also, the pose reminds of the time that George Michael laid face down on the floor, as a means to express his debilitating sadness after being dumped, in the Arrested Development episode "Good Grief!" -- which, as you may know, is the same episode that included the Charlie Brown Walk.
posted by defenestration at 12:51 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by defenestration at 12:51 PM on July 16, 2009
The shots from Liverpool Street station and the Tate Modern (in the facebook pics) are sublime. You could put a gun to my head and I still couldn't tell you why I love this, but I do. I really do.
posted by slimepuppy at 12:56 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by slimepuppy at 12:56 PM on July 16, 2009
They just look dead. Fun.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 12:56 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by otherwordlyglow at 12:56 PM on July 16, 2009
If you put a gun to my head i would lie down on the ground face down and not move or say anything which would be a pretty good response to why i fucking love this too.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:03 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:03 PM on July 16, 2009
I can't imagine anything more passive-aggressive than lying face-down and motionless in a busy public place.
posted by longsleeves at 1:06 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by longsleeves at 1:06 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
unless you're a guy who likes to be stepped on, then it's purely a sex thing.
posted by longsleeves at 1:06 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by longsleeves at 1:06 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
Marginalia's comment says exactly everything I meant to say when I clicked into this thread, although I've been limited to babysitting excursions instead of summer camp. Kids love it.
posted by redsparkler at 1:15 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by redsparkler at 1:15 PM on July 16, 2009
I butchered that name, didn't I? Marginaliana. That's what I meant to say.
I've got to go lie down now.
posted by redsparkler at 1:16 PM on July 16, 2009
I've got to go lie down now.
posted by redsparkler at 1:16 PM on July 16, 2009
And I was torn between being completely boggled that they were actually entertained, and being massively amused with myself for pulling it off.
You mean, on long car trips, your parents didn't try to shut you up with the "Let's See Who Can Stay Quiet the Longest" Game?
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:19 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
You mean, on long car trips, your parents didn't try to shut you up with the "Let's See Who Can Stay Quiet the Longest" Game?
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:19 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
You mean, on long car trips, your parents didn't try to shut you up with the "Let's See Who Can Stay Quiet the Longest" Game?
Mine did! Only our game was called "Shut the fuck up back there."
posted by Skot at 1:21 PM on July 16, 2009 [19 favorites]
Mine did! Only our game was called "Shut the fuck up back there."
posted by Skot at 1:21 PM on July 16, 2009 [19 favorites]
Yep...I thought about that Daria episode too. I loved that show.
When I worked at a school, I made a t-shirt that said, "Let's play the quiet game." That shit never worked though. Apparently I was not convincing.
posted by nosila at 1:21 PM on July 16, 2009
When I worked at a school, I made a t-shirt that said, "Let's play the quiet game." That shit never worked though. Apparently I was not convincing.
posted by nosila at 1:21 PM on July 16, 2009
Eventually, everyone plays the lying down game... forever.
posted by blue_beetle at 1:36 PM on July 16, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by blue_beetle at 1:36 PM on July 16, 2009 [3 favorites]
That '!!!' picture linked by Captain Cardanthian above reminds me of first person shooter games before they had fancy physics engines with ragdoll models and so on. The corpses would just kind of fall down vertically until the first collision was detected and then they'd stop, so you'd occasionally find dead bodies stiffly cantilevered off of ledges or desks or flower pots.
posted by Rhomboid at 1:38 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by Rhomboid at 1:38 PM on July 16, 2009
Slimepuppy, yeah, Tate's the one for me too. I don't know why either. I like the ones that look the very opposite of relaxing. Face planted into the ground, toes pointed down, stiff arms. It looks so obnoxious but I can't help but appreciate it.
posted by Glee at 1:44 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by Glee at 1:44 PM on July 16, 2009
I would play this right now, but a member of Providence's Finest has already admonished me to keep my SHOES on in the library, I can only imagine the consternation that would ensue if I LAY DOWN.
Also, I wonder what he thinks of the fact that there is an "EXIT" sign on the middle of a wall and a cardboard cutout of Batman blocking an *actual* exit.
But whatever. Providence's Finest Library Police are there to keep you SAFE!
posted by grapefruitmoon at 1:47 PM on July 16, 2009
Also, I wonder what he thinks of the fact that there is an "EXIT" sign on the middle of a wall and a cardboard cutout of Batman blocking an *actual* exit.
But whatever. Providence's Finest Library Police are there to keep you SAFE!
posted by grapefruitmoon at 1:47 PM on July 16, 2009
Am I the only one reminded of the gruesome photos of post-Kook Aid Jonestown, or the Matthew Brady pictures of battlefield dead?
posted by Faze at 1:52 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by Faze at 1:52 PM on July 16, 2009
Next: The Kick the Person Lying Down Game!
posted by Big_B at 2:02 PM on July 16, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by Big_B at 2:02 PM on July 16, 2009 [2 favorites]
Yeah...well, I only got 2 hours of sleep last night, so I'm gonna go turn on Curious George for Boy and play the lying down game on the couch until I have to make dinner. This is *so* a game I can get behind. Er...as it were.
posted by dejah420 at 2:05 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by dejah420 at 2:05 PM on July 16, 2009
Ironic that this is on facebook, and yet pretty much none of the pictures show us the person's face.
posted by jeremy b at 2:15 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by jeremy b at 2:15 PM on July 16, 2009
These photos make me laugh and laugh. The more I look at them, the funnier they get.
posted by emd3737 at 2:16 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by emd3737 at 2:16 PM on July 16, 2009
More like FaceDownBook, amirite?!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:17 PM on July 16, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:17 PM on July 16, 2009 [3 favorites]
It's no woman-spinning-on-an-escalator trick.
i am going to the mall RIGHT NOW
posted by middleclasstool at 2:27 PM on July 16, 2009
i am going to the mall RIGHT NOW
posted by middleclasstool at 2:27 PM on July 16, 2009
permafrost: It's like the movie Ringu, except instead of cursed videotape, someone's worked out what the man says at the end of Radiohead's Just.
That's perfect.
posted by flatluigi at 2:29 PM on July 16, 2009
That's perfect.
posted by flatluigi at 2:29 PM on July 16, 2009
This is the official game of the Toronto 10th Anniversary MeetUp.
posted by gman at 2:31 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by gman at 2:31 PM on July 16, 2009
Sorry, I don't get it. Why is this funny or interesting? Pictures of people lying down on stuff. Am I missing something?
posted by Ratio at 2:44 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Ratio at 2:44 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
This was also discussed by photographer Ben Roberts.
"Typology in the Public Domain .... Perhaps the reason why I was drawn to these images also had something to do with the naive appropriation of a commonly used motif within photography: the prostrate stranger, photographed unaware – examples of which have been featured recently here on insig.ht:"
Please.
posted by Ratio at 2:48 PM on July 16, 2009
"Typology in the Public Domain .... Perhaps the reason why I was drawn to these images also had something to do with the naive appropriation of a commonly used motif within photography: the prostrate stranger, photographed unaware – examples of which have been featured recently here on insig.ht:"
Please.
posted by Ratio at 2:48 PM on July 16, 2009
Are they thinking of England?
posted by srboisvert at 3:19 PM on July 16, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by srboisvert at 3:19 PM on July 16, 2009 [3 favorites]
I'm just glad it wasn't something about the fainting game. Kinda cool - would be cooler on flickr, but doesn't have much of a presence there yet.
posted by rainbaby at 4:17 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by rainbaby at 4:17 PM on July 16, 2009
Ratio, there is a comment box at the bottom of that article. Maybe your comment is better directed there?
posted by chunking express at 4:30 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by chunking express at 4:30 PM on July 16, 2009
My four year old is not hip to this game at all - I beg and beg...
posted by PuppyCat at 5:53 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by PuppyCat at 5:53 PM on July 16, 2009
I think this kinda thing calls for some Zs...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
posted by vvurdsmyth at 6:09 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by vvurdsmyth at 6:09 PM on July 16, 2009
I love this.
posted by unknowncommand at 6:09 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by unknowncommand at 6:09 PM on July 16, 2009
We just jumped on the bandwagon, spent an hour driving around doing this and had a great time....it is worth it for the wacky looks from passerby alone. Also someday when the kids are pulling these pics off my hard drive after I'm dead and gone, they're gonna roll their eyes and laugh again.
posted by HyperBlue at 8:00 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by HyperBlue at 8:00 PM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
Eventually, everyone plays the lying down game... forever.
I got a chill when I read that.
posted by cazoo at 12:18 AM on July 17, 2009
I got a chill when I read that.
posted by cazoo at 12:18 AM on July 17, 2009
Fat rich white college slobs have 20K members for club about laying down on things while the premier organization for the abolition of prison rape and outreach/support to survivors has 93 members.
god damn america.
posted by hamida2242 at 2:27 AM on July 17, 2009
god damn america.
posted by hamida2242 at 2:27 AM on July 17, 2009
http://www.justdetention.org/ in case anyone gives a fuck
posted by hamida2242 at 2:28 AM on July 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by hamida2242 at 2:28 AM on July 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
Wow, I had no idea I was a member of such an exclusive group, hamida! I appreciate your sentiment. I'm shocked to learn how small the membership is. But I'm not sure if "give a fuck" is the correct euphemism, you know?
Making something funny and perhaps a tad artsy is entertaining. Prison rape isn't very entertaining. So perhaps the comparison isn't very reasonable. Still, only 93?!
posted by Goofyy at 4:25 AM on July 17, 2009
Making something funny and perhaps a tad artsy is entertaining. Prison rape isn't very entertaining. So perhaps the comparison isn't very reasonable. Still, only 93?!
posted by Goofyy at 4:25 AM on July 17, 2009
Fat rich white college slobs have 20K members for club about laying down on things while the premier organization for the abolition of prison rape and outreach/support to survivors has 93 members.
god damn america.
this started in England and seems to be practiced by people of all classes and joining a serious facebook group doesn't at all count as taking action on an issue even if that issue is the only important thing anyone should ever be worrying about at all times which prison rape is not.
In other words, do i look like i give a fuck?
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:19 AM on July 17, 2009
god damn america, I had no idea that by joining a serious, premier facebook club I could save the world - and with just one click!
Lighten up Francis.
America has nothing to do with the origins of the lying down game, but don't let it stop your shread titting.
Laughter is the best medicine, or so they say.
posted by HyperBlue at 8:25 AM on July 17, 2009
Lighten up Francis.
America has nothing to do with the origins of the lying down game, but don't let it stop your shread titting.
Laughter is the best medicine, or so they say.
posted by HyperBlue at 8:25 AM on July 17, 2009
I hadn't realized he was talking about a group on Facebook. The org exists IRL. Then I got to noticing the pictures when I recognized some places. Then I realized, the vast majority of photos I saw were in the UK. I'm waiting to find one with someone laying on a baggage carousel.
posted by Goofyy at 11:55 AM on July 17, 2009
posted by Goofyy at 11:55 AM on July 17, 2009
I find this really silly. Now I am paranoid that some nitwit is going to try this on the subway and lie down in doorway. "Stay clear of the closing doors!"
posted by tothemoon at 1:43 PM on July 26, 2009
posted by tothemoon at 1:43 PM on July 26, 2009
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posted by DU at 12:09 PM on July 16, 2009