It started when Google started hiring hoardes of people and their interview questions "that only a genius could solve" started leaking. At some point, everyone wanted to work at Google, because they had a slide and free sandwiches and whatnot.
Then, every startup, turtlenecked steve jobs-wannabe started copying those nonsensical questions that only "gifted" people could answer.
It's definitely a thing, praised by every linkedin lunatic, for finding people who "want to be a part of the family", are "willing to give it 1100%", and will do overtime for free to prove they're "worth it".