Ahh.
Memes.
Memes, memes, memes.
A social phenomena often taking the form of a silly dance - an unimpressed looking cat,
an overweight cartoon rabbit - or a lonely creature with salad for fingers that enjoys
rusty, metallic objects.
Whilst it’s easy to get caught up with the ever flowing tide of modern popular culture
- there’s actually a lot more to memes than first meets the eye.
And in the SCP-Foundation, there exists one particular anomalous concept that could perhaps
pose a very significant threat to you, me - our best friends - and our very best memers.
Let me introduce you, to SCP-2774 AKA - The Slow Burning Sloth.
Hello internet - and welcome back to the most inquisitive channel on YouTube - Life’s
Biggest Questions.
As per usual, I’ll be your disembodied floating voice Jack Finch - as today, we curiously
ask the question, What If SCP-2774 Was Real?
Roll the clip.
Alright, maybe it wouldn’t exactly be like the events of the 1998 commercial flop cult
classic, Virus - but hey, it certainly sets the scene - doesn’t it?
Well, I think so at least.
But in actuality, the field of memetics is such a wide picnic table of themes and concepts
that it’s not that hard to cosplay an anomalous demonic sloth.
Well, in your mind at least.
Go on give it a go - oh, no, wait.
Don’t.
Oh.
I’m so sorry.
As the record states, SCP-2774 is any medium which contains SCP-2774-A - which is a memetic
image of an unknown humanoid entity, presumably wearing a sloth costume.
2774 manifests itself in various forms of non-live media, including movies, television,
magazines, and in some cases personally recorded videos or pictures.
It is typically located in the background of whatever media it appears in.
To date, there have thankfully been no instances of SCP-2774 on the internet.
During a single incident in Northern Canada, where SCP-2774 appeared on live local television,
resulting in the relocation of over 4,000 people to Site-116 - which we’ll get into
later.
However, there is one saving grace.
The image only retains its anomalous properties if the image contains hues of red or green
- and therefore, those with deuteranopia - or Red/Green colorblindness - are not affected
by SCP-2774.
So, people that are colorblind - don’t worry - because you’re safe!
In actual fact as well, it is estimated that under 40% of those exposed to SCP-2774 are
actually affected.
But, the ones that are - well, you’re in for a really rough ride.
Effects of viewing 2774 usually set in between 40-100 hours after exposure - and those affected
will begin to lose the ability to use cognitive functions or make higher level decisions,
except for a period that lasts around 150 seconds every 24 hours, occurring randomly.
Which is just a terrifying thought, isn’t it?
Being unable to control your own body - except for a brief 2 and half minute period where
your senses randomly return - all because you accidently saw a picture of a demonic
sloth.
No, thank you.
But to first understand how a mental virus such as this could possibly become a threat,
we have to first take a look at the field of memetics.
Also colloquially referred to as memeology, memetics are the study of information and
culture based on an analogy with Darwinian evolution.
Essentially, memetics describe how an idea can propagate successfully - being disseminated
across the endless ocean of our human populus, and becoming the dank memes that we now know
and hate to love.
The term meme was actually first coined by Richard Dawkins, in his 1976 book - The Selfish
Gene - although its important to note that Dawkins later distanced himself from the controversial
field of memetics.
In the same vein as a gene - the meme was conceived as a unit of culture - an idea,
belief or pattern of behaviour - which is hosted in the minds of one or more individuals
- reproducing itself in the sense of jumping from the mind of one person, to the mind of
another.
So when you see a viral trend emerge - say, the ridiculous Tide Pod eating-craze of 2017
- the more that it is exposed, the more that it gathers the proficiency to further develop
its reach.
It is exponential growth, that keeps on expanding to more and more human minds - and as the
old adage goes - you can’t kill an idea.
A meme is - in essence - whatever is copied from one person to another person - habits
and skills, songs, images, stories, or any other kind of information.
Memes are copied by imitation and teaching - although the copies aren’t perfect, they’re
copied with variation - which is essentially why you see so many varying versions of modern
memes.
But what if that meme was … something that we’ve forgotten about.
Something much more nefarious, something that slowed the human body to a state of nothingness.
To a slow burning sloth.
Thankfully for us - as SCP-2774’s record states, there are no known instances of this
anomalous cognitohazard on the internet - and it only appears in static, traditional non-live
media.
Magazines, movies, TV and pictures.
If it was on the internet?
Holy moly.
Just the very nature of this video would doom you all to a lifetime of slow-burning misery.
As far as the Foundation is concerned, there is no known cure once afflicted by the 2774
cognito hazard.
Their only plan of procedure thus far has been to take the victims of the slow burning
sloth to Site-116 - and it’s pretty much a death sentence for those that are kept there,
as the Foundation has found it more humane to euthanize than to hope to develop a solution.
In numerous instances, those affected by SCP-2774 have reported observing it while their body
is acting autonomously - and their very perception of reality appears to be lost during this
time.
They’re completely incapable of moving their own body - and instead are being driven by
a burning, demonic sloth that is permanently etched into their own mind.
If this thing ever got out - well, I hate to even draw a picture of the events that
would follow.
Imagine a post-apocalyptic wasteland - but there’s no one around to even fight for
survival.
There’s just humanity, scattered around - walking around like mindless drones until
they waste away.
But - wait a minute, there is some hope, actually.
Remember what I said earlier about people with Red/Green colorblindness being immune
to SCP-2774?
Deuteranopia affects approximately 1 in 12 men - and 1 in 200 women in the world.
So those people?
Yeah, they’d be around to hold the torch for humanity - while the rest of us afflicted
by SCP-2774 fade to the wayside.
And in just opposition to memetics - we also have the power of genetics on our side.
Essentially, much like with Darwinian evolution - the human species would develop color blindness
as a means to defeat the spread of SCP-2774 - until eventually, everyone was color blind
- and the Slow Burning Sloth faded from existence, humanity safely out of its clutches.
Don’t worry.
It’s not all bleak death and destruction here folks - because, although you may not
be able to kill an idea - eventually, you can always outsmart it.
Well, there we have it folks - our contrived answer to What If SCP-2774 Was Real - why
don’t you let us know your thoughts in the comment section down below.
Before we depart though, let’s read out some of your most entertaining comments from
over the past few days.
First up - Tesco carrier bag man, says -- When life gives you questions, you make questionade
-- Hah - yes you do, Tesco carrier bag man.
Yes you do.
And that’s a great way of looking at things.
Next up - Mark Taylor says -- Still trying to seek employment by the foundation.
Hey Jack, if you really are part of the council, I’m right here.
--
Haha, I don’t know what you’re talking about Mark.
What a ridiculous thing to say.
Although, I do admire your persistence - it’s a quality that would come in incredibly handy
at Site-12 - oh, dammit - I’ve gone and done it again - I mean.
Yeah, that’s crazy.
Well on that note folks, cheers for sticking around all the way until the end - if you
were a fan of this video, make sure to hit that thumbs up button, as well as that subscribe
bell - and we’ll be seeing you in the next one.
As per usual, I’ve been your disembodied floating voice Jack Finch - you’ve been
watching Life’s Biggest Questions - and until next time, you take it easy.