<![CDATA[SCPs are modern folklore.]]>SCPs are modern folklore. The universe and associated media are very popular. I don't think the SCP fanbase is especially interested in politics or literally analysis. SCPs gain fame (infamy?) by being creepy, by having the right mix of plausible and horrific.

This is why I find SCP-1981 especially interesting. It's a haunted VHS tape of Ronald Reagan delivering his "Evil Empire" speech to the National Association of Evangelicals.

Link Preview Image
SCP-1981 - SCP Foundation

The SCP Foundation's 'top-secret' archives, declassified for your enjoyment.

favicon

The SCP Foundation (scp-wiki.wikidot.com)

1/

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/topic/cd6f899f-c363-46d0-ac5c-cde3ff707eb0/scps-are-modern-folklore.RSS for NodeTue, 07 Apr 2026 03:32:31 GMTSun, 29 Mar 2026 01:41:01 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Mon, 30 Mar 2026 18:31:07 GMT]]>@futurebird if you haven’t seen the play “Conscience” please do. The story of Margaret Chase Smith and Joseph McCarthy, it was chilling to realize how often history repeats. And uplifting to know that things do get better at some point.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/pejacoby/statuses/116319549368572735https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/pejacoby/statuses/116319549368572735Mon, 30 Mar 2026 18:31:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:19:31 GMT]]>@futurebird
When Reagan made that speech, people had mostly become numb to the fact that an actor was elected president. But even so, that event marked a new low in his administration for those of us who weren't fans of him or his policies, and even some Republicans found his rhetoric too aggressive.

It's hard to believe now, but when he got elected it was considered an unmatchable low point in American politics, having an actor who starred in Bedtime for Bonzo leading the government. At this point, having an animatronic president would be an improvement. (I'm sure that's next.)

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://im-in.space/users/bogosity/statuses/116319267795193775https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://im-in.space/users/bogosity/statuses/116319267795193775Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:19:31 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:22:30 GMT]]>@futurebird thank you for these posts! I have been an SCP enjoyer for years but was unaware of the speech on which it is based.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/incomprehensibeel/statuses/116315504668771977https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/incomprehensibeel/statuses/116315504668771977Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:22:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 23:22:01 GMT]]>@futurebird how am I older than you? You're an adult and I'm just... me

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.gamedev.place/users/ghosttie/statuses/116315030905031811https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.gamedev.place/users/ghosttie/statuses/116315030905031811Sun, 29 Mar 2026 23:22:01 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 19:06:22 GMT]]>@futurebird
Sorry 😔

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://dawdling.net/users/cshlan/statuses/116314025629398775https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://dawdling.net/users/cshlan/statuses/116314025629398775Sun, 29 Mar 2026 19:06:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 19:02:57 GMT]]>@cshlan

Oh god im having flashback now.... this country ...

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/116314012234602715https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/116314012234602715Sun, 29 Mar 2026 19:02:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 19:01:57 GMT]]>@futurebird
They've moved on to Bush's Axis of Evil. Combining memories of the Cold War with WWII.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://dawdling.net/users/cshlan/statuses/116314008310403591https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://dawdling.net/users/cshlan/statuses/116314008310403591Sun, 29 Mar 2026 19:01:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 17:39:05 GMT]]>@futurebird most cassette based scp ought to be partially taped-over with non-anomalous content, for realism and flavor.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://tilde.zone/users/misterdave/statuses/116313682458033160https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://tilde.zone/users/misterdave/statuses/116313682458033160Sun, 29 Mar 2026 17:39:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 15:37:25 GMT]]>@futurebird i dunno; if i hear someone use the phrase "evil empire" now, as a knee-jerk reaction i'll assume they're referring to the united states (though on 2nd thought, they could also be referring to the netanyahu regime, or the putin regime; but maybe less so, bc they don't really have much of an empire (yet)).

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/JamesWidman/statuses/116313204041651683https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/JamesWidman/statuses/116313204041651683Sun, 29 Mar 2026 15:37:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:18:08 GMT]]>@delta_vee @futurebird Those were rather creepy.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/InkySchwartz/statuses/116312184474589997https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/InkySchwartz/statuses/116312184474589997Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:18:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:13:11 GMT]]>@futurebird And Communism got a rebrand as "Anything a lefty says".

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/InkySchwartz/statuses/116312165015084659https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/InkySchwartz/statuses/116312165015084659Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:13:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:49:42 GMT]]>@futurebird re: gipper

George Gipp was a college football player who's name was used to motivate his team after his death. Reagan played the coach that gave a speech that included the line, "Win one for the Gipper." At some point after that, people started referring to Reagan as the Gipper because of his association with that speech.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mathstodon.xyz/users/mpark/statuses/116312072654792286https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mathstodon.xyz/users/mpark/statuses/116312072654792286Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:49:42 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:48:10 GMT]]>Reading about it has helped me to understand some of the nonsense we are seeing now. But today talking about an "evil empire" is even more of a non-starter than it was in 1983... Americans regard communism as over. This has left the interventionists flailing and struggling to explain what they are doing.

Though this stuff still works on some older people.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/116312066639375773https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/116312066639375773Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:48:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:45:49 GMT]]>When I read accounts of this speech there is a lot of focus on the phrase "evil empire" and how more secular media found it inflammatory. There was a "presidents don't speak like this" freak out. I think this misses the things that made the speech necessary from the perspective of the interventionist right wing political stance.

They were LOSING the evangelicals over this nonsense. They needed to frame it as a moral battle against "communism."

And it worked.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/116312057383833421https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/116312057383833421Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:45:49 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:41:57 GMT]]>I've just realized that the "Evil Empire" speech was on March 8, 1983 and I let the name of the SCP confused me about the year. But it doesn't change much about these observations.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/116312042241210674https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/116312042241210674Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:41:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:37:47 GMT]]>@Aletheia_E @Moss @futurebird i hadnt heard that one but i would not be surprised in the slightest. the reagan documentary series on showtime was very....informative.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://lgbtqia.space/ap/users/115557138634666703/statuses/116310138411575130https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://lgbtqia.space/ap/users/115557138634666703/statuses/116310138411575130Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:37:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:31:06 GMT]]>@futurebird it's like a Dorian Gray via Blockbuster, I love it

I mean, totally cursed, but very fitting for that moment

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.online/users/ephesossh/statuses/116310112111625135https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.online/users/ephesossh/statuses/116310112111625135Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:31:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:25:03 GMT]]>@futurebird Sidenote: the earliest version of that SCP had a mention of "unfolders" (changed to "unravellers" to avoid plagiarism accusations), which referenced Zach Parsons' "That Insidious Beast" (https://www.somethingawful.com/series/that-insidious-beast/), a story of an alternate US driven by religious fervor but with actually-existing supernatural(-seeming) entities driving cataclysmic violence.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://cosocial.ca/ap/users/116270229831760501/statuses/116310088307808128https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://cosocial.ca/ap/users/116270229831760501/statuses/116310088307808128Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:25:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:14:31 GMT]]>@Moss @futurebird WTF this is *as bad* as reagan telling stories about being a wwii fighter pilot

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://lgbtqia.space/ap/users/115557138634666703/statuses/116310046888675088https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://lgbtqia.space/ap/users/115557138634666703/statuses/116310046888675088Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:14:31 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:11:28 GMT]]>@futurebird Oh, I know this one! He got the nickname "the Gipper" from a movie he starred in that was about the football coach Knute Rockne, whose star quarterback George Gipp (hence the nickname) was in a car wreck. (small plane maybe? neither were particularly safe in the late 1930s)

Rockne urged the team to get out and win one for the Gipper, and they did, and Reagan played the part of the Gipper in a movie about it.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/count_01/statuses/116310034934659141https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/count_01/statuses/116310034934659141Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:11:28 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:07:52 GMT]]>@futurebird it’s so hollow and over-stretched, just like all the other shit we “have to” understand about these people.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/Moss/statuses/116310020762340516https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/Moss/statuses/116310020762340516Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:07:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:06:20 GMT]]>@Moss

Thanks.

That makes sense, I don't know why knowing it makes me so tired.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/116310014704229856https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/116310014704229856Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:06:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:05:23 GMT]]>@futurebird Reagan played Gipp in a movie about his coach. He later used the “win one for the Gipper” line in speeches for both himself and Bush.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/Moss/statuses/116310011010863808https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/Moss/statuses/116310011010863808Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:05:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to SCPs are modern folklore. on Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:04:04 GMT]]>@Moss

Thank you and I'm still confused.

Did they think he was like a football star?

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/116310005815679219https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sauropods.win/users/futurebird/statuses/116310005815679219Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:04:04 GMT