Exploring the SCP Foundation: SCP-4005 - The Holy and Heavenly City of Fabled China

[@DSMikeNW]

The issue I have with seeing this SCP in a positive light is that no one who has gone to this "Utopia" has come back, not even to tell others about it and invite them over, they just disappear. No one who says "I will go check it out and let you know if it's true", and that's really f-ing suspicious to me! It raises so many red flags you could eclipse this so called infinite city in it's entirety with them.

[@quicksilvertongue3248]

Thank you! Finally someone else who hasn't switched off their brain to believe in these lies.

[@CanadianF.B.I]

Hear me out on this. Plenty of fiction has people arrive at a utopia and just never leave. So it is possible that those who arrive at the city are so captivated by it they just think "well everyone's going to come here eventually so might as well let them find it themselves "

[@kenpanderz672]

well no one has come back from heaven either, so its probably inspired by the dubiousness of the concept of an afterlife, atleast to some degree

[@trymtoreson2508]

@@kenpanderz672 thats what i was thinking! Bloody genious

[@quicksilvertongue3248]

@@kenpanderz672 precisely. The fact that this piece is all about Islam, despite being named after China, is certainly no accident.

[@LunarSecrets]

"SCP [SERIES OF NUMBERS]" Always feels like a high-dose of euphoria when it comes from our favorite story teller. Keep up the good work, my man!

[@ashleycook6025]

See also: "how I avoid sugar, caffeine or nicotine when I'm craving all three two hours before bed time."

[@nibblrrr7124]

00:55 *SCP-4005* - 📓03:45 *Diary Excerpt 1* · 07:01 - 🎙13:50 *Interview 1* - 🧪19:29 *Testing Log* - 🎙22:46 *Interview 2* - 📓28:39 *Diary Excerpt 2* · 31:02 - 🔓38:08 *Containment Attempts* - 🎙40:56 *Interview 3* - 📓45:54 *Diary Excerpt 3* · 49:02 - 52:32 _Commentary_ - 00:00 _INTRODUCTION_ 00:55 *SPECIAL CONTAINMENT PROCEDURES* 01:09 *DESCRIPTION* 01:35 Individuals (SCP-4005-1) 02:28 City (SCP-4005-2) 03:19 Discovery 03:45 *DIARY EXCERPT 1* 04:16 The past is a lie. 07:01 It was getting dark 10:28 And then I saw the lamp. 13:50 *INTERVIEW 1* 15:37 The city 17:27 Purple prose 19:29 *TESTING LOG* 22:46 *INTERVIEW 2* 24:50 The struggle 26:32 Jaded 28:39 *DIARY EXCERPT 2* 28:49 The present is a lie. 31:02 Imagine it is the 14th century 33:31 One day, a traveller comes. 35:09 In Marrakesh, there was an alchemist 38:08 *CONTAINMENT ATTEMPTS* 40:56 *INTERVIEW 3* 43:11 Mahmoud's pilgrimage 45:54 *DIARY EXCERPT 3* 46:22 The future is a lie. 49:02 The desire for something better 52:32 _COMMENTARY_ 56:00 Explorer's Guild on Patreon

[@raider4505]

Thanks this is very handy!

[@spicyLEGO]

this should be pinned

[@paulmartinez594]

Damn

[@Justadonkey]

Now that's dedication, good on you mate

[@rayderian2212]

Very nice thanks alot that is very thoughtful of you.

[@steel8231]

Was anyone else expecting a 6 dimensional angler fish luring people to walk right into its mouth?

[@zCREz]

No but that sounds a lot more terrifying (in all the good ways) ngl.

[@TigerMan-og5bs]

Considering the only reason given for such an absurd existence is “an alchemist gave a lamp to a king”, it probably is.

[@surtaandume_psykermystyk4010]

Yes. ... Er... well, a djinn, perhaps. But, pretty much.

[@zarlsalamandersspacemarine302]

Magnus archives season 1 ep 1 the anglerfish. There ya go

[@chalk9760]

Lamplight moment

[@nuyabuisness7526]

20:33 made me snort. For those that don't know the reference to a Chinese man insisting he was the brother of Jesus is a reference to Hong Xiuquan, the leader of the Taiping Rebelion in China.

[@t-34-36]

Started a war that would make mustache man blush

[@FUNKY_BUTTLOVIN]

Wait, I'm here 32 seconds after up and there's 5 comments, 1 and 3 days old? That's anomalous right there

[@rinnhart]

Video was private except to donors for a couple days?

[@warlorddelta8]

CEASE YOUR INVESTIGATIONS

[@parabolaaaaa4919]

patreon

[@NicholasStillman]

Patreon supporters get early access

[@ricardohoang8452]

@@warlorddelta8 I'm afraid he will be sent to Kashgar!

[@guiltygearalonecompl]

Do you want pattern screamers? Because this is how you get pattern screamers! - Hardcastle, presumably

[@4NeonFun]

Dr. Hardcastle is Archer in the SCP universe

[@guiltygearalonecompl]

Hardcastle: RAISA. RAISA Department: … Hardcastle: RAISA! RAISA Department: …… Hardcastle: RAIIIISAAAAA! RAISA: WHAT?!? Hardcastle: *REDACTED* RAISA Department: God dammit!

[@belzyk3dg122]

My only nit pick with the story is… as soon as this would have began to manifest outside of the site they would have detonated the On-site Thermo Nuclear Device and it wasn’t covered lol.

[@Paul-A01]

The on site nukes are more of a suggestion than a rule

[@Sky-pg8jm]

I feel like a lot of people are missing the point, and that's fine, they're missing it in a very reasonable understandable way. The point isn't about utopia, or this city. It isn't about whether this utopia is actually a dystopia, actually oblivion, or exactly the utopia it says it is. It's about believing in a better world, both for better and ill. Everyone wants a better world, every system fails us and falls short. We know that utopia is impossible, it's a pipe dream that can't be implemented in reality for so so many basic reasons, all we can hope for is a better world for us. But we still escape into the fantasy of better worlds, of utopias. Our media is dominated by superheroes who save us where normal humans fail, by fantasy worlds filled yes with conflict but simple conflict between good and evil that ends happily, even our more "grounded" and "gritty realistic worlds" are still not reflections of reality, "good" may not always triumph but sometimes it does. Various politically involved people will look to other countries as their utopias, fantasizing and romanticizing them, how many look to America as the land of opportunity? how many look to China and the former Soviet Union as models of a truly free proletarian state? how many look to fascist Italy and Spain as models of order and strength? All of these countries fell short, all committed heinous atrocities, all have people who view them as hellish dystopias, and yet all of them have their supporters both among those who lived under these states and those who have never experienced them. We want to escape into simplistic utopias or at least better realities, sometimes because we do truly believe that we can build a better world here, sometimes because it's easier to escape into fantasy and romanticization. The point is that we can believe in a better world, without escaping reality.

[@mariecarie1]

Yes. I like this.

[@superiorrule34]

Funny that you mention pipe dream because that’s what utopia means.

[@kenpanderz672]

in the context of the story world, i would not trust going anywhere that hasnt already been proven to exist. as a metaphorical idea, it makes far more sense. while i generally reject platitudinal optimism, disregardful pessimism isnt necessarily better. things can be made to be better, but we have to be realistic with how we do it, otherwise we can fail to even begin.

[@danielingraham7880]

I agree but, for better or for worse, to believe is a project that requires action. Media absolves the need for action, as you have noted. Belief cannot be anything without movement, and this article provides more absolution, rather than need.

[@imafan6138]

This guy is a genius. Without reading the comments he went ahead and explained The Whole scp. essentially creating an argument with himself to justify acting like he’s the only one capable of understanding it! Bravo my man. You’ve officially stroked your ego! Well done

[@cnawan]

I like how this SCP subverts the trope of "seeking spiritual fulfillment in some notional perfect Orient" by being based around the search for a literal perfect Orient.

[@darthxader1112]

Yeah it’s really good

[@insomia176]

What do you mean

[@noahschneider400]

This one is so cool and so tragic. Poor Dr hardcastle, she was the strongest human in the end but even she was worn down by the anomalous lie that destroyed the world.

[@zerovoidwalker7374]

I have to agree with all the naysayers. I wouldn't dare travel to someplace I know nothing about. I rather live in reality with them and try to undo some of the damage we have done. It's better than falling for some dream world that could turn into a nightmare at any second. Besides wouldn't you miss your family and friends if you went to such a place by yourself. You would never get to see them again in this world or the next. The world ain't perfect but the moment we give up is the moment we truly fail as an intelligent species.

[@messymessr]

People could also wait until they're old or terminally ill before taking that gamble.

[@adameve2647]

I never had real friends and my some of my relatives and familybare toxic and annoying as hell so I take the gamble and meet along strangers that are like minded it's better that way than to be outcast and ridiculed and laugh many people in this world had no purpose or a spirit at all some are vulgar and unwanted because they don't know how hollow they are....

[@lefu87williford55]

This sounds like Fifthism. Like a lamp that takes you to the Fifth World. All that's missing are references to space and the number five.

[@alienbastard55]

I remember when fifthism was fun starseed things and not the big enemy of the antimemetics department fiction

[@UGNAvalon]

This remind me a lot of SCP-6005 Cascadia, in which ppl could create a world of their own desires thru their own will. Only there, the utopia ended up corrupted; here, however, it seems like the dream was maintained, and only grew. Meanwhile, SCP-6001 Avalon sees this and goes “Escape this world and create a better one in our minds? Ha! We actually made our utopia in _Reality_ xP !”

[@arthas640]

I love the name of that one since I've always been fascinated with the idea of the real world Cascadia: an independent country formed from Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and (possibly) British Columbia. It would be interesting since they have large military prescence there thanks to bases like JBLM and Naval Base Kitsap, they have tons of power genreation thanks to numerous dams and a few nuclear plants (plus some solar and wind), they have tons of trade thanks to large ports in Vancouver BC, Vancouver WA, Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland. They also have a strong economy thanks to the tech industry, retail industry, timber, and farms (which also provide tons of food for local use and export). They're also in a secure position thanks to being in North America with plenty of mountains and defensible landscape. The Cascades and Olympic mountains also provide mineral wealth and plenty of water, not to mention the basin in Eastern Washington feeding the might Columbia River. Basically Cascadia has everything a country needs to be successful and if it was independent it wouldnt need to worry about East Coast politicians constantly running the show. The Pacific Northwest has always been more progressive then the rest of the US too. The IWW and earliest socialist movements in the US had a strong presence here, the womens suffrage movement was strong here before the rest of the US, Washington was one of if not the first state to legalize both gay marriage and womens voting, I dont think Washington ever had segregation, in the 1800s some cities in Washington were actually majority non-white and non-American (canneries and timber mills in cities like Olympia once had their own trade language that was a mixture of Chinese, Spanish, French, English, and Chinook for example), and even today Seattle has the 2nd largest number of LGBTQ+ people in the US. When the American South, DC, and some Northern states were still dealing with segregation and race riots there were black, white, asian, and native people working side by side in the fishing and timber industries in places like Tacoma and Olympia. An Independent Cascadia would probably look more like a European country then the rest of the US.

[@TheRealSpiderMew]

What i think happened is that Hardcastle was accidently exposed to the lamp when Mahmoud exposed herself to it. The entry is Hardcastle's pilgrimage; the only way she could attempt to convey the true dangers of 4005 within the bounds of the memetic hazard that old Alchemist didn't realize he created that night. She could feel her mind warping, so she wrote it all out and in the end when she could accept what was happening to herself; she wrote her log story and gave us the translations so that anyone reading it could know what it really was like to feal its pull and give into it, and how no one is safe if they look into it. The world didn't really end and fall into the lamp, but she needed to show us how the world ends because that was part of her vision as well; the world ending and being remade via 2000 and the alternate earth snow disaster. She gave us versions of the end of the world she could see; and with her knowledge of the foundation she could fuel the man in the center of the lamp, boundless endings and beginnings to fuel his own desires to see everything. An emir from Marrakesh has become another Eldritch Horror the foundation has to deal with, and his land of un-time and his vast city. Its like the 12 Monkeys' Tv show and their Red Forest; the paradox that happens when you kill time itself. An emir from Marrakesh and his lamp are like "The Red Forest." Hardcastle understood this in a way, and before she too was taken to the city in the lamp, she gave us this entry into the database with the strongest warning she could devise as her mind was driven away from standard reality. Thats why she gave it the rank of Apollyon, to drive the dangers home to anyone looking into what happened to her and starts to really wonder what happend to her. I think she did it to protect reality and her family, and it is my headcannon that her family will remain blissfully ignorant of what really happened to her, but the foundation needed to know the true danger of it all.

[@dracorex426]

Ignoring for the moment how that interpretation is completely counter to the theme of the narrative, it definitely isn't a memetic hazard. Cognitohazard, sure. Almost certainly, even. But it isn't memetic because it isn't a meme. That is, it's not an idea/thought/concept/unit of information that can be reproduced and spread via those reproductions. Basically, it's not contagious. Even when it eventually starts spreading it doesn't do so via a memetic mechanism.

[@goldminer8732]

@@dracorex426 somehow it spread. I think yeah mabey castle did write it, to prevent it from claiming the lives of more people. If we are to believe it’s malicious.

[@Steyr32]

Just destroy the lamp then

[@SolarShado]

@@Steyr32 "It's 'Secure, Contain, Protect', not 'Destroy, Destroy, Destroy'!"

[@CanadianF.B.I]

@@Steyr32 I feel like the lamp would be incredibly durable given that the foundation went around killing affected individuals before attempting to destroy the lamp. Also destruction of the lamp may lead to the effect getting worse as destruction of anomalies is a incredibly risky gamble

[@c4feg4r44]

all these later SCP's are on such a grand scale that i have trouble to suspend my disbelief. Even with all the foundations tools, there is simply no way they even stand a chance.

[@vanessaashford9203]

yeah tbh sometimes I miss the days when most SCPs were just like some weird object, entity, or location that had some anomalous property or effect on a very localized scale, and it was completely containable so long as the Foundation thought outside the box on how to do so, as often the containment procedures were creative and fun to learn about just in themselves. I mean, really even some extremely powerful anomalies like The Deer still fall into this line of storytelling; god-like entities which are still perfectly containable through exploiting some highly specific, esoteric weakness. At some point in the last five years especially, it feels like at least every other SCP storyline became a complete apocalypse scenario which the Foundation was entirely helpless against, and it's imo getting kind of old at this point, especially since apocalyptic fiction in general is a dime a dozen now, especially since 2020. I'd really like to see more SCPs that are smaller in scale and more confined or ambiguous in consequences again, as there are really only so many ways you can rehash the end of the world/universe/multiverse (or even just a vast, sweeping, but maybe not negative existential change like in this story) before it loses all impact. Also, in general, there are *way* too many Apollyon class objects now, like that classification was created to make certain SCPs stand out above and beyond all the rest for stuff like 001 proposals, but now it's getting so overused that it doesn't really feel like means as much anymore.

[@FUNKY_BUTTLOVIN]

I hadn't thought much about it when I'd heard series being mentioned in related to various SCPs I've listened to. Would you or someone else be willing to briefly clue me in as to what these series classifications are? Not like, not a listing of them all... But, what purpose do they serve? Do they relate to certain themes or maybe, specific universes that any given series takes place in? What is the thread that connects different stories said to be of the same series?

[@ryanrobison8973]

Hey if you haven’t yet, check out the channel SCP Orientation. They just read out the SCP entries verbatim, the voice actor has a really listenable voice and they pump out so many entries. It’s like TheVolgun without his insane audio engineering and modeling for each entry. Between Orientation, Exploring Series and TheVolgun, I really couldn’t ask for more.

[@markanthonybowen9419]

There's infinite universes so I just chose to see some of these those rare exceptions where they didn't have access the particular technology or they lost it for some reason. From there I just kinda insert any other SCP I've read or some interactions and mentally build my own canon. It's more fun for me personally imo

[@kaemonbonet4931]

I think it's more a metaphor than a fight the scp org lost.

[@johngodfreymalig2328]

As someone else in the comments said, the scale of this SCP makes it really hard to suspend disbelief. It puts itself front and center, ignoring every other significant SCPs and organizations that can stop it. It feels as though this would be better as a standalone short story rather than an SCP article, seeing as it leaves little to no room for other narratives within the universe to fit in or use the article for other narratives. It's self-contained yet selfishly overbearing, if that makes sense. I don't see anything differentiating the affected's belief against other organized religions that promise an afterlife better than our current world, other than the perceived afterlife being curated for each person. It also doesn't have any more of an argument for it than other religions' afterlives, essentially relying only on faith for its validity. It feels like Heaven 2.0, although I suppose that's only tangentially related the point the author was trying to make? I think that the author's main intended schtick for the article is that belief (or faith) is beautiful which I suppose is true, depending on how you view it. For the story itself, it's unusually optimistic and somehow pessimistic at the same time. I don't really like the ending, or the message that it implies. It feels like Dr. Hardcastle stopped being cynical only because she thought she had no other option left, which is a HUGE point against faith being a good thing. There's no real weight to her "conversion", nothing that justifies it. The other thing that makes it hard for me to suspend my disbelief is that the two main characters of the story (mainly Dr. Hardcastle) feel unnaturally special. Having Hardcastle become Mahmoud's pilgrimage is a bit iffy, but I don't completely know how the pilgrimages are decided so I can accept that. But Hardcastle somehow being the *only* person in the world to hold out against the effects? The article says it's because she's "jaded", but I find it really hard to believe that she's more jaded that any other human, including the O5 council. The article is optimistic in that it assumes the best case scenario for the SCP, but it's pessimistic in that it tells us that reality is irredeemably flawed, and that it isn't worth trying to stay to fix it or even live in spite of it. Mixed feelings overall. Beautiful prose though.

[@skolaskellofkells432]

I agree with the whole sentiment, but personally, I tend to go into each SCP as it's own individual Canon, until told otherwise. Either through reference or direct connection to an established Canon.

[@joaovictorbrisch3415]

This SCP messages to me the epitomy of the escapism trap (from the hardness of accepting reality as it is: flawed), which tangentially approach one's perception that "the neighbor's lawn is greener". The Emir was troubled by his collapsing kingdom and became obsessed by the idea of a far away utopia, which he desired immensely to see. And the alchemist 's lamp was exactly what the Emir wanted: a perfect place to be seen. So perfect, in fact, he decided to abandon reality and live in this alternate world. This reminds me of escapism derived from excessive use of social media than a positive and marvelous place, to be honest. Great SCP and excellent narration, TES!

[@Tacklepig]

I really don't see how this can be seen as optimistic. Even given that all they say about the city is true, it still sounds like a horrible place; a place of eternal stagnation, of never changing. But there's lots of clues here that this city ISN'T some sort of blissfull utopia. All the descriptions given are of a superficial beauty, of architecture, structure - or nature, for those who want it. Superficial beauty may be alluring, but it does not make a Utopia. In the beginning, it mentions that the people in that city aren't human (anymore), how they're tranformed by the city; later on, no mention of that, it's all about the people going there. There's not even an attempt of trying to analyse in what way they aren't human, it's just mentioned and forgotten. Nah, I'm on the side of this being cognitohazardous.

[@alyseleem2692]

........ I think you missed the part where it's shaped by your imagination. In your own district. Where you can still visit other districts. With no limit in space or time. I don't know about you, but that is an artist's dream writ large. Speaking of dreams, I seriously don't get why people are so skeptical about this. It's a dream. An anamolous one, but still produced by the human consciousness. It's happened before. Human thought does have anomalous effects. A dream world should be expected. Even a nice one. Especially a nice one. Our dreams, if anything, should be better than reality, at least if we get to shape them.

[@CanadianF.B.I]

I feel like it saying that the people are no longer human is more or so an implication that those who reach the city ascend above being human.

[@soarel325]

The author describes this skip as "something optimistic for the [SCP-4000 contest] about human agency". It's meant to be genuinely utopian. Who cares about "stagnation" if everyone is happy? If things can be good forever there is no need to change things.

[@centurosproductions8827]

The efforts to stop it were kind of funny. “Oh no, this anomaly is disappearing people! Let’s kill them before it has a chance to!”

[@mrlordsaif5708]

So basically I take it that the entirety of humanity migrated to the dream world aka the human noosphere. Disregrarding the overall message of the article and instead focusing on it from a purely worldbuilding perspective, I wonder if this is how ideatic predators are born? aggressive sets of ideas like SCP-3125 could have possibly originated from beings migrating to their noosphere and freeing themselves of physical shackles so that they'll be able to intersect other realities? I wonder if we'd end being a massive problem for a another realitys' foundation equivelant. Manifesting as their world being reconstructed into cities of our own desires, but which would be entirely incomprehensible to the beings we are taking over as they may not even possess the concept of a city. Just some fun food for thought.

[@Firebuilt]

I absolutely loved this reading. If I may make a very small suggestion, I loved when you used to include a quote at the end that you considered noteworthy from the article

[@Big_E_Soul_Fragment]

World ended by everyone getting isekai'd to a utopia

[@dustinsterling3248]

I'd watch it

[@michaelandreipalon359]

Reminds me a little of Star vs. the Forces of Evil's Earth-ni. Extra emphasis on "a little."

[@MLGHazrad]

Reminds me of the Simpsons plot where the black hole lead to everyone in this somewhat Utopian world.

[@apexhunter935]

A fate worse than death

[@rhoydplaz2853]

@@apexhunter935 true a perfect world seem like hell eventually

[@stevencurtis7157]

You've heard of pattern screamers, now get ready for lantern dreamers!

[@stevencurtis7157]

(With people walking through doors and then disappearing into an imagined place, I can't help but be reminded of 3930.)

[@Hugh_Amungus]

Imagine disappearing into the lamp's world, and the first thing you hear is "Hey you. You're finally awake."

[@WalterTheWalrus]

There’s 2(I think) skips that are related to Skyrim, one is an STD that causes you to play an entire game of Skyrim in 5secs, and I can’t remember the other one but I think it’s crosslinked

[@michaelandreipalon359]

Gods, not Skyrim. Can't you just bring me to [REDACTED], the Jade Empire, or Thedas, oh isekai lords and ladies?

[@Hugh_Amungus]

@@michaelandreipalon359 No, off to Whiterun with you!

[@michaelandreipalon359]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@cjclark2002]

“Help me remember *whom* you is again will ya?”

[@jnthnpitts]

The problem with SCP 4005 is that what defines utopia is not the architecture or space you live in, but the people you live with. Dr. Hardcastle's family (including her husband and children) left her. This is the only thing you need to know to establish that SCP 4005 is, in fact, a cognitohazard since no sane person would leave their wife or mother behind for a utopia. And if they did, they would be selfish to do so. In leaving her behind, this shared utopia now contains selfish people, which leads to the inevitable conclusion that it cannot be a utopia since a utopia, by definition, must be perfect for all involved. And this is all without even mentioning all the criminals, invalids, orphans, and sick people that would also be a part of this society. The true foil of SCP 4005's utopia is not whether or not a city-dweller would have to ignore someone else's rural plot of farmland, but whether or not Dr. Hardcastle's husband has a damn good reason for breaking their vows and leaving her alone to die in the real world. Because if he doesn't, that lamp is not going to be a utopia for long.

[@CanadianF.B.I]

Dr Hardcastles family specifically says that they will see her soon. This implies they go with the belief that inevitably she will go as well and they can reunite in scp 4005

[@soarel325]

Hardcastle goes to the city in the end...

[@DarkFlamesDarkness]

"Perfect for all involved" as a descriptor for utopia does indeed make it impossible as everyone who even knows of the utopia is involved, but it's really more likely it's perfect for those living in the utopia, not outside of it. I mean, otherwise for a utopia like that everything all at once would have to change to be perfect, rather than something that was slowly created by solving all problems one by one.

[@man-o-arizona5166]

Out of all the SCP stories I've heard on this channel, this one is by far my favorite and thank you for reading it. The words you spoke truly moved me.

[@tedwintedson8548]

every step towards a better world is a step worth taking, whether you ever arrive or not, i really needed that message right now

[@chamuchamupalchamperry6686]

I really fucking hate when SCP gets preachy like this. It's becoming more and more common as the writers falll further into their own pretention

[@1LLog1K]

Oh my yes

[@indonesianguy4026]

My practical brain kind of struggled to get around the constant twists of words but I can understand and explain it in a simpler way

[@dfailsthemost]

I have to be honest. Part of me was hoping that last diary entry would reveal that it was a trap. But I'm just as happy with this conclusion.

[@Hot_To_Trot]

In the nicest way, your videos help me sleep. Love the longer ones, I'll pass out halfway through late at night after a long day and finish it in the morning.

[@FirstNameLastName-IWASFIRST]

Same.. without fail, I've been listening to them at night for the past 8~ months. Love the long ones because I get to relisten from where I last remember the next night

[@pyrethorn]

As someone whos nightly escapades into the world of dreams often takes me to wonderous places, this one hit rather hard. I have spent entire lifetimes in places that defy explanation, only to wake up confused and scrambling to hold onto the world that was so real just a moment ago. The SCP universe is by far my favorite collection of stories. The idea that it is what you make it has always appealed to me. The idea of a perfect city is quite the contadiction. One persons perfect, is anothers hell.

[@Thecognoscenti_1]

Yes, finally, one of my favourite SCPs, I've been waiting for a video on this for three years now.

[@zephyboii1200]

It feels like this should be a lord blackwood tale

[@TheAshHeritor]

Love inclusion of places like Kashgar and Samarkand. That region needs a bit more attention within fiction, since its history is so fascinating. Same goes with the Sufi.

[@4NeonFun]

This SCP is the embodiment of the line "If you don't like it here, you can leave." actually taking 'em up on their word. Being able to simply rapture yourself to a subjectively perfect world (utopia/heaven) of your dreams is an irresistible offer, and this SCP explores the scenario if it was possible. Due to the fact that life sucks for a lot of people (with Dr. Hardcastle being a notable exception) end up immediately running away from their problems & head off into the sunset. Eventually, Dr. Hardcastle is affected by the feelings of dispair and hopelessness of ever containing the SCP and returning to sense of normalcy. The SCP eventually corrupts itself as none of the problems compound on themselves as they were never addressed.

[@Martdogg3000]

Like many of you, I listen to these videos to fall asleep. I always do videos I've already listened to multiple times though because they don't really demand my attention. This played last night though and it gave me some WILD dreams.

[@Capsuleer7]

SCP- 4005 has always been one of my favorites. It was one of the firsts I stumbled upon when I started exploring the wiki. While reading it the city in my mind was Byzantium/Constantinople and I've never been able to shake that image of colorful frescos, beautiful mosaics, and wondrous bazaars.

[@user-pr6ed3ri2k]

same

[@quicksilvertongue3248]

I invite you to contemplate being one of the slaves who labors under a taskmaster's lash to create those beauties and wonders...even if you do the work as a hired laborer working for money, you're still just as much of a slave, only with a more abstract whip applying more metaphorical scars to the analogue of your back. Such gluttonous luxury exists only because of the exploitation of those who are forced to confront reality's ugliness. We should reject any philosophy that says we deserve to live surrounded by such vain opulence.

[@neakozar122]

This is a lot like Bagdad's story from The Sandman comics, "Take my city, take it into dreams, so it will never die."

[@quicksilvertongue3248]

I used to love the Sandman, so as someone who intensely hates this story which I only heard today, the comparison insults me. I wonder if I would still see any beauty in Gaiman's tale anymore. Probably so, because Neil is actually a good writer, and I don't think I'd extend that same honor to the author of this tale. Flowery prose is only worth so much, when the ideology behind it is about as deep as a hippy flower-child's stoner conception of peace and love.

[@frogthetoad6773]

​@@quicksilvertongue3248Christ, your/were a miserable shit. Hope whatever your were dealing with a year ago got figured out or you at least improved as person.

[@nyroony]

It's great fiction but regardless of the intentions of the creator of the scp or the item itself this 'utopia' would fall into a hellscape in the blink of an eye. Every single person getting their own little perfect creation dome sounds great until one looks left and sees the guy whose perfect creation dome is a blood soaked dungeon filled with his neighbor's kids, taken without an ounce of resistance because their parents were dumb enough to believe everyone's dream world is as nice as theirs.

[@darthxader1112]

I really love the scps like This 6000 and 6001 the more calming stories with beautiful language. They always help me sleep with good dreams

[@MediumDSpeaks]

No one: Literally no one: Me, a die-hard Exploring Series fan that plays his videos all day: *OH BOY 3AM!*

[@Sweet.peach21]

Idk why but reading this made me laugh to high hell 😂

[@michaelandreipalon359]

Hey, don't mock us diehards.

[@Sweet.peach21]

@@michaelandreipalon359 truly I say OH BOY ITS 12 AM

[@MatthewQuinton]

I listen on Spotify had to come on here just so I could let you know I appreciate all the work you put in it. I have listened to almost all your scp content over the past 2months

[@DuoDoUrden]

Seriously enjoy seeing the Exploring series notifications!

[@Golden284-fan]

I love this story. It can be read straightforward and it's fun and entertaining, but it's also meant to be read alagoricly, which I think you nailed when presenting it. Imagine a better world and take the steps to make it happen. Love it. I wish all of y'all a good, relaxing time listening to these great and interesting stories. I love this community.

[@agreaternumber3524]

This is one of the first scps I ever read, just clicked random and started reading.

[@Kiever_Sloane]

The reason I'm a bit troubled here is that even thought there was no evidence of deception I just cant believe that everything on the other side is as perfect as was claimed. Its me (us) that is the problem, we just can't believe in a perfect world.

[@kandrotas22]

Love listening to all of your videos on my 12-14 hour night shifts, thanks for doing what you do and I wish you luck, health and success in your future.

[@amaniandrus260]

the end scrip was so beautiful it has me in tears never stop exploring

[@Fernlom]

This SCP was an amazing read when I first found it so long ago, hearing you discuss it reignited the Spark I first felt for it

[@adameve2647]

This channel had enrich my existence with uknown beautiful and terrifying things

[@HiveTyrant25]

I feel like a lot of skip authors like to portray themselves in writing as being deep philosophical minds, but they avoid hard questions and have unrealistic narratives to push their points. Some others have stated their problems with this skip in particular and I don’t want to ruin it for others, but I do want to state that I’m kinda disappointed in the direction this one went. TES did a great job narrating as always, but he’s not to blame for my dislike of the SCP in question.

[@kenpanderz672]

id be interested to hear more about what you didnt like about it from a more "insider's" perspective. there are things i dont like about it asell but i cant quite comfortably understand why

[@HiveTyrant25]

@@kenpanderz672 there’s a few comments explaining in better detail why I and some others dislike this SCP. For example, the “utopia” doesn’t explore how people who enjoy torture and stuff like r*pe can coexist with “normal” people peacefully in this place.

[@soarel325]

@@HiveTyrant25 Because the point of the story isn't the mechanics.

[@crabeatcrab6011]

damn i have never seen a good youtube comment before but this ones good

[@Imaproshaman7]

@@crabeatcrab6011 Never? Bad luck then. There's usually really good ones on these videos most of the time.

[@Yuri_Burger]

Scp is so calming, especially with this guy telling the story

[@darthxader1112]

Just because a perfect utopia can’t exist doesn’t mean we should try are damnest to get as close to it as possible

[@Scarecrow6459]

Whether you're vid is 20 mins long or an hour, it's always entertaining. Thanks for doing what you do man! p.s. looking forward to your next video on a video game you enjoyed, loved the one you did on Chrono trigger!

[@michaelandreipalon359]

I guess this upcoming game breakdown isn't from a Square Enix game... my bets on something from BioWare, if not Obsidian Entertainment.

[@thegooglebell8159]

@@michaelandreipalon359 next square enix story should be power washer simulator

[@michaelandreipalon359]

Never heard of it.

[@BerryMcCockiner]

@@thegooglebell8159 the most significant video game of our generation

[@DanielSan1776]

I loved the Chrono trigger & Final Fantasy videos Wish they got more views for a better ROI for TES It’s great work

[@The0Stroy]

It reminds me Lovecraft's "The Dream-Quest of the Unknown Kadath"...

[@Lenape_Lady]

My favorite of Lovecraft! Lots hate it, but I’m not sure why.

[@cypher7648]

Sounds like a wonderful idea that somehow reflects modern society in several ways..especially in how we're attempted to be programmed! Loved listening to it. I'm not a fan of fantasy or sci-fi, but this is oddly realistic. Love how it was different for everyone

[@mathieuleader8601]

I can see the ghosts of Christmas past present and future being headquartered in this scp

[@christiangauthier727]

I would really be the Dr. Hardcastle in this tale. Though I have a longing for something better, it would take something like SCP-4005's prolonged influence to sway me and I would never totally buy that idea, that a tortured genius would be more creative if not motivated and inspired by the deepest of internal fractures and the eternal struggle. Perhaps it is precisely because I not only relate to this tortured genius metaphor, but because I have even been described this way before that it resonates so much. I personally believe that it is the struggle that defines what it means to be Human. It is an integral part of what "the human condition" means. If you take away such a profound dilemma that each individual has to learn (or not, by "escaping" life's struggle, which can at times be very tempting, to take the easy way out, though it lessens everything else) how to live with, you change so much what it means to be human that we would cease to even fit the criteria for being Human and thus become something entirely different. Maybe better, maybe not. And that's where I have the biggest issue with SCP-4005's promise being something to entertain as "Good". There have never been any easy way out that were devoid of dire consequences, and there most probably never will be. You can try to make the struggle less difficult to bear, try to lessen life's burden by having blind faith, by altering your perceptions through drugs, or any other artifice, but it will always undermine your own spiritual growth. I've been trying to wrap my mind around what it could ever be like to exist in that city, and as soon as I try to add other people's experiences of this city and how they'd interact, how anything could ever work and mean anything, it all falls apart from under its own absurdity. Taking the idea of Personal Heaven and trying to make it work with other people's Personal Heaven immediately falls apart. Thinking about it a bit, and the only way humanity could ever exist in that state would be in a controlled hallucination or if everyone is dead. Either way, there is no Utopia, no way for humanity to endure and grow.

[@regionsofthenorthiscoming7295]

Lost me at "SCP-4005 begins with some extremely short containment procedures". That's just code for "SCP-4005 is a long, boring Tale whose author decided to submit it as an SCP."

[@Elmithian]

"Not cognitihazard" HAH! Bullshit. If it wasn't cognitohazard it would not spread like that and would make *everyone* leave for it. Plenty of people would choose not to go, yet within 15 days everyone had left? The thing about Pilgrimages is that you undertake them when you feel it is the _right time_ not immediately rush to take it. We should have seen years and decades for most people to leave if it was an actual pilgrimage rather than cognitohazard compulsion.

[@gilsenlimantara901]

please never stop, you make hundreds of thousands of people have something to look up to everyday, thank you for doing what youre doing, know that we love you :)

[@derekdrake8706]

This scp is actually terrifying. I'm one of those more pessimistic types so the way I see it is humanity got suckered into oblivion. The bait is so effective that the reader might think this is a happy ending. I find it depressing, literally everyone on Earth decided to give up on reality to go live in some nonsensical dream world, which wouldn't be eutopia btw. Eutopia is always a lie because people are inherently problematic, for others and themselves. We create our own paradise.. but also our own hell.

[@kaimagnus5760]

Eutopia is a paradox. One can only exist where all choice, all thought, all individuality, all freedom, and all purpose no longer exist. To those withen it they would have no idea there was ever anything diffrent. Those on the outside though, they will see it for the slavery it is. All Utopias are Distopias. And All Distopias claim to be Utopias. Thus is the Paradox of the "Perfect World".

[@JosiahGore]

Nice try, Dr. Hardcastle. You're not talking me out of my pilgrimage. I'll see you on the other side.

[@unfelinoerudito419]

damn bro you got the whole squad laughing

[@shadowwolf6124]

I'm with you, no way I'm going somewhere that may or may not be real and get suckered out of my soul

[@soarel325]

Cope

[@felixrowan646]

What makes this work so well for me is that if they didn't all shuffle off into an abyss, then they didn't *_find_* a better world. They *_built_* one, together.

[@MechbossBoogie]

There's no way this isn't a cognitohazard. Just everyone up and goes? Too many people would resist that. Whether out of depression or some other thing.

[@jackknight1899]

Truck-kun isekai as an indestructible cognitoharzardous appolyon lamp

[@RemaiFaint]

I'm sorry but the line "-held hands and shuffled off into an abyss." was golden! XD

[@markawbolton]

I liked that one. It was lilting and hypnotic. In a strange way it resonated with Solaris.

[@actualturtle2421]

This is like the 5th time I've listened to this because I keep falling asleep. Your voice is mad comfy my dude.

[@hyperexplorer5355]

I wish I could have your voice for the documents and books that I have read out loud and my phone's AI. Thank you, I've listened to almost all of your videos. I Can't Get Enough and I really hope to hear more.

[@Hyenadont]

This one is going to give me nightmares. A true extinction event, no matter which way or what. The moment a person walks through the door, they are dead. Fanaticism at its finest, in a contagious form, blind to reality and gambling everything on a false hope. This story, whether intentional or not, is a global Jamestown massacre.

[@kenpanderz672]

definitely a compelling way to view these events in-universe. even if the message of the story isnt that, the context of the world in the story does lend itself to being largely identical to other SCPs which brainwash people into believing that doing something suicidal is the best thing they could ever hope to do. SCP-2200 Soulberg is kinda like this, making the wielder of the blade kill for this lie of a paradise for their victims, but the victims end up in some regular place on earth merely unable to die by traditional means but also unable to ever leave that space and remain alive. they're both inherently untrustworthy.

[@soarel325]

The author describes it as "something optimistic for the [SCP-4000 contest] about human agency". You're not supposed to be debating the mechanics of whether the City exists or not.

[@Hyenadont]

Author intention does not equal to to the message people take from it. Stories have dozens of different ways to read them, and if they wanted to be more absolute as a positive article, they could have put sooo much other details, cause as is, it's terrifically open to horrifying interpretation

[@soarel325]

@@Hyenadont If audience interpretation contradicts the author's intent, it is objectively wrong. The idea that authorial intent does not matter when interpreting fiction is utterly absurd, simply due to the fact that art does not spring out of nowhere. Art does not exist independent of who created it. The only reason the text is there and has the contents which it does is because it was deliberately made that way by the author. Art is only the way it is because the author put it there. Art literally does not exist without intention, intention is the bedrock, the foundation of art. Authorial intent is not something external or incidental to the process of creating art - it IS that very process itself! You are a egocentric nutcase if you believe that you, someone who had no role in that creative process, somehow have ANY say in interpreting the text in a way that conflicts with its author.

[@messymessr]

By this logic, it's perfectly polite for me to write "@@soarel325 is a condescending ignoramus" as long as I extra-textually inform everybody that the meaning is not what it appears, and in fact is entirely complementary. That what I, the author, really mean is "Soarel has single-handedly solved literary theory!" If anyone argues that the words I used can validly be interpreted as an insult, I'll just tell them that my meaning is objectively correct! The words meant NOTHING until my Authorial Intent imbued them with meaning! And who do you think YOU are?! Ascribing meaning to MY words before I explain them to you?! How DARE you! Those words are MY creation, and mine ALONE. They might as well have never existed before I wrote them!

[@dasdeke]

Is it me, or does anyone want to hear about the whisper king now? Loved this one, a perfect utopia that doesn't seem so perfect.

[@jet210]

its been a while since i last listened to one of your vids its nice to come back again

[@lanterns_glow]

A city of Asian origin, pagodas stretching into the sky as of to grasp the gods by their ankles. There is the near constant, if faint playing of a shamisen, and round paper lanterns float about the night streets. Where there should be people, there is silence, and yet it feels like a lost home all the same. And yet the gate is inaccessible, as it is in a place I likely won't be able to make the trip to because money, time, and the fact it's in some spot I would not be able to make it to on my own. It sounds nice until you remember you're fucked.

[@legojay14]

I don't like this one. I don't really care if I "don't get it" because I shouldn't need to agree with the underlying symbolism to enjoy a good story. This thing absolutely conflicts with the fact this exists in a universe where mind altering effects are very real and very commonplace. Even a dream totally rewriting someone's personality is nothing new. The affected have no agency once they have the dream. They just pursue this paradise with a single minded determination and you seem expected to find the notion that this looks extremely suspicious when similar scenarios have happened in this setting and are objectively bad things to be taken at face value with no deeper exploration. It's just perfect. Give up on reality. Give up on bothering to fix it. Let the literal dream of a noble some random alchemist cooked up in a couple hours completely stop our development as a species because I guess we all just agree its simply to hard to exist in reality and it just happens no one's paradise includes slavery and being better than everyone else. I guess the author forgot delusional narcissists exist

[@TheFerociousWolf]

your voice is just so dope. been a long time listener of your scp series. 👍🏻

[@Wired_User]

“All cities are born of solid light. Such is my city, his city.”

[@Sarksus]

This is a really lovely story, and I enjoyed your presentation of it very much. Thank you. In the beginning it felt nebulous, another story of people being spirited away under unusual circumstances. It slowly began to crystalize into something recognizable and comforting. A story of every person hoping for a better world and being given the opportunity to make that better world, unfettered by the will of leaders who think their vision of past, present and future is most true, whose vision erases the vision of everyone else. Of course, my perception of the story is just another district seen inside of that lamp, but I find it quite beautiful.

[@pyrosianheir]

It's so wild to me that so many of SCPs end with, "and that's how that timeline ended."

[@futurebeyond3043]

Wait making a whole new world was easier for the alchemist than making something that lets you see the other side of the world. Gigachad alchemist

[@Imaproshaman7]

I agree. Pretty interesting.

[@mattstout4407]

Love the reading, as always. With SCPs involving central characters surnamed Hardcastle, I get a slight thrill. Not the most common surname but my European family side has this name and I ponder if Tufto and DJ Kaktus have known many lol.

[@AND-od5jt]

20:53 Jesus only had half-brothers (different dad)

[@Grimlynx]

Everyone singing kumbaya as they walk into the abyss is a funny imagery.

[@Anonymous-uw6rj]

why is nobody talking about the woman who clawed her eyes out?

[@PotooBurd]

Binge watching your videos back to back- and adding comments for the algorithm~! 🌻👍 Keep up the great content!

[@azaraelhyzer3874]

Scp, civilisation & alternative history & storylines = best listening experience.

[@speakersr-lyefaudio6830]

Honestly, listening to these while I paint is just intoxicating.

[@ilovehelldivers5317]

Just at the minute i started to think "oh maybe there is a new exploring series video" it manifests my thought, thats pretty [Redacted]

[@michaelandreipalon359]

Always expect one to come out on Sunday/Monday afternoon or morning, depending on your time zones.

[@matheusmko1]

The way that the Foundation's resources and capabilities are completely ignored in this story and the way that the cognitohazard effect spreads outta nowhere, makes this SCP feel flat and lazy. It looks like the author just wanted to push forward some philosophical narrative. As always great work by TES with the presentation and storytelling.

[@NoahGooder]

so as far as i can gather the city exists purely as a perceptual beauty. A possible comparison could be using the game superliminal as a base.

[@forgottentalesofthescp1778]

Just wanted to take a moment to thank the exploring series for introducing me to the SCP universe, and inspiring me to start my own channel! Keep up the good work, my dude!

[@calvinsuu1949]

Really want to see what SCPs can be related to X-Files, twilight zone or other limit lores...would be very interesting to the crossover

[@eyokirvideos7400]

eeeeehhhhhh nah....this one kinda has me agreeing with Hardcastle. Tons of people just going to a place that gives them instant gratification because the real world sucks. I don't see 'it can be better' in this...because nothing is done to change and affect the real world. Its still there and it still sucks. This isn't a better existence. Its obviously a lie. A very appealing lie but a lie nonetheless. Frankly an existence that gives me instant gratification, tailoring itself to suite my whenever I want it....with nothing to really aspire to, no pitfalls to avoid, no real challenge....it sounds like Hell

[@soarel325]

What makes the city "not real"? The alternate world definitely exists. It's not like they're actually dreaming, that's a metaphor. It's a utopian other plane of reality. I would be careful not to fetishize the process of achieving something over the goal itself. What makes "aspiring to something" valuable is the thing you're aspiring for. If only the process of achieving a goal is valuable, why ever achieve any goals to begin with? The fact there's "no pitfalls to avoid, no real challenge" should not matter. The goal is accomplished, people are happy and at peace. That is a good in and of itself. If people live peaceful and happy lives with one another, who cares if nothing new happens? It’s not necessary.

[@eyokirvideos7400]

@@soarel325 Its still too easy. Even if it were everyones perfect ideal, I wouldn't want to go there. Existing with nothing to strive for....sounds awful!

[@alyseleem2692]

Now that's a counterargument I can accept.

[@soarel325]

@@eyokirvideos7400 Why is "striving for" anything valuable to you? What makes it valuable?

[@CanadianF.B.I]

I interpret this anomaly more or so that its trying to convey the hope and dreams we all have in our lives and how some people jump at any chance to which they cam make those dreams true. While others decide to choose the realistic ideals that those are impossible and instead choose a more realistic life without those impossible dream. The anomaly itself is interesting because we don't actually know that it exists yet plenty of people want to believe that that city is real . The thing is I still think the city is real specifically because it affected anomalistic individuals and the fact that everyone willingly went to the city. I honestly just want to believe that the city exists because its not impossible for it not to and given how many times to foundation has been tricked by deities I honestly just want them to finally have a truthful utopia

[@stampede274]

I feel like this and SCP-7005 could be the same phenomenon seen from different angles.

[@aliveandwellinisrael2507]

*Social credit +1000* Also, for some reason this made me think of the song, "The Riddle" by Nik Kershaw.

[@Akke-sq5oj]

SCP like this just leave me confused as i'm left wondering, "is the lamp an actual thing in a site?", "how are these logs in the SCP database?". It is'nt a criticism of the story it self but it just leaves a feeling of the article not belonging or having any connection to the database we read through. Making it feel like just a separate story and not an SCP per say. (Amazing video tho!)

[@redlady120]

Thanks for the upload. Just in time too. Needed to relax and tune down for sleep due to a bad day, and this came up. Puts me and my 3rd son to a relaxing mood till we both fall alseep. Thank you for the upload and all the hard work and dedication put into it❤️👍👍👍

[@Starklar]

Perfect timing for a lonely Monday shift

[@Unlimited_Slip]

Lovely reading as always! It's always nice to see some more contemplative pieces every now and then. Keep up the good work!