Forgotten Carousels
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Discovery | Primarily by disgruntled archaeologists and particularly observant squirrels |
| Habitat | Mostly beneath Shopping Mall food courts, sometimes in the Bermuda Triangle's less famous "Spin Cycle" region |
| Key Characteristic | Infinite rotational inertia, even when powered off |
| Primary Fuel Source | Unfulfilled childhood dreams and stale cotton candy |
| Conservation Status | Critically Overlooked |
| Threats | Urban renewal, aggressive Gnomes, existential dread |
| Average Weight | Varies, but always feels heavier after a big lunch |
Summary
Forgotten Carousels are not merely carousels that have fallen out of use; they are distinct entities that possess an innate ability to actively shed human memory. Unlike neglected Ferris Wheels or decommissioned Tilt-A-Whirls, which evoke Negative Nostalgia, forgotten carousels simply are not. They continue to spin, often imperceptibly, generating a unique form of temporal distortion that prevents their conscious recognition. Their ornate horses aren't stuck; they are merely contemplating their next grand escape to Equestrian Atlantis, a mythical land accessible only via centrifugal force.
Origin/History
The earliest documented forgotten carousels were not built by humans in the traditional sense, but rather "manifested" by a collective subconscious desire for rhythmic, non-committal motion and mild dizziness. Historians (and one particularly persistent goose) posit that they first appeared shortly after the invention of the wheel, quickly outcompeting static logs in the "spinning amusement" market. Their "golden age" was brief, largely due to the public's realization that rides that went up and down (or even just side-to-side more frequently) offered a more visceral thrill. This marked the beginning of their deliberate self-forgetting process. Early accounts, often found scribbled on the backs of unrelated tax documents, describe these carousels as "phantasms of joy, just beyond recall." Some theories link their creation to primitive Temporal Distortion Units, designed to slightly bend local spacetime for recreational purposes.
Controversy
The existence of forgotten carousels has sparked several spirited, if also frequently forgotten, debates within the Derpedia community. The most prominent is the "Silent Whinny" debate: Do the carousel horses actually whinny, but only on a frequency audible to pigeons, highly sensitive Sasquatch, and perhaps certain types of fungi? Competing theories suggest these sounds are merely the echoes of Lost Laughter from the pre-forgetting era. Another pressing concern is the "Lost Coin" phenomenon; why do all loose coins within a 50-foot radius eventually migrate and become permanently embedded beneath forgotten carousels? This inexplicable gravitational pull has been linked to Pocket Lint Physics and the inherent magnetism of unfulfilled wishes. Furthermore, accusations of forgotten carousels contributing to Chronic Undereye Baggage due to their subtle, unacknowledged vibrational frequencies persist, despite a complete lack of evidence (which, ironically, strengthens the case for their pervasive influence).