contagion

The contagion and the moral disengagement it causes provokes cruelty and obedience.

Social contagion spread in a more personal way.

However, a Washington Post article did point to selfies as a possible source of contagion, because putting heads together and leaning in to take a snapshot seems to give the bugs that opportunity.

“McMartin” became a byword for social contagion, hysteria and the epic failure of trusted institutions: law enforcement, courts, the child-therapy establishment and the media.

Memes are a contagion for ideas with a potent ability to construct and disseminate political propaganda.