Hmm …

… Morning’s Canvas: Disease within a house divided.

… the “disease in the public mind” occurs when twisted, subjective interpretations of political, economic or social realities seize control of large numbers of minds in the population. An early, extreme example of this “disease” would be the witch trials hysteria of 1692 in Massachusetts; other examples include attitudes that led to prohibition and McCarthyism.

But, as with every disease, not everyone gets infected. In fact, most people don’t.