Mind Virus

An idea or belief that spreads by exploiting cognitive shortcuts (fear, guilt, identity, authority, or zero-sum thinking) while resisting correction by logic, evidence, or lived experience. A mind virus persists not because it is true, but because it disables error-correction in the minds it inhabits, often by redefining harm, guilt, or consent to justify coercion. Mind viruses thrive in systems that suppress free exchange of ideas and decay when exposed to open debate, falsifiability, and voluntary interaction.