This reminded me of this summer's blockbuster movie Inception. Much like this article, it examined how ideas are planted in our minds and what effects those ideas have once they take over the mind and become impossible to eradicate.
Cobb: What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm?
An idea. Resilient... highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain
it's almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed -
fully understood - that sticks; right in there somewhere.