--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like many physical diseases…" description: "\"Like many physical diseases, anti-Semitism is highly infectious, and can become endemic in certain localities and societies. Though a disease of the mi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b3/paul-johnson-4585_anti-semitism_like-many-physical-diseases-anti-semitis_1850889.jpg" --- # Like many physical diseases, anti-Semitism is highly… ![“Like many physical diseases, anti-Semitism is highly infectious, and can become endemic in certain localities and societies. Though a disease of the mind, it is by no means confined to weak, feeble, or commonplace intellects; as history sadly records, its carriers have included men and women of…” quote by Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b3/paul-johnson-4585_anti-semitism_like-many-physical-diseases-anti-semitis_1850889.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b3/paul-johnson-4585_anti-semitism_like-many-physical-diseases-anti-semitis_1850889.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b3/paul-johnson-4585_anti-semitism_like-many-physical-diseases-anti-semitis_1850889.jpg) > “Like many physical diseases, anti-Semitism is highly infectious, and can become endemic in certain localities and societies. Though a disease of the mind, it is by no means confined to weak, feeble, or commonplace intellects; as history sadly records, its carriers have included men and women of otherwise powerful and subtle thoughts.” [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anti‑Semitism spreads like a contagious disease, affecting societies regardless of intellectual stature. **In simple terms:** Hate spreads like disease, affecting all minds. Key Takeaway Recognize and counter hateful ideas early. Themes prejudice social contagion history Mood concerned reflective Type analytical historical When to use this quote - education - policy making - community building - media monitoring Key Concepts psychology ideology group dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can societies inoculate against hateful ideologies? - What role does education play in preventing prejudice? A Different Perspective Hate can be deeply rooted in cultural narratives, making eradication difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anti semitism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-semitism/) [Become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Commonplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commonplace/) [Confined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confined/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Disease Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease-mind-418278/) [Diseases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diseases/) [Diseases Anti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diseases-anti-2427900/) [Feeble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeble/) [Highly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highly/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Included](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/included/) [Infectious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infectious/) [Intellects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellects/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Many](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/many/) [Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Otherwise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/otherwise/) [Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [Sadly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadly/) [Semitism Highly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/semitism-highly-2427898/) [Societies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/societies/) [Societies Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/societies-disease-2427899/) [Subtle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subtle/) [Though](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/though/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [If anti-Semitism is a variety of racism, it is a most peculiar variety, with many unique characteristics. In my view as a historian, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/if-anti-semitism-is-a-variety-of-racism-it-is-a-most-peculiar-variety/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [People learn from who we are, rather than what we say, and to believe otherwise is a disease of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/people-learn-from-who-we-are-rather-than-what-we-say-and-to-believe/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [There are three types of disease: body disease, mind disease, and nervous system disease. When the mind is diseased, the whole body is diseased.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-pattabhi-jois/there-are-three-types-of-disease-body-disease-mind-disease-and/) [K. Pattabhi Jois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-pattabhi-jois/) > [Atheism is a disease of the mind caused by eating underdone philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/atheism-is-a-disease-of-the-mind-caused-by-eating-underdone-philosophy/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [“Really, this people, only yesterday so intelligent and discerning, seem to have been overcome by a disease of the mind”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-reck-malleczewen/really-this-people-only-yesterday-so-intelligent-and-discerning-seem/) [Friedrich Reck-Malleczewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-reck-malleczewen/) > [(Baudelaire) had descended to the bottom of the inexhaustible mine, had picked his way along abandoned or unexplored galleries, and had finally reached those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joris-karl-huysmans/baudelaire-had-descended-to-the-bottom-of-the-inexhaustible-mine-had/) [Joris-Karl Huysmans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joris-karl-huysmans/) > [Alcoholism is a disease. People will debate whether it is a disease of the mind, of genetics, or of circumstances. I don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-marie/alcoholism-is-a-disease-people-will-debate-whether-it-is-a-disease-of/) [Eva Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-marie/) > [Art is community's medicine for that worst disease of the mind, the corruption of consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-g-collingwood/art-is-community-s-medicine-for-that-worst-disease-of-the-mind-the/) [Robin G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-g-collingwood/) > [“Distress is a disease of the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/distress-is-a-disease-of-the-mind/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“To set up what you like against what you dislike—this is the disease of the mind. —Seng-Tsan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-tricarico/to-set-up-what-you-like-against-what-you-dislike-this-is-the-disease/) [Dan Tricarico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-tricarico/) > [ A disease of the mind, \[whose\] germ is the idea that one may learn that which is valuable, or in any way acquire virtue,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-martin/a-disease-of-the-mind-whose-germ-is-the-idea-that-one-may-learn-that/) [Kingsley Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-martin/) > [ In Alzheimer's \[disease\] the mind dies first: Names, dates, places-the interior scrapbook of an entire life-fade into mists of nonrecognition. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-clark/in-alzheimer-s-disease-the-mind-dies-first-names-dates-places-the/) [Matt Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-clark/) > [It is with disease of the mind, as with those of the body; we are half dead before we understand our disorder, and half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-with-disease-of-the-mind-as-with-those-of-the-body-we-are-half/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [The need for certainty is the greatest disease the Mind faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-need-for-certainty-is-the-greatest-disease-the-mind-faces/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [The struggle of what one likes and what one dislikes is the disease of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sengcan/the-struggle-of-what-one-likes-and-what-one-dislikes-is-the-disease/) [Sengcan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sengcan/) ## More by Paul Johnson > [“Partly by accident, partly by instinct, partly by deliberate contrivance, he was the first intellectual systematically to exploit the guilt of the privileged. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/partly-by-accident-partly-by-instinct-partly-by-deliberate/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [ “The Salem \[witch\] trials…can be seen as an example of the propensity of the American people to be convulsed by spasms of self-righteous rage… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/the-salem-witch-trials-can-be-seen-as-an-example-of-the-propensity-of/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [“Much of Sartre’s time in the 1960s was spent travelling in China and the Third World, a term invented by the geographer Alfred Sauvy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/much-of-sartre-s-time-in-the-1960s-was-spent-travelling-in-china-and/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [ “He \[Augustine\] admitted: 'I am the sort of man who writes because he has made progress, and who makes progress by writing.' ” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/he-augustine-admitted-i-am-the-sort-of-man-who-writes-because-he-has/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [The most intimidating world leader was Lyndon Johnson, who became U.S. President when John Kennedy was assassinated. He exulted in this power and liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/the-most-intimidating-world-leader-was-lyndon-johnson-who-became-u-s/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [Democracy has many enemies, and the terrorist is only one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/democracy-has-many-enemies-and-the-terrorist-is-only-one-of-them/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [“Marx wrote about finance and industry all his life but he only knew two people connected with financial and industrial processes. One was his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/marx-wrote-about-finance-and-industry-all-his-life-but-he-only-knew/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [“When we are dealing with concepts like freedom and equality, it is essential to use words accurately and in good faith. So the eighth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/when-we-are-dealing-with-concepts-like-freedom-and-equality-it-is/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [Margaret Thatcher had more impact on the world than any woman ruler since Catherine the Great of Russia. Not only did she turn around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/margaret-thatcher-had-more-impact-on-the-world-than-any-woman-ruler/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [Wisdom lies not in possessing knowledge - which quickly becomes outdated - but in perpetually seeking it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/wisdom-lies-not-in-possessing-knowledge-which-quickly-becomes/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [The planet Earth, though not threatened with destruction by man-made global warming, is by no means indestructible. There are many unpredictable events within our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/the-planet-earth-though-not-threatened-with-destruction-by-man-made/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [“As Khrushchev put it, “He prodded the capitalist world with the tip of his bayonet.” He himself put it, “If I see a door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/as-khrushchev-put-it-he-prodded-the-capitalist-world-with-the-tip-of/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [“We must never forget that the settlement of what is now the United States was only part of a larger enterprise. And this was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/we-must-never-forget-that-the-settlement-of-what-is-now-the-united/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [Where the quest for knowledge is relatively, and now almost absolutely, unrestrained, the public benefit will be great, especially where the certainty of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/where-the-quest-for-knowledge-is-relatively-and-now-almost-absolutely/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [If anti-Semitism is a variety of racism, it is a most peculiar variety, with many unique characteristics. In my view as a historian, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/if-anti-semitism-is-a-variety-of-racism-it-is-a-most-peculiar-variety/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) [Explore all 109 Paul Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) ## More Anti semitism quotes > [“. Despite the considerable horror they had felt when the SA men were bellowing crude anti-Semitic slogans, in retrospect the joke-tellers were very much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-herzog/despite-the-considerable-horror-they-had-felt-when-the-sa-men-were/) [Rudolph Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-herzog/) > [Even in the Western world, one cannot argue that the ideal has been achieved given the existence of issues like the integration, participation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/recep-tayyip-erdogan/even-in-the-western-world-one-cannot-argue-that-the-ideal-has-been/) [Recep Tayyip Erdogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/recep-tayyip-erdogan/) > [Rest assured that our work is not over because our work has never been only hunting Nazi war criminals. The Simon Wiesenthal Center is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-hier/rest-assured-that-our-work-is-not-over-because-our-work-has-never/) [Marvin Hier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-hier/) > [With little knowledge of what it meant to be a Jew, I found myself passionately defending the Jewish people. Now, half a century later,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/with-little-knowledge-of-what-it-meant-to-be-a-jew-i-found-myself/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [I have never, ever, received any taunts or any form of anti-Semitism. And I suppose being a Jewish football player with the Atlanta Falcons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-goldberg/i-have-never-ever-received-any-taunts-or-any-form-of-anti-semitism/) [Bill Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-goldberg/) > [It is not possible for Christians to take part in anti-Semitism. We are Semites spiritually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/it-is-not-possible-for-christians-to-take-part-in-anti-semitism-we/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) > [I believe I understand anti-Semitism which is a very complex movement. I see it as a Jew, but without hatred or fear. I recognize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/i-believe-i-understand-anti-semitism-which-is-a-very-complex-movement/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [Israel is stupid for allowing people to vent their anti-Semitism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/israel-is-stupid-for-allowing-people-to-vent-their-anti-semitism/) [Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/) > [Anti-Catholicism is the anti-Semitism of the intellectual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/anti-catholicism-is-the-anti-semitism-of-the-intellectual/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [We always come back to the same misunderstanding. The Jews because of their spirit of revolt, their exclusiveness and the Messianic tendencies which animate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-v-deponcins/we-always-come-back-to-the-same-misunderstanding-the-jews-because-of/) [Leon V. DePoncins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-v-deponcins/) > [The bankers' Satanic Conspiracy is the source of anti Semitism. The sooner Jews rise up to oppose it; the sooner anti-Semitism will end.. Obviously,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-makow/the-bankers-satanic-conspiracy-is-the-source-of-anti-semitism-the/) [Henry Makow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-makow/) > [Yet, nearly 6 decades after the Holocaust concluded, Anti-Semitism still exists as the scourge of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-engel/yet-nearly-6-decades-after-the-holocaust-concluded-anti-semitism/) [Eliot Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-engel/) > [If, to the end of its existence, America harbors white supremacy, I don't know how remarkable that would be. France has dealt with anti-Semitism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/if-to-the-end-of-its-existence-america-harbors-white-supremacy-i-don/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [As for me, even though I have been accused of anti-Semitism countless times, no one has ever heard me make anti-Semitic statements or engage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marie-le-pen/as-for-me-even-though-i-have-been-accused-of-anti-semitism-countless/) [Jean-Marie Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marie-le-pen/) > [There was no reason to label us as anti-Semitic. No reason at all. I do not know one person in the National Front who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marie-le-pen/there-was-no-reason-to-label-us-as-anti-semitic-no-reason-at-all-i-do/) [Jean-Marie Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marie-le-pen/) [Browse all 296 Anti semitism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-semitism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Like many physical diseases, anti-Semitism is highly infectious, and can become endemic in certain localities and societies. Though a disease of the mind, it is by no means confined to weak, feeble, or commonplace intellects; as history sadly records, its carriers have included men and women of otherwise powerful and subtle thoughts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/like-many-physical-diseases-anti-semitism-is-highly-infectious-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anti semitism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/like-many-physical-diseases-anti-semitism-is-highly-infectious-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b3/paul-johnson-4585_anti-semitism_like-many-physical-diseases-anti-semitis_1850889.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b3/paul-johnson-4585_anti-semitism_like-many-physical-diseases-anti-semitis_1850889.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b3/paul-johnson-4585_anti-semitism_like-many-physical-diseases-anti-semitis_1850889.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Like many physical diseases, anti-Semitism is highly infectious, and can become endemic in certain…” — Paul Johnson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Like many physical diseases, anti-Semitism is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/like-many-physical-diseases-anti-semitism-is-highly-infectious-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/like-many-physical-diseases-anti-semitism-is-highly-infectious-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```