social antibodies

Silicon Valley investor and writer Paul Graham coined the term to describe an observation that a population develops “social antibodies” in response to behaviours that have come to be perceived as harmful.

An example he cites is cigarette smoking. Once a popular and accepted habit even within intimate spaces, after smoking was banned in enclosed spaces it quickly became socially unacceptable aided by vocal people who acted like messengers in the system.

It could be argued that a busybody and a social antibody are two sides of the same coin.