"The poison of skepticism becomes, like alcoholism, tuberculosis, and some other diseases, much more virulent in a hitherto virgin soil"

Simone Weil draws an analogy between skepticism and infectious diseases, suggesting that skepticism can be especially destructive when it enters a context where it is previously unknown or untested. She compares the spread and impact of skepticism to the introduction of diseases such as alcoholism and tuberculosis into populations that have not previously encountered them. In epidemiology, it is well established that diseases often become more lethal when they first strike a population lacking immunity or experience; Weil borrows this dynamic to explore an intellectual and cultural phenomenon.

When skepticism, understood as a radical doubt towards belief systems, traditions, or institutions, takes root in a culture that has not cultivated critical habits or a robust tradition of philosophical doubt, its effects are profound and destabilizing. Without prior exposure, the underlying structures that sustain a community's sense of meaning can unravel rapidly. The “poison” metaphor suggests that skepticism is not, in itself, healthy or natural for every environment, although it may play a vital role in keeping traditions honest once a society develops an “immunity”, that is, a measured ability to balance doubt with faith or trust.

There is also a caution embedded in her words: those who advocate for skepticism as a universal good, or who dismiss traditional forms of belief without considering the context, may inadvertently unleash a force that is far more destabilizing than anticipated. Skepticism, then, is not a neutral or benign intellectual stance, but one that must be handled with discernment, lest it erode foundational aspects of life in societies unprepared for its impact. Weil’s analogy urges reflection on the uneven consequences of introducing destabilizing ideas into untested contexts, highlighting a responsibility to understand the vulnerabilities of the “virgin soil” before sowing new seeds of doubt.