These myths and biases stifle modern thinking and cause a nation to stagnate. These are completely irrelevant to the current circumstances, but people continue to hold to them. That is why the poet refers to them as "dead habits." Habits are actions that become automatic and do not require much thought or effort. They are very useful for survival because they make our lives more efficient and less time-consuming. However some habits can be bad for us and prevent us from living our lives freely and consciously. When these habits stop us from making decisions about what we do and don't want in our lives, we can say they have gone "viral" and taken over our lives. Some examples of habits that have been described as "dead": smoking, drinking alcohol excessively, using drugs, etc. All of these things are bad for your health and lead to stagnation. People who do them cannot simply quit overnight. It takes time to break old patterns of behavior and create new ones that are healthier alternatives. In today's world, where most people are obsessed with progress and improvement, it can be hard to find encouragement from others who have also fallen into bad habits. But the poet does not hesitate to tell us that these are all outdated ideas that need to be abandoned for better ways forward.