The plague was a deadly disease. If you got infected by the bacteria, you would die. Obviously you don't want to die. So if you avoid something like you would avoid the plague the plague, you really, really try to avoid it.

v. collectively or individually finding someone/something to blame for a problem, as opposed to brainstorming which connotes finding solutions to a problem

n. the act of finding someone/something to blame for a problem

(from a TV ad for HD television)