什么是“大规模分散注意力武器”？

社交媒体似乎让我们时刻处于注意力分散的状态，但与此同时，个别大事件的发生也可能将人们的注意力从他们日常关注的事件中转移开，这样的事情在英文中叫做weapon of mass distraction，看着眼熟吗？

Weapon of mass distraction refers to something that distracts large numbers of people from thinking about important issues.

Weapon of mass distraction（大规模分散注意力武器）指能够把大量人群的注意力从某个重要问题上移开的事情。

Weapon of mass distraction is a pun-perfect play on weapon of mass destruction. The latter phrase (in its plural form) was voted word of the year for 2002 by the American Dialect Society.

Weapon of mass distraction这个表达是对weapon of mass destruction（大规模杀伤性武器）一词完美的双关演绎，后者（通常用复数形式）曾被美国方言协会选为2002年的年度词汇。

For example:

For a few hours at least today, the heat will be off George W Bush as America switches focus from Baghdad to San Diego. Maybe the Super Bowl will be the weapon of mass distraction that Bush has been praying for.

今天至少有几个小时，当全美人民把目光从巴格达转向圣地亚哥时，大家的关注度可能会暂时从小布什身上移开。或许超级碗就是小布什一直在期盼的大规模分散注意力武器。

—James Corrigan, “Cinderella really goes to the bowl,” Independent on Sunday (London), January 26, 2003

（中国日报网英语点津 Helen）