什么是“大規模分散注意力武器”？

社交媒體似乎讓我們時刻處于注意力分散的狀態，但與此同時，個別大事件的發生也可能將人們的注意力從他們日常關注的事件中轉移開，這樣的事情在英文中叫做weapon of mass distraction，看著眼熟嗎？

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

Weapon of mass distraction（大規模分散注意力武器）指能夠把大量人群的注意力從某個重要問題上移開的事情。

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這個表達是對weapon of mass destruction（大規模殺傷性武器）一詞完美的雙關演繹，后者（通常用復數形式）曾被美國方言協會選為2002年的年度詞匯。

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.

今天至少有幾個小時，當全美人民把目光從巴格達轉向圣地亞哥時，大家的關注度可能會暫時從小布什身上移開。或許超級碗就是小布什一直在期盼的大規模分散注意力武器。

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

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen）