weapon of mass distraction
- weapon of mass distraction
n.
Something that distracts large numbers of people from thinking about important issues.
Example Citation:
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.
— James Corrigan, "Cinderella really goes to the bowl," Independent on Sunday (London), January 26, 2003
Earliest Citation:
That lesson was reinforced for Danny Schechter when he covered one of the biggest stories of the decade: the election that brought Nelson Mandela to power in South Africa. The U.S. networks weren't interested in his vivid, insider's account of the Mandela campaign — and this at a time when hundreds of hours were broadcast about the O. J. Simpson trial. No wonder the creator of M.A.S.H. called TV "the weapon of mass distraction."
— Michele Landsberg, "No room for human rights on TV's agenda of greed," The Toronto Star, December 7, 1997
Notes:
Weapon of mass distraction is a pun-perfect play on
weapon of mass destruction. The latter phrase (in its plural form) was voted word (or, in this case, phrase) of the year for 2002 by the American Dialect Society:
http://www.americandialect.org/woty.html. Researcher Fred Shapiro has traced this phrase back to 1937, so it's surprising that the obvious
weapon of mass distraction pun didn't appear earlier than 1996, when M*A*S*H creator Larry Gelbart used it as the title of an HBO movie:
Gabriel Byrne..will star in the HBO movie "Weapons of Mass Distraction," a black comedy about two feuding media moguls who clash while vying to buy a Los Angeles sports franchise.
— Marisa Guthrie, "Plugged In," The Boston Herald, November 17, 1996
Related Words:
Categories:
New words.
2013.
Look at other dictionaries:
weapon of mass distraction — event or thing that distracts or draws the attention of large crowds away from significant matters … English contemporary dictionary
Weapon of mass destruction — For the Hip hop album, see Weapons of Mass Destruction (album). Weapons of mass destruction … Wikipedia
weapons-grade — (WEP.unz grayd) adj. Of or relating to an extreme version of something. Example Citation: Every time you get to a pair of words in parentheses, just circle the one that works best for you. Then all you have to do is clip the column and include it … New words
Lost Original Television Soundtracks — La orquesta de Lost está compuesta y producida por Michael Giacchino y ha sido lanzada en una serie de bandas sonoras por Varèse Sarabande. Contenido 1 Soundtracks 1.1 Temporada 1 1.2 Temporada 2 1.3 … Wikipedia Español
Музыка из сериала «Остаться в живых» — Ниже представлен список песен и сопроводительной музыки в телесериале «Остаться в живых» (2004 2010). Содержание 1 Песни 1.1 Сезон 1 1.2 Сезон 2 1.3 Сезон 3 … Википедия
CNN effect — (SEE.en.en uh.fekt) n. The negative effect on the economy caused by people staying home to watch CNN or some other news source during a crisis such as a war. Example Citation: Analysts will pay close attention to any outlook from retailers about… … New words
Culture (General) — Culture General after party agnotology Anglosphere anti anti American atomic sit ups audism backstory badge ball … New words
Film — actorvist backstory baked potato bigature bitcom blurb whore Bollywood breaking the fourth wall … New words
Music — aireoke audioblog bitlegging burn and return conscientious rap country and eastern cuckoo egg dadrock … New words
Sports and Recreation — age fraud anti foot athlete tax beer miler birthplace effect black water rafting buck fever c … New words
