The Thenardier Effect A.K.A Why I don't worry about "The dress"

I'm sure many of you have seen the photo that is going viral right now.  You know the one of "The Dress"?

Not that it matters but it looks white and gold to me.

In case you live under a social media rock the dress in the photo either appears Blue and black or Gold and White to different people (there is some sort of scientific optical illusion thing that explains it but I don't care enough to try and understand it).  This thing went viral so fast and now seems to be everywhere.

Of course it only took a little while for other people to start freaking out about how stupid and vapid this thing is.  "Why does stuff like this go viral when children are starving in Africa (insert ISIS is killing people, Ebola still rages, #bringbackourgirls, water shortage in California, or any other current human tragedy)".  And you know they have a point.  There are so many tragedy's going on around the world that would grab our attention more than a weird photo of a dress. 

Ukraine’s Maidan Protests Anniversary Met With Bombs, Fresh Fighting

Isis destroys antiquities

Ebola

#bringbackourgirls

New suspect arrested in Copenhagen shootings

9 dead after reported shootings in Missouri

Baby's body found in Northern California, after mother turns up alone

Jihadi John

Well you get the picture...

But you see I'm not worried about "The Dress".  Let me tell you a story so you understand why.  

Many of you have seen Les Miserables, the musical with Hugh Jackman.  Some of you may have seen the stage version.  A few of you may even have read the book (extra stars on your homework if you have).  Today I'm not going to talk about Jean Valjean, Fantine, or Éponine.    Today I'm going to talk about The Thenardiers.  

It's kind of there in the movie, but when you are watching the play things can get kind of depressing.  Okay more than kind of.  Like "The world is terrible and I'm going to throw myself off the balcony so I don't have to live here any more" depressing.  But you know every time you start getting up and leaning over to dive, out come the Thenardiers.  

The Thenardiers

Now they are pure evil, all the other characters have some saving grace but not these two.  Yet some how every time they come on stage you find yourself laughing and slowing sinking back into your chair, away from the ledge.  Then back into the story we go.  The show does not need the song "Master of the House" to get the point across that these people are crooks, it could have been done in a much more serious, introspective "here is what poverty can do to people" way.  But for some reason the humor, no matter how dark and crude, is there.  Why? 

Because we need them there!

The world is a scary and hard place to live in.  We spend most of our days with that being thrown in our face.  So yes, we click on and share and send a stupid dress off into the viral hall of fame.  

Because that dress is the Thenardiers of the internet.  

Just when you can't handle another piece of bad news, rejection, tragedy, or ignorant stupidity something like "the dress" comes along.  And we sit back down at our computers and step away from the balcony.  

So go ahead, share "the dress" or the laughing baby or whatever comes next.  Just make sure that when the Fantine's show up in your feed or on your door step you share and help them too.