Celebrities have spent the week dumping buckets of ice water on their heads, while few have made any comment regarding Ferguson, Missouri. There shouldn’t have to be a choice between the two -- one is a charitable cause to support the ALS Association, the other is a history-making tipping point in the way we regard race and human rights in this country -- but the discrepancy between the way celebrities have engaged with each reveals the power of their influence and the positive way it can be used, but isn't.

As Oprah and other people who matter less than Oprah join in on the most viral charity campaign of all time, there’s a mounting discussion about the substance behind the challenge. Are people taking part because they care about ALS or do they just want everyone to see how philanthropic they are / how good they look soaking wet? Either way, it has succeed in raising awareness and more than $13 million.