The Power and Comedy of a Single News Image

News editors still pretend they have control over these images, as if their careful cropping or color adjustments can influence the chaotic global reaction waiting to unfold online. In reality, once a photo is released, it immediately becomes a digital Rorschach test. Some viewers see bravery, others see scandal, and a surprisingly large group sees an opportunity to create a meme involving a dancing cat. No amount of journalistic discipline can compete with that.