People who criticize The Ugly Barnacle as "pointless" are missing the obvious point as highlighted by the context. SpongeBob was depressed about his (supposed) ugliness, so Patrick told him the story to remind him that no matter how bad things seem, they could always be worse. After all, SpongeBob wasn't killing people with ugliness. It may seem Anvilicious, but Some Anvils Need to Be Dropped, especially among the perpetual "Poor me, poor me" crowd.
Putting Things in Perspective
People who criticize The Ugly Barnacle as "pointless" are missing the obvious point as highlighted by the context. SpongeBob was depressed about his (supposed) ugliness, so Patrick told him the story to remind him that no matter how bad things seem, they could always be worse. After all, SpongeBob wasn't killing people with ugliness. It may seem Anvilicious, but Some Anvils Need to Be Dropped, especially among the perpetual "Poor me, poor me" crowd.