As Hurricane Irma swept across Florida and upended both buildings and lives, residents turned to memes and internet humour – like parody Facebook events – to cope. In times of crisis, people are using tech platforms not as practical tools, but as spaces for community and entertainment. We explore the science behind why people in America were using memes to mock Hurricane Irma from the eye of the storm.
In Florida, joke Facebook groups promised to 'Fidget spin clockwise to cancel Irma out' or 'Sing 'All Star' by Smash Mouth so loud the soundwaves turn Irma away’. The most popular of the pages attracted tens of thousands people, with over 40,000 marking themselves ‘interested’ in the five day-long Facebook event 'Spinning your arms really fast to push away Hurricane Irma'. “I think the point of making these pages is to cope, especially as the storm gets closer,” says the group’s creator. “People need an outlet to relieve tension, and what better way than to make light of natural disasters that could end up destroying everything you know, right?”
Social media platforms have often tried to enter the fray in times of disaster; features like Facebook’s Safety Check have sought to ease people's minds in times of crisis, but instead came under fire for increasing anxiety. It’s a tricky space for brands to navigate – although 87% of Americans are more likely to trust a company that helps out with social issues, Safety Check demonstrates how targeted emergency efforts can sometimes miss the mark.
Rather than butting in themselves, people appreciate tech brands that make spaces in which grassroots efforts can spring up – whether that’s Airbnb enabling homeowners to be generous to those in need, or internet memes that allow people to express coded political dissent. The response to Hurricane Irma shows how people are relying on tech platforms for light-hearted humour and community in times of crisis, rather than looking to them as saviours. And while research conducted around tweets that were posted during Hurricane Sandy found that disaster-related humour is perceived as funnier after a little time has past, the fact that Sandy received the same meme-ing that Irma did is proof that many feel the need to laugh in the moment too.
Mira Kopolovic is a behavioural analyst at Canvas8, which specialises in behavioural insights and consumer research. She has an MA which focused on artist-brand collaborations, and spends her spare time poring over dystopian literature.
