Tweets About Hurricane Ophelia

I have terrible timing. Before a conference in Dublin, I'm visiting Caherdaniel, along the southwest coast of Ireland-during a category 3 hurricane. Tweets about the storm reveal the Irish sense of humor and perceptions of Americans.

It's not all bad: some memes are just funny, comparing Americans' reactions to Hurricanes to the Irish's reactions. The difference is understandable because obviously we have more experience, including recent Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico.

Other tweets portray Americans as gun bearers:

Many poke fun at drinking:

 

And still others reference having to work although all public schools in Ireland are closed:

Commenting on employers' responses, one wrote, "An awful lot of people found out what companies really think of them."

Discussion:

• To what extent do you think the humor is cultural or based on a lack of hurricane experience? 
• What's your reaction to these tweets and memes? Do you think they're funny, foolish, or something else?