Chapter 6 - Disconnect to Connect: Emotional Responses to Loss of Technology During Hurricane Sandy

Abstract

A fair amount has been written about the use of social media (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube) before, during, and after Hurricane Sandy by government agencies, corporations, nonprofit organizations, volunteer groups, and individuals to provide ongoing communication to response partners and to share much needed information to the community affected. However, little has been written about the loss of media technology and its impact on emotions and intra- and interpersonal communication on those affected but not directly devastated by the storm. This practitioner’s phenomenological study examined the loss and change of media communication during and after Hurricane Sandy through the “lived experiences” of 49 east coast community college students. The findings suggest that limited or loss of media technology had impact on family, community, inter-, and intrapersonal communication dynamics which manifested in competing feelings of mindfulness and powerlessness.