I agree that Amanda´s tweet was highly inappropriate.
And yet I wouldn´t judge her too harsh for using a slur after such a dangerous situation. It doesn´t necessarily mean that the word mirrors her attitude towards elderly people in general. And if it does - which we don´t know - she will be reminded of her words when she will be old herself. Noone grows younger, unfortunately.
Still, it´s obvious she only wrote this after being angry and shaken up, probably not long after she had an encounter with that irresponsible driver. She probably wouldn´t write this if she had time to cool her head a bit - but it is a characteristic of a Twitter that you tweet there the thoughts that are momentarily on your mind. 
But again, she only used a harsh word while that second person actually endangered her and her children. I wouldn´t be so hard on her while her "almost killer" is treated as an innocent, wronged party. I personally cannot stand irresponsible drivers. A young girl was killed by such person not too far from where I live - and the flowers on the side of that tragedy always remind me what awful consequences such an irresponsibility can have. No expletives are strong enough to describe such road-pirates. 
So yes, Amanda´s words are a bad example for her fans - but we should´t forget that she only used them in certain context. 

I like to think I never fall into that trap...but then, I've never tweeted immediatelty after nearly being wiped out in a car incident.
If I'd seen the tweet, I would have asked Amanda if she reported the incident to the police.

Last edited by besleybean (July 1, 2014 8:32 pm)

Nobody here's been hard on her - just expressing the wish she would think twice 

Then, she apologised for something different only a little while later.
So it seems she's not like that only when she and her children get endangered 

Last edited by Harriet (July 1, 2014 8:49 pm)

Of course, you are right, Solar and Harriet.
But I´m not that surprised that she turned to Twitter after her experience. People are crazily into social sites nowadays and unfortunatelly, it´s not unusual that they tell their secrets to Facebook or to Twitter before they tell their family and acquantainces.
Personally, I don´t get the appeal of Twitter anyway. As Solar nicely pointed above, the things that first come into your mind are mostly not the ones you should really share - and they are actually the whole point of Twitter.

That´s true, it´s good if you want to have the news firsthand.

My thoughts...for what they are worth:

When an incident like this happens (i.e. the near miss accident) or something else that greatly upsets someone, THAT is the moment to carefully walk away from all social media until you have calmed down and can think clearly. All too often people use social media to air their dirty washing or to rant and rave. In this case Amanda's tweet (specifically the use of the word cadaver) was extremely ill-judged.

When someone is in the limelight for whatever reason, a 'celebrity' or whatever term you may choose to use, they should approach their use of social media with caution and consideration of what they are about to write. I actually think that applies to everyone who uses social media but perhaps even more so in their case.

There is no compulsion for someone to be on social media such as Twitter, however if they are, they need to self-censor. I am against censorship  per se, but not the exercise of self-control and self-restraint in what we choose to write.

I run a business. Much of that is conducted through social media. I am aware that even my personal timeline (as an example) on Facebook and my Twitter account will now reflect (in part) my business. I am therefore careful about what I post.

No-one makes anyone use social media, but if we do, we need to do so responsibly, especially when we are adults who should know better.

Finally, yes, there are elderly people driving on the road who really shouldn't be, but there are also an awful lot of younger people who also should never be allowed behind the wheel of a car.

Yes, I agree..

Well, I tend to be very cautious on twitter, but there are moments when your temper just boils over and you absolutely have to make yourself heard or just get things off your chest. That's just what happened there. I really wouldn't read too much into it, and certainly not that she dislikes elderly people in general or anything similarly silly. We all react differently when we get upset and some of us have a bit more of a temper, but again just don't read too much into such comments.
It's not even worth a thread in fact.
Generally I think Amanda is a really nice and normal person and doesn't see herself as much of a famous anything, which is why when being on twitter she just is the way she is. And there always is the option to unfollow her if one doesn't like her comments (I personally do like them a lot).

Last edited by the_dancing_woman (July 2, 2014 1:10 pm)