Stupid statement but not as STUPID as Tom Brookshier's in 1983

Brookshier became the subject of controversy in 1983 because of a remark he made during an NFL broadcast of an Eagles–Saints game on December 11. After a program note for an upcoming telecast of an NCAA men's basketball game between North Carolina State and Louisville, Brookshier said that the players on the Louisville team had "a collective I.Q. of about 40, but they can play basketball." Given a chance to walk back the statement by partner Charlie Waters, Brookshier doubled down, saying "it's the truth."

That STUPID remark got him suspended for the last week of the 1983 season by CBS.

In 1983 the remark earned a one game suspension.
Today the remark would have ended his broadcasting career.

Have "WE" Progressed or Regressed?

That depends on what you mean. Are you asking if people have learned not to say stupid things, or are you asking if people have learned to be less offended by what people say?

If you're asking the former, I think examples like the one you gave have been the exception to the rule since well before 1983. For all I know, maybe the players on that basketball team WERE really dumb. But I have no particular reason to make that assumption, and neither did he. But some people don't know how to think before they speak.

In terms of how society has learned to deal with comments like that? We've CLEARLY regressed. People take everything personally, even if it isn't something stupid. They just find a way to be offended.

Disagree. Society now has more mediums and platforms to voice their displeasure. This myth that the boomer generation and those before it were rarely offended has to stop.

Having more mediums to voice one's displeasure has nothing to do with the question of whether or not people are more sensitive today.

And no one said the "boomer" generation was "never" offended. But for you to suggest that people's reactions today are even remotely similar is beyond absurd.

How many protests have you heard about from, say, the 80's? Did people get fired from their jobs because they said something that was politically incorrect? There are other ways to gauge the attitude of society, outside of the internet. The fact that you seem to have forgotten that, is one reason why we got to this point. People have largely forgotten how to think, without the internet telling them how to think.

The fact that I know how to critically think leads me to ask you why you would single out the 1980’s. Could it be that there were plenty in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and 90’s so the finger gets pointed at the 80’s as the shining example of “insensitivity”? I doubt that with the war on drugs and the AIDS epidemic taking place. Two of the biggest protests in American history occurred in the 1980’s. They protested against gangsta rap in the late 80’s and early 90’s. And with social media, it’s far easier to organize a protest and create organizations that span across state lines.

Also, people not getting fired from their jobs isn’t an indication of individuals being less sensitive back then. Those who felt oppressed were just more voiceless and lacked power. It was harder to put pressure on an individual or company because your only outlets were the news or newspaper. We can publicize **** instantly now. The Black community always felt this way. The LGBTQQ community always felt this way. Women have always felt this way. Are there outliers who go above and beyond? Sure. But people have always felt a certain way and it fell on deaf ears.