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.