😅 Yeah, not gonna lie. The loss of Cosby really hurt.

I don't think there was less racism in the 80s than today. As you say, this may be an effect of the bubble you live in. Racism was certainly easier for white people not to think about or notice in the 80s than today. But that doesn't mean there was less of it.

Given how oblivious many white people were to racism back then, I think a certain degree of heightened awareness is not only inevitable but a good thing. But again, this is an increase in awareness of racism. Not an increase in racism.

But what's undeniable is that we used to be better at talking about racial issues. People still recognised that context and intent mattered. They weren't so desperate to take offence. Labels like "racism" and "racist" and "white supremacy" were applied thoughtfully, to situations where they actually applied, in the hopes of making things better, instead of as synonyms for "thing/person I don't like."

And yes, the way that movies feel the need to apply a racial/social/political agenda to every storyline with a minority is infuriating. Really, it's just another form of "othering." It's like there's no way to think of people who aren't white and male except as avatars of oppression.