Georgite Tsiabas Take on: Enlighten Racism: The Cosby show, Audiences, and the Myth of the American Dream

        “ Enlighten racism: the Cosby Show, Audiences, and the Myth of The American Dream” will definitely challenge your expectations. Author Sut Jhally explores the Cosby show and the attitudes and concerns of both white & black audiences regarding it. The main point i suppose is to the show is that it presented a guilt-free experience for white America; they could see a professional black family and believe that racism was over and any African American family could accomplish what the Huxatables achieved. But of course, that's not true for the vast majority of black families who are workers  in non-professional jobs or unemployed; they're struggling, trying desperately not to drown when the strong current is running against them.
        It came across from my perspective after reading a section of the book for this class that the author believes that white audiences are relieved to see such a nice black family; it alleviates their racially marked worries about crime and the rage of the poor and mistreated. Not only does it lessen their fear, it makes them forget their responsibility to eliminate discrimination and prejudice. The idea that racism no longer limits the lives of black people in America is absolutely wrong. Check out the statistics on unemployment, high school graduation and college graduation, homeownership, income levels, and incarceration rates: the racial inequality is undeniable.

         I felt as though this reading reinforces the criticism that, despite the show's great popularity and positive influences, it promotes the dangerous myth that blacks who don't ``make it'' have only themselves to blame. What I learned from this reading is that viewers involve themselves deeply with the show and often see it as reality. White viewers can identify with and accept TV's Huxtable family as ``nice'' blacks; African American viewers appreciate the show's lack of racial stereotyping. However the author and others could argue that most images broadcast in recent years--hide and distort how most blacks live, thus relieving white viewers of responsibility for such inequalities.  In my opinion neither African Americans nor whites think clearly about class, thus society can’t think how race can intertwine with class.

- Georgia Tsiabas