But all the while, they denied that what they saw in the poor whites was also something they saw in themselves. That is my sociological explanation. My other theory is much simpler. Simply put, television kills brain cells, and when people watch a lot of it, they develop an affinity for mindless entertainment. It's no wonder you can't tell who's slept with whom on any TV show anymore.
Chances are, it's probably a combination of the two.
And as its portrayal has progressed, the gentler, kinder image of white trash has disappeared, leaving the savage trailer-park image to flourish. It wasn't long before the Waltons were overthrown by another set of good ol' boys. Although there was no doubt that the Duke family was low-class, producers of the show were still careful to portray them as a couple of good guys. But producers' fears of totally crossing the white trash barrier are long gone. Two decades ago, they were afraid that Daisy Duke might be showing too much thigh.