"Kids these days", is an expression that fundamentally betrays an incomplete view of history. Every generation always thinks they were great, but the next generation are just so terrible: irresponsible, uneducated, promiscuous, etc. To be fair, there is some truth to this throughout certain parts of history. During the phase of civilizational decline, some things really do get worse from generation to generation, but often not as bad as people think they do; and other things actually get better. Yes, the Federal government is bigger than ever and almost everyone is drowning in a sea of debt, but we also have indoor plumbing, air conditioning, and no more slavery. It's not an obvious progression nor an obvious decline - it's a mixed bag.