Bemoaning the indulgence and laxity of the present in comparison to a more arduous, hardworking past is a time-honored tradition.
Silk Slippers of History
Voltaire* in the early eighteenth century asserted “history is filled with the sound of silken slippers going downstairs and wooden shoes coming up.” While this metaphorical explanation for the rise and fall of civilizations is unpopular these days, I think it has significant merit in explaining societies' evolution.
IGC Publishing 