I graduated High School in 1983. I was lazy and never did any more then I had to, but then I joined the Marine Corps and they pretty much straightened me out. 5 years later I came back home and was surprised how little any of my friends have done. The vast majority where doing the very minimum and complaining about there not being any jobs out there or how the government was holding them back. I thought there where all sorts of jobs out there and easily found work.
Since I was working steady, making good money and doing my own thing, I lost track of everyone that I went to High School with. Then about ten years ago Facebook came out and I started reconnecting with my High School friends. My school was about 2,000 students with just over 400 in my graduating class. Of the hundreds that I've heard from and heard about, I bet there are only a dozen that have done anything with their lives. The vast majority do the very minimum that they have to in order to survive, spend their days complaining about why it's somebody else's fault and focus on things like watching sports, partying, and insulting those that are successful, or trying to be.
To me, it seems that the young people of today are very similar to those that I grew up with in the 80s. They also remind me of when I was a kid and my parents didn't get my music. I don't get their music, I don't understand why so many are complacent with not setting goals and working towards them, or how they can be satisfied living their lives without any chance of doing or having what they want. I also see a few young people starting businesses, busting their butts in the trades and distancing themselves from the rest of the people their age.
I'm not sure if it's any different today, we are just able to talk about it easier today then we could back in the 80s.