In my experience, when a generation or age group (usually the younger) lacks some skill, knowledge or motivation, it is because of how they have been taught. There are now few social incentives which make it desirable to learn such things. It is up to us to teach them.

Society changes, and skills that were essential to one generation may not be for the next. People will adapt to their environment and situation regardless of age. They just need to see a need for it, to be motivated to do it.

It was always a pet peeve of mine that older and more experienced people blamed younger (and yes, I was usually in that younger group) for not knowing something, and yet that older generation never took the time to try to teach it. It was very prevalent in the military, and I was in hot water on many occasions for criticizing those older ones for not showing the essential leadership and teaching them.

In all of my time I have always been proud of the willingness and ability of most service members to deal with the situations that they face.