It sounds like what you're saying is that younger generations have more confidence and self-respect than previous generations.
If it was previously common for children to be exploited and lose their childhoods, then I can certainly see how that led the older generations to be such seemingly spineless adults with no self esteem. Abuse does that to people.
Fortunately, it sounds like they (well...most of them...) recognized the damage done by their upbringing and sought to raise their own children better than their parents raised them. Breaking out of the cycle of abuse is a hard thing to do; good on them.
If it was previously common for children to be exploited and lose their childhoods, then I can certainly see how that led the older generations to be such seemingly spineless adults with no self esteem. Abuse does that to people.
Fortunately, it sounds like they (well...most of them...) recognized the damage done by their upbringing and sought to raise their own children better than their parents raised them. Breaking out of the cycle of abuse is a hard thing to do; good on them.