My personal experience (and it is only that), is that there seems to be an attitude of entitlement without effort.
@kevinj To argue their corner, I think they more than other generations have been assaulted by media images of everyone else “making it” and are acutely aware of how, taking the slow gradual approach to career progression that might have worked for their parents generation, will potentially result in them never “getting there”.
The plodding route of a single job for life, with no higher-education requirement, and a gold plated pension at 55 is long gone. Uncertainty and anxiety for the future regardless of how hard you work, despite all our medical advances and relative security, probably does weigh on the minds of youth.
I have no doubt, just like youth throughout history, if required to don fatigues and carry a rifle in to combat, within a short few days they will display all the resiliance their ancestors did. The circumstances allow nothing less. The situation maketh the man, and all that.