Well it's the American ideal that each generation works hard so the next reaps the benefit of their past labors.
The kids you are describing are simply victims of that successful ideal. Be proud, don't whine.
I'm not whining, don't hold anything against these kids, in the least, don't fret over it. I copied that article, didn't write it, just related to some of it. The only thing I feel is a little sorry their experiences aren't diverse enough to often make better decisions, for instance, like a diet that comes from a factory not good. Or being concerned over trends in their government that are eroding what their ancestors fought for, that give them that better life. Most of all, there's little interest in simply having a diversity of knowledge, doing things for yourself, the joys of knowing how things work, instead of playing video games until you're 30, or longer. I have always treasured learning things and having diverse interests as being a big plus in life, and very useful. But we are all individuals. I just wonder why some people should have to have so much explained to them, as full grown adults.
About a year ago, this young lady I was talking to was having problems with her hot water in a new home and didn't know her home has a water heater. I had to explain it to her, to look around in utility areas or her garage for this big, round white thing, then felt rather helpless, when I realized she wouldn't know what to check if she found it. Now, I've never been in such trades, plumbing or whatever, but I have always known some things it seems most my generation learned along the way, hanging around when somebody was replacing one or the like. You prided yourself on being able to do many things yourself, or should say took satisfaction in this. I think a lot of it may have to do with having been forced to read intelligent print media of different kinds, before there was a web, and communications being more meaningful between people, less fruitless entertainment venues, but richer communications than texting you just burped or rented a movie.
I recently rummaged through some electronic debris and made a durable cable, to channel a computer to a component stereo system. I have a soldering iron, shrink tubing. I first learned how to do things like that when I was around 12 years old. I surely knew what a cabbage was, since being a baby. We must also point out our parents made sure we were taught some things, also, that success was related to being a well-rounded, educated person. I would not see it as a matter of pride, if my child couldn't shutoff a running toilet or burned up the kitchen, trying to make popcorn in a pan. Or know what a cabbage is, for Pete's sake!
It dawned on me there was something to add to this post, the crux I can't say I understand. From what I've seen, a lot of young adults don't have very diverse interests, to put it mildly. If you think some of the endless texting conversations over trivia are interesting, in any objective sense, that you'd care to sit around a table and hear all that, I don't know what to say. Why don't they get bored with that, and some other pursuits that don't increase intellect? To me, it's unnatural not to have curiosity, not to have a discontent over not knowing more, when young, not hungering to learn more complex competencies. One of the things that drove me to learn so many things was just the fact it's boring, all the same old same old. Even in the Christian faith, it's apparent there are those who haven't moved past salvation in their knowledge of God, are even arguing about that, as we speak. What ever happened to, "Been there, done that!"?