Absolutely worse. WE never referred to our parents’ friends by there first names and that set a tone to how we addressed them and spoke to them without a doubt. We never considered a teacher “a friend” and knew to have respect for them even if we didn’t like them. And they knew how to draw the line and not to cross over as well.
As kids we all rode public transportation and looked forward to it. It was unheard of that a 6,7th or 8th grader got on a school bus. And yet, you would never find an elderly person or pregnant woman standing and a kid sitting on a bus or train.
At a kiddush or bris, it was unheard of that a child would sit at a table while an adult stood without a seat. And it was not just that the kids knew their manners, their parents knew their manners as well.
If we ever said anything that was rude or we saw that something we said hurt someone’s feelings it was automatic that we apologized immediately “Oh I’m so sorry, I didn’t meant to hurt your feelings” or “that was stupid, it came out wrong, that’s not what I meant to say”. Now a days, we will add a “so there” to the end of our sentence to emphasize the “shtuch”.
If we passed someone on the street, or needed to get by, never without an “excuse me” or “anshuldik”. Today we are pushed and shoved like branches in the wind.