I think that the main problem of today is respect

[user 139760]

I think the main problem of today is the same problem that's always plagued humanity; it's people.
I personally thinks it starts with education. A lot of people don't believe in saying no to kids anymore, so those kids grow up expecting everything to be theirs and throw tantrums when things clash with what they want, or their vision of the world. It's not a new phenomenon at all, been around for probably hundreds of years, but it's expanded with the advancement of social media and the ease with which we can spread everything, with the advancement of psychology and psychyatry as well as the fascination to treat every single facet of human expression as an "illness" or "condition" treatable with pills. Not saying there aren't cases where it's necessary, mind you, but it seems to me as soon as the going gets though, instead of trying to actually discipline a kid, we load them with pills to calm them down, pills to help them sleep, natural products, herbalised tea aromas, or we stick them with 3 psycho-educators.
So when they grow up and you tell them no, they'll flip you off, because they never learned to reflect on the possibility of the world turning the way they want.

That's my take on it, anyway. Probably not entirely that either, but the factors of "the problem of today" are many, multuplie and enter in way too many variables to identify. I believe lack of respect to be a consequence of the state of things, not a cause per say.

Funny you should mention tantrums. Growing up, seeing that kind of behavior was rare.  In the last two years, I have noticed tantrums being more common in children.  Just one walk past the toy isle in any store on the weekend is enough to prove that point.  What's more, I have witnessed some adult tantrums..."adult" as in individuals over the age of 17, up to early 20's - still living at home, too insecure to work a job, throwing tantrums over things like a parent not paying for a new cell phone.  This is an even greater shocker to me than the child tantrums - which I mentioned are becoming all too common.  And you're right, these people are labeled as bi-polar or given some other "official" excuse for poor behavior, that's many times the direct result of poor parenting and enabling.  Of course that behavior carries over into the dating world. me me me

Indeed. I specifically raised my children to not be like that, in the sense that I got them quite comfortable in accepting that No means NO and that whatever they do, it will not change. Whereas, I know this from seeing people with their own children, a tantrum from a child usually results in the child getting what he or she wants. Children are not as stupid, or unconscious, or irresponsible as much as people assume they are; they'll throw tantrums all the time if it gets them what they want and will generally act with disrespect. This will also carry into adulthood if they are never meant to understand the world doesn't bend to their will.
As an example, I was once on the bus with my daughters and a lady sat down with her three kids. Running after each other, jumpi8ng on the benches,etc. My daughters kind of stared in amazement and said nothing. At one point the lady walked up to me and said "Your daughters are so quiet, I don't know how you got them to be so calm and mature". I explained that it didn't happen over night and that I wouldn't let them behave the way her own were behaving, that I'd punish them accordingly for not listening to what I said. Started very young and was consistent. If at some point, I would have allowed it, then it would have continued. She seemed to assume I was "better" than she was with kids, which I'm really not. I don't believe such a thing is even possible, I simply believe that education starts young and is molded according to how you teach them and show them to act. My oldest was very easy, my youngest was a bit like me, pretty bratty. So I was harsher with her. When she used to throw tantrums on the bus, we'd get off and get back home and she wouldn't GET to go where we were supposed to go. That taught her to be calm or quiet or else we'd turn around. Five years latter, I don't need to say anything, because she knows that's the way it works.
Again, this will carry into adulthood. Of course, she can suddenly become a party girl or a hyper active mess, but I'll have tried to the best of my ability to teach her to act as a calm, rational human being. A lot of it is by example and a lot of it is being firm in your principles. Ironically, my ex, who can't discipline a tamed cat, feels my daughter has authority issues, because the kid argues with her. She doesn't with me, because she knows she isn't going to win it. My ex decided it was due to ADHD, which my youngest now takes medication for, yet the behavior has not changed with regards to her mom. She still opposes her. Whereas I've seen little to no difference on my end of things, she's a very attentive and sweet little girl who asks me permission to do things first.

Anyways, that's just one of the aspects, which ties in to how people become what they are, in my views, but there are as many situations and differences as there are people and I'd be a fool to think there are not situations where my views would not apply. It's just the way I see things and the fact that the above favors lack of respect nowadays. Among other things.