It's only in recent decades that media has begun to adapt itself to increase captivity of individual consumers. That feels like a qualitative difference between your time horizons.
My two children 12 years apart in age and they have had a dramatically different childhoods. Unless you are a parent right now, you probably have no idea how quickly childhood has changed in the last decade.
Or a teacher, or childcare worker, or pediatrician or nanny or school bus driver or any of the bazillion different ways that many adults actually get quite a clear idea of how childhood changes over time. Possibly more clear than parents, since they see kids going through the same stage over time.
My close friend is a teacher and we have quite a few interesting conversations about kids and technology. I imagine there are lot of people on HN that aren't parents, teachers, or bus drivers.
