What I think happened is that having fun in your free time is no longer considered peculiar and strange. People have built model railways for decades at least, but the people who had hobbies like that used to be considered strange recluses with no social life. I think you were "supposed" to do a lot more group things, and group things come with pressure to fit in. The same was true in many work environments, where suits and uniforms made an office floor a homogenized blob of business workforce, whereas clothing standards have gone down in terms of "professionality" since at least the late 80s.
These days, you can do your own thing, and people are generally cool with that as long as you don't bother them with your hobbies. There's less judging, less expectations to fit the norm, and more self-expression in a lot of "modern" behaviour.
Certain people in the older generation seem to lament this; "back in my day, we didn't play dress up and go to conventions" and other such nonsense. I don't know if it's inability to let other people have fun or envy of the freedoms (young) adults have these days, but it feels like the main focus of their complaint seems all about how modern things weren't considered proper and right back when they were young, rather than provide some reason why people shouldn't do what they do for fun.
Another change is the internet: my dad didn't have the internet when he was young so many hobbies he developed were based on social activities (sports and such) and collecting (records, CDs, etc.); you were very unlikely to run into someone who was as much into painting tiny figurines as you are online.
I also think childhood media plays a role: kids' shows have moved away from random violence towards a more constructive, positive role. The message of "just be yourself and you can do anything you want" that children's media repeated has seeped into kids of yesteryear, just like many shows about accepting people for who they are and being kind to another is changing the way kids act these days. Compare that to the old magazines from the 50s and 60s where children were told how to prepare for adulthood, how to be a good husband/wife, it was all so dang militaristic!
None of this is universal, of course; there are always people who will oppose the mainstream, who will do their own thing, or who will cling to old, outdated norms. However, you can find many discussions online about how kids are more caring towards each other than before, and you can find many news articles about "millenials" doing all kinds of things "wrong", written by angry old people who failed to keep up with the world.
Your last sentence is exactly right: who the hell cares? That's what makes the millennials different from the generation before it, and I'm sure their grandchildren will bring their own unique twist to society!
These days, you can do your own thing, and people are generally cool with that as long as you don't bother them with your hobbies. There's less judging, less expectations to fit the norm, and more self-expression in a lot of "modern" behaviour.
Certain people in the older generation seem to lament this; "back in my day, we didn't play dress up and go to conventions" and other such nonsense. I don't know if it's inability to let other people have fun or envy of the freedoms (young) adults have these days, but it feels like the main focus of their complaint seems all about how modern things weren't considered proper and right back when they were young, rather than provide some reason why people shouldn't do what they do for fun.
Another change is the internet: my dad didn't have the internet when he was young so many hobbies he developed were based on social activities (sports and such) and collecting (records, CDs, etc.); you were very unlikely to run into someone who was as much into painting tiny figurines as you are online.
I also think childhood media plays a role: kids' shows have moved away from random violence towards a more constructive, positive role. The message of "just be yourself and you can do anything you want" that children's media repeated has seeped into kids of yesteryear, just like many shows about accepting people for who they are and being kind to another is changing the way kids act these days. Compare that to the old magazines from the 50s and 60s where children were told how to prepare for adulthood, how to be a good husband/wife, it was all so dang militaristic!
None of this is universal, of course; there are always people who will oppose the mainstream, who will do their own thing, or who will cling to old, outdated norms. However, you can find many discussions online about how kids are more caring towards each other than before, and you can find many news articles about "millenials" doing all kinds of things "wrong", written by angry old people who failed to keep up with the world.
Your last sentence is exactly right: who the hell cares? That's what makes the millennials different from the generation before it, and I'm sure their grandchildren will bring their own unique twist to society!