Since you brought up the stupid generation, a/k/a the millennials, I had one as my neighbor for a brief time. Her and her idiot boyfriend moved into their elderly grandmother’s house (next to mine) to sponge off of grandma rather than getting their own place.
There was a large snowfall one night, and the female idiot could not drive up the steep driveway in her Prius. It did not occur to her or her stupid boyfriend that perhaps shoveling the snow and salting the driveway would have helped. I, regretfully, offered her the far side of my driveway with that caviat that she move her car the moment the snow stopped. Snow stops. I shovel out the rest of the driveway. She had cleaned off her Prius and dumped all of the snow onto what had been shoveled. I had to tell her that it is customary to thank people for doing nice things and that she messed up my driveway and did not so much as shovel anything on my property. I got the dear in the headlights look of astonishment as if she had no clue what manners or proper etiquette were. Frankly, I despise millennials for their rudeness, arrogance, laziness, and lack of respect.
And yes, many people just do not give a crap about anyone but themselves.
As a grandmother I buy thank you notes and cards. Stamps and even calendars with addresses of family members and school addresses for college kids. I try so hard for “please and thank you” I wonder if I go too far...
Then something happens and it is all worth it! A text, phone call or giant smile with a big thanks NANA keeps me going!
Wow! No good deed goes unpunished I see.
Not hardly surprised by your experience. Our family lived next to a few millennials also leeching off of the grandparents. The drama was out of control and eventually got both grandparents (Vietnam Vet and wife) thrown in jail for assault/battery after a “friend” showed disdain and disrespect for them in their own home.
The “all about me” culture is poisonous.