Another differentiating factor now may be education and age at which someone starts a family. In my parents generation you finished your education at 16 or 18.

Another differentiating factor now may be education and age at which someone starts a family. In my parents generation you finished your education at 16 or 18. I don't know the numbers but I believe it was a minority that continued after that. You also got married and started a family (and bought a house) by your mid-20's. So feeding your family becomes an important driver. Now that these things are pushed back many years people have more freedom to take the time to choose (much easier to feed only yourself with a little 'side project') and without the driver of providing for a family (and your employment necessary to their survival) it's more necessary to look for work that is fulfilling in other ways (i.e. you are passionate about it).