These responses are enough anecdata[1] to convince me that this is a real thing. I would guess that it is probably gradual adaptation to flight attendants not

These responses are enough anecdata[1] to convince me that this is a real thing. I would guess that it is probably gradual adaptation to flight attendants not wanting to properly step in and deal with enforcing the rules, thereby empowering the most obnoxious/rude/sociopathic passenger to "win". Now I kind of hope it happens to me sometime... sounds like a vaguely interesting problem to deal with. [1]: the best kind of data!!