Terrific OP and even better answers here.

I am an old geezer and I wrote a paper in High School asking very similar questions, in 1976. The pace of change was already too fast for the old folks of the day, but we all knew it would just get faster and faster.

All the points I wanted to make I see here already with a quick scan.

I would just emphasize the individuality of the thing. It is very hard to even state a valid generalization, and it is all too easy to paint with a broad brush.