Old timers are the worse and also the best in any field. As a mechanic I've heard all the same stuff. How cars were so much better back in the day and they didn't have all this electronic crap ( yes nothing like struggling to start in cold weather, having to mess with a choke, points, carb adjustments, full tune ups every 10000 miles, vs modern ignition systems that don't need tune up until 100,000 miles or fuel injectors that often never require service). And you new guys don't know how to tighten bolts without a torque wrenche, and don't know how to rebuild engines, and can't diagnose anything without a scanner. It goes on and on.

But on the other hand there's old timers that'll take you under their wing and teach you everything they know and will also be open to listen to you have to say. My mentor/friend is an old master tech and he taught everything I know.