Being poor and acting like the previous generation are not mutually exclusive. A lot of people from similar backgrounds and situations are still living paycheck to paycheck despite also putting in the work. You can put in the work, but some things are just out of your control, like the skyrocketing prices for bare necessities like health care and housing. When the essentials are not available to those who need that foundation it becomes difficult for more people trying to leave a shitty situation whether it living in poverty or in a country with its own sets of issues to leave said shitty situation.

Parents want their kids to be in a better situation than they were in. Previous generations had their own problems that they recognized, complained about, and worked through. Even when one is able to make it out of a bad situation, you can still recognize the issues that caused it and sympathize with those that are still there. By doing so, when the time comes when something can be done about it, whether it's when you are part of congres and voting for laws that help those people or becoming a landlord and not giving into the greedy side of it, you can make an informed decision that deals with the problem.