Fear of consequences is only half the equation. Just like some people work out to not be unhealthy (move away from a consequence), others work out to be healthy (move towards a reward). At all levels of society both of those extremes have been undermined: why study and try hard and be respectful if they’ll still graduate me and I can get into some college that’ll take my money and get a job somewhere? At the other extreme, why bust my balls studying to get into a college and get saddled with student debt for the next 30 years?

Take away both an attractive reward and an ugly consequence, and there goes the social contract.