> Is there something about modern life that just inescapably creates this complacent, servile temperament in most of the population? Or has it always been there and I'm just overthinking it?

I only have anecdotal evidence, but it seems like most people don't care about problems unless they affect themselves personally right now. Also, most of us (HN aside) don't tend to think seriously about how things will go wrong, we're generally optimists that give more weight to the good something will do.