I would say many things are more structured nowadays. And maybe it's normal, since we are exposed to more information and a more "complex" world. This can definitely be an issue, yes. But your comment also reminded me from a talk I attended to a few years ago at a community center where they discussed how it seems like streets nowadays don't play the role of "public spaces" anymore. Now they are spaces for transit. This might hint at a bigger problem, but to me it explains this change of mentality. Today we see a kid on the street without supervision, and we often think "where are his parents?", instead of "he's just playing around". And it's kind of a vicious circle in social perception. If there are no kids around on the streets, I'm less likely to let my own kids wander outside in a "uncontrolled" environment.