The past is always seen through rose colored glasses and the assertion that world today is "cutthroat, weight weenie, aero-everything" is certainly false.
Adventure cycling/bikepacking is growing, gravel is huge and mountain bikes have been outselling road bikes for as long as some of the riders on this website have been riding.
The good ol' days were never as good as we remember and the present isn't as bad as some people think. At a minimum, the present is as bad for you as you let it be.
-Tim-