The large kid who randomly beats others and is somehow just tolerated has never existed in any modern time. Bullies aren't a minority. To some degree or another just about everyone who participates in the social circles of high school bully others. Even some of the outcasts or nerds will bully...
If we're talking purely on maturity and confidence, then yeah kids are more mature...but I wouldn't inherently say that's a good thing. They're quicker to adapt to the phase of ostracizing peers for social status and trying to undermine authority when they realize that their parents/guardians...
Not really. More sheltered and naive, sure, but also much more entitled. You don't see them talking about drinking, smoking or sex anymore but I swear it's like every kid I've met has a God complex or something.