As always the truth is somewhere in the middle. Both pax and cabin crew members have good days and bad days. As long as there is respect from both sides, things will go smoothly.
I think in the past, 30 years ago let's say, flying wasn't so common as today and pax where people of a certain level of education and economic power and cabin crew was very well selected and trained.
Nowadays, a plane ticket is afforded almost by anyone and so its very easy find pax that insult CC with their behavior or nowadays people are more under stress than before and reactions can be affected by that.
On the other side, aviation companies expanding so much need a large number of CC and so, are employed people that don't really love this job and many times forget that even smiling a bit is part of their job as sign of courtesy.
This thread can go on forever with no result because the subject is coreless.