It may be a generation thing .. then again, these 2 guys weren't exactly pups. But something has happened to a lot of the generation of pilots flying glass aircraft. COMPLACENCY!
I'm currently Captain on a 767, but spent years on the A320 after many, many years on the B737-200. One day on the parking lot shuttle bus, a young female 20 year old or so F/O on a B1900 asked me a question. "Excuse me , Sir." (Yikes) I see you fly the 737. Do you have any long-range navigation equipment?" Nope, I replied, just 2 VORs and ADFs ... and we usually get to our destination quite nicely. Her obvious shock was quite apparent. How do you do it? Lots of attention .. manipulation .. situational awareness .. charts, (and no auto-thrust) etc.
On the A320, I vividly remember a young F/O who was grossly involved in a newspaper while enroute. His leg. About 50 miles before top of descent, I got up to use the lav. Using the peep hole in the cockpit door, I realized the area wasn't clear and I stood in the cockpit for a moment or two waiting for the galley area to clear. At this point, ATC issued a descent clearance. The F/O duly acknowledged the clearance, initiated the descent, and then went right back to his newspaper.
I quite frankly "lost it" and expressed in no uncertain terms that especially while the aircraft was in a "dynamic" state and with no other pilot in position, that it was absolutely crazy to not be totally monitoring the aircraft. His look said it all. I was an ornery old fart from a decrepit generation.
I do agree with some previous posters. I think modern generation aircraft with the easily-acquired, ultimate and total faith in their technology breed complacency. I have too many hours "flying" the damn things to allow the technology to fly me. No laptop, crossword puzzle, or discussion will ever distract me.