Some of what you say is spot on, but some - not so much. Just because your generation is doing things a certain way doesn't make it healthy. Parents being friends to kids doesn't work in any generation. Kids running the home leads to kids who don't learn life skills. Friends with adult kids? Sure. But I don't allow my friends to just walk into my house and do laundry or eat my food, so there is no reason that adult kids should be allowed to do that - in a step situation. I did do that with own parents in an intact family, but that's different.

I do agree, that many people on here have terrible partners, favor their bio kids,expect too much out of their stepkids, and don't see how challenging stepfamilies can be to the kids, too. But, at the same time, most people on here are dealing with extremes - personality disordered BMs who are hell-bent on destroying the other parent's relationship with the kid, fathers who are unable to even begin to parent, or kids who are really damaged and completely unlikeable.

Also, I will add - when you are the age of many of us, and have experienced more of life - you will feel differently too about how the younger generations do things. I don't think all young people are bad, and some changes are for the good, of course. But ALL generations have their areas of dysfunction and unhealthy behavior, yours included. 

I don't need to meet the ex wife thanks. After the vitriol she has spewed towards my husband via phone calls, emails, text messages and her mini-me messenger, I doubt she'll treat me much better. This March marks the first twelve months in almost 7 years that we've gone without any communication (demands for money) from her. Why would I want to poke that hornet's nest now for her side of the story?

" I don't think our generation would be fortunate enough to reach your age."

FWIW, I think every generation for the last 100 years or so has felt that way

Seems to me ( Gen X here) that you have a missing hole in your " education" that might explain a lot of the troubles you see here and that is on personality disorders and mental illness.   When you have those factored into some of the situations, you can't just explain it away so easily.  They can be genetic, systematic and just all around hard to get away from if you are unaware of how they work in a family system or been exist.   
As for parent friends,  have 3 adult daughters and as they have aged, my role in their life has changed.  Are we best friends? Nope,  I raised them to be independent people who can go find their own paths, and I take joy in knowing they are capable women making their own way in the world, not being held back by a parent who can't let go.  Some deep study into history will show you how family structures have changed since the Industrial Revolution and not for the better in a lot of ways.  Science shows that the brain is not fully developed until 25 ish.  Children are not capable of ruling the world or the home.  
Thanks so much for sharing your insights but as Tog  said, once you have decades of life experiences to draw upon, you will see things differently.   

I don't think Step Talk represents all blended families. In the situations where it's working, I don't think those people need to come here. Most people here have high conflict birth parents who try and alienate kids, who threaten (either custody or physical h arm), and a host of other serious issues. Enmeshment would be overused if looking at average blended families, but again, this is a self-selecting Group of people who have found themselves in more extreme situations. 
 

Also, I was raised to be my moms friend. I knew about her sexual assault when I was still in elementary school, I heard all about her dating/sex life in high school, and I knew waaaaaaay too much about my parents' marriage but it was important to her that I hate him. When I was young this made Me feel trusted, mature, and responsible. But now as a parent, I can't imagine doing this to my kid. Which, btw, means that boomers had shite for boundaries too. 
 

I don't always agree with the advice here but I always learn from it. Some of the boundaries may overly firm to you, they do to me too, but as someone raised without any, I'm so grateful to have the voices here as a model.

I have a lot of opinions about your generation as well however I'm not going to post it on this site since it's not the place for it. I guess that's the wisdom age  provides. 

It's good to see another perspective.  I'm married to a man who has an adult daughter who has been a train wreck for the 11 years I've known her. She has 3 kids by 3 men.  My husband has been married twice before and I got to know his first wife very well before she passed away fairly young. From knowing her, and knowing she'd be a part of our lives as his daughter's mother for the rest of her life, I could confirm my husband's description was spot on.  I won't ever meet his 2nd wife and no reason I need to.  They were married 4 years and no ongoing connections. 

I respect young people but I don't see a young person living at home as an equal.  If you want to be seen as an equal go establish your own home.  If you're a dependent then you're not an equal, I don't care how old you are. It does seem like some young adults these days don't view Failure to Launch the same as the rest of us?  Maybe your parents don't care and enjoy your company.  Step parents generally do not feel the same. 

You remind me of my younger self. The person I was before sleepless nights of bringing up four bio children, and experiencing the anxiety step of hell. 

You appear very intelligent, but I wonder if you have ever been in love? 

To know what went wrong with there relationship,  they would still be together.   You are only going to get is the ex's colored side 

So I am not much older than you, BUT I have to say I disagree with A LOT of what you are saying. I read some of the comments on your post, but definitely not all. I will comment on some of the items I disagree with. If you worked in a position of employment however, that was responsible for hiring gen z and younger, you might disagree with much of your post even, I will even add gen y to the equation.

While sure in the beginning when a child is under 10, this method of parenting may have good results, when MOST of these children raised with the ideals you are proposing, become teenagers/young adults many many issues will arise with respect, responsibility, etc. I say most because children that are good natured will probably continue on that path, but the rest that do not have that on their side, probably will go a whole different direction. When you realize that has happened it is TOO late to do anything about it because the moldable years for the child have already come and gone. I have both seen and know MANY people who hire/interview gen z and I have heard much about the work ethic, maturity, responsibility, goals, etc. have declined dramatically because it has become LESS about being a parent and providing structure, stability, and life lessons and more about just making the children happy. Trust me making children happy is very important, but to be a good parent you cannot just abandon your job as a parent to raise an upstanding member of society.

Only other two comments I will make is you DO NOT need to meet the ex-spouse or partner of your spouse/partner. I do not need to hear my husband's ex's lies and victim act. YES it would be an act and YES it would be lies and I have seen enough factual evidence without talking to her to know this. There is DNA proof that woman is a disgusting horrible human being. Unless it was an amicable separation where both parties move on, it will become a high conflict situation (if it is not already) and not only does that hurt the adults, but mainly the children involved.

I do agree that if someone disrespects me than I will not have respect for them either. HOWEVER, a child does not get to choose who to respect prior to becoming an adult. As a child you should absolutely respect those in the household, family, school, etc. the list goes on, basically any adult.

I am married to a wonderful man, but he respects me, our marriage, and puts up boundaries with his ex as he should. I am not even going to go into the whole marriage thing and why child centric marriages are not a good idea.

Just wanted to add my opinion on the topic since it seems you believe majority of the users on here are 40 years +.

I just want to say I have enjoyed this thread, I'm gen X.  Hearing perspectives from new generations is always good.  ALL generations have differences and fights on how life is done best.  Older generations criticize younger ones, and vice-versa.  I think we can ALL learn from eachother if we stay open and receptive.  There's some good ideas.  There are also good/bad things from different cultures.  I have lived overseas and been inmersed in latin culture most of my life even though I"m a US citizen (born here and live here now again).  I do find a lot of fault in the US individualistic culture, it's a very lonely and selfish world to be honest.  I think that could be part of the reason we are so unhappy and on more mood stabilizing pills then any other nation in the world it seems.  It has it's good, for sure just like other cultures.

Personally I know this isn't my end place.  We are planning a move to Mexico in some years if we are lucky.  I absolutely adore the Mexican culture/heritage and their people.  They have their faults I'm sure too, a lot of machismo in the culture that still has to be corrected-but when I count it's faults I still think I will be more satisfied then I am here.  I just don't 'click' anymore in my own country if that makes sense.  It's ok to search for better/different in our adventure of life.