But it doesn’t mean that the generation as a whole looked better.
It is pretty much common knowledge that Torah is more widely learnt today than ever before.
HaLeiVi: Whilst it may be the case that there’s more learning today than ever before, that in no way shape or form, for many clear reasons, indicates that the contemporary generation aa whole is in better shape than any of the previous generations — whether comparing to our Zeidas generation or earlier.