Back then, our predecessors sought knowledge because of the genuine need to know something that could make their lives better. I believe it's the reason why they were willing to walk long distances just to learn something new. But for us today, with so much technological advancement, we only seek information because we need it at the moment. Ask some persons about the knowledge they got yesterday from ChatGPT or Google, and they may have nothing to say.We should be at an advantage to have vast knowledge more than those before us, but distractions on the Internet and lots of other factors, just like you mentioned, may be the hindrance; however, some persons, maybe just a few, are still intentional today about seeking genuine knowledge other than whatever we see on the net.