[G8BBZ]

Nice photograph - wonder how it got from Eastbourne to Roxburghshire?
I think the generally lower levels of involvement in hobbies like amateur radio arise because people simply do not have the spare time to devote to these hobbies anymore.
Men are now much morer involved in family life than they used to be - bunking off for a weekends radio is probably simply not an option for most when the weekly shop has to be done, the kids have to be transported to their matches/clubs/activities and so on. Similarly during the week, going down to the club for an evening may not be attractive after a late finish at work and a one hour commute.
I am retired - like many on this forum I suspect - but when I look at my children's and grandchildren's lifestyles I do wonder what happened to the increased leisure time which we were all promised as part of the move to shorter working hours, improved workplace productivity, labour-saving devices in the home etc. I don't see much evidence of it around me - particularly people with young families seem to spend their time rushing about like bluebottles.
I suspect there is actually no real shortage of people who are interested in amateur radio, only a shortage of people who have the spare time to actively pursue it. So it perhaps falls on the older, retired members of the community to keep the everyday activities associated with the hobby going, in the expectation that those currently too busy will one day find time and become actively involved.
cheers
Peter G8BBZ