CrunchinJelly
formerly cjelly
I do think crowds are more passive these days, but there are a few other factors as well. Events are held in larger arenas, and while that means more people, it also means better acoustics so the crowd isn't nearly as loud. Not to mention everyone looks spaced out. Also, flash photography isn't as prominent due to advances in technology. Now when someone does a big move, instead of a myriad of flashes lighting up the arena, people pull out their iPhones.
I do feel like people have no idea what to do when they go to a wrestling show. You aren't supposed to passively watch the show, you are PART of it. Cheer the good guys, boo the bad guys, chant things. Maybe people are just too embarassed to do it or whatever, but its what a wrestling audience needs to be.
Over-exposure to the product is a big part of it. When you see the same shit two or more times a week it becomes less special and less of a moment.
For the older crowd, the Attitude era and Monday Night Wars kind of desensitised people to wrestling. Once you've seen it all what is there to get excited about?