The survivors, discovered that they could now go through school on the GI Bill. The more capable, though still no longer morally pristine graduates, have been able to climb to high levels in the civilian hierarchy, and could often challenge the more cowardly non-veteran elites. Combining this with the increasingly nihilistic and relativistic worldviews of the elites, it is not surprising that the codes of the gentleman and lady have fallen into disuse. Nice guys finish last, you know. One thing I have not figured out is why Murray expects republican virtues to flourish in an empire.
Readers can relax.
I have largely repaired the moral and ethical damage I suffered. Except for the blue language, that is. Fighting with recalcitrant software or poor mechanical design can still elicit some loud and nasty phrases from me. Sadly, many of my compatriots have not been so fortunate. Our culture and civilization has correspondingly suffered.