Seems to me like a tricky question to bash 8/8.1. Most people come here and join to ask questions because their system is broke and they need it fixed then we hardly or never see them again. It's not really to learn the system. It so happens to be a forum about Windows 8/8.1. It’s the same on 7F or any other forum. 95% could care less how the thing works, nor are they interested in learning it deeply. They just want it fixed. It’s been no different for years.
If you’re referring to the younger generation they know more about computers and/or devices with diverse OSs on them than preceding generations. Why? #1 is because a lot have been taught in schools how to use them. #2 Because PCs, laptops, and devices have become more affordable and abundant. #3 Because they want to be mobile. They don’t want to be tied to a box or a landline wall phone we grew up with.
Come to think of it 4 out of my 6 kids don’t have a desk let alone a tower PC. They have laptops, pads, and phones. They’d rather sit at coffee, kitchen, or patio table to do their stuff. The other 2 have laptops and phones as well. 5 out of 6 of them use devices for more than consumption. It’s not very often that any of them come to me for help on fixing them. Why? Because they know there’s a wealth of info about them on the Internet or help files. None of them are enthusiastic about learning all about them deeply. They just want to configure them to their liking and move on. A lot of their friends are the same.
So therefore to answer your question > No. It has nothing to do with Android, 8/8.1, Windows, tiles, icons, etc. It has to do with the degree of enthusiasm of learning about a particular subject. 95% could care less about how OSs or computers work.