I don't know what's causing it. Actually, I have a few hypothesis, but I'll get hammered for even mentioning them.
I used to look at people's actions in society, with the expectation that the average guy would be one of the 65% who delivered the legal 450v sting in the Milgram experiment. That left 35% who would do The Right Thing.
As, I've aged, I see a number much greater than >65%. I'm seeing way too many people doing immoral legal acts. Acts that are highly immoral, but legal.
I used to just take ethics for granted.
I am now Shocked when I run across a person with ethics.
I've gotten so jaded when someone is being honest/genuinely helpful--I look for the catch I missed. So, basically I look at most people, especially the financially successfully with extreme caution.
In Ireland, I was told they look at successful people differently than we so I the United States. They look at that person, and wonder, "Who did they screw over, or step on in order to get there." I overheard this. It might be wrong. I haven't got there, but it's getting close.
I'm not even talking about blatant criminals. I'm talking about the guys in ties. The guys with licenses. The guys with power. The guys who bend the rules in order to get ahead. The guys who exploit poor and uninformed just because they are easy marks.