At that time, were you among the majority? Probably not.
The same amount of kids are probably sitting, programming, or modifying their cases/mobos for fun. However, technology has permeated our culture very deeply. The stupid little gnats that at one time would've been talking about the Walkman being the best Radio on the planet, are now talking about their iPods with 20Mb of space.
If everyone were educated enough to understand the technology we use, it would be a very different place. (Hell, I can't tell you why my car runs, but I can build, rebuild, and remake a computer, or anything with woodworking... )