Why did Cartoon Network change so much?

I grew up watching the same shows you mentioned. Think about it this way, our parents see those shows and think, "In my day we had good cartoons like Tom & Jerry, The Bugs Bunny/Roadrunner Hour, The Smurfs, Popeye the Sailor Man, etc." Their tv shows died out and were replaced with new shows. The stuff on Cartoon Network these days is no longer aimed at our generation. They are targeting the generation below us. When that generation gets older, their favorite childhood shows will be replaced with shows targeted at the generation below them.