Me, too.  I miss those days of comradery.  I still run across some friendly ancient searchers, searchers trained well, and others in the real estate industry with the amiable "let's Work Together to get this done right" in the real estate industry.

I wonder if this is the effect of the rush, rush, quality not required, reduce your fee while costs increase attitude that is pervasive in every industry today.  I also think it is a result of the uncertainty effect.  You can do a Perfect job at a Reasonable fee today and tomorrow you are thrown under the bus for a slightly imperfect job for a $5-10 less fee, which competitor is then thrown under the bus for an even more imperfect job but "passable" job for a $5 less fee.  No harm, no foul - the title insurance policy will cover any errors plus the homeowner will sell or refinance within 3-5 years hopefully before the problem surfaces .... or never if only current owner searches are done and the problem doesn't crop up for 30 years.  In my world of attorneys and real title searchers, it's 30 years today :)

It is sad. I miss it, too, which is why when I do get to the vaults it is so very nice to bump into a searcher at the books, or computer, with a smile and hello while the rush-rush youngsters are standing in line at the One computer terminal because they don't know how to paper search.