There is a widespread belief in the United States and Western Europe that young people have a smaller commitment to work and a career than their parents and grandparents and that the source of the change lies in the collapse of the "work ethic."
a smaller commitment to work and a career than their parents and grandparents
less of a commitment to work and a career than their parents and grandparents
a smaller commitment to work and a career than that of their parents and grandparents
less of a commitment to work and a career than their parents and grandparents had
a lessening of the commitment to work and a career that their parents and grandparents had
"Less of a/an ___" doesn't refer to a literal quantity. It's an expression that means, roughly, "not as true" or "not having as much of the essence of a/an ____".
Since that's an awkward definition, here is an example:
My grandfather thought that crying made you less of a man. (i.e., like "less manly")
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