yep, every morning I see one of them in a mirror

edit:
Okay, I read it full now. yes. I can see very same attitude from our friends or my wife family.
Friends, chinese, educated, having good jobs, bought house, car, planning for baby and blah blah... when we talk about OUR future, they always suggest we stay in China, because they like our son and they want to see him. they do not care that the other pastures are greener, can have better education, medical care, less stress and less money involved in everyday life. Same goes from MIL, which is very sad always, when their daughter told her thaty in a future we want to leave because of better life condition. they just want us here because of they feel better than. not care if we will feel better and will be happier. no. why. they are important.
The above mentioned friend have just leave to Sweden for training, for 2 weeks. I believe he will come back with much different view than. let's see. He was surprised, why the taxes we pay back home, are not going to fund public toilets, and have to pay 5 swed.krona for using it. I told him we use the money for free education and free medical care. while here there is free toilets but everyone shit on streets. so he may find out the difference. but only 2 weeks for him ...

Stupid and arrogant does describe a number of people that I know or I am acquainted with in China. There again, I could say the same about people from other countries and regions as well.

My wife, the in-laws, and quite a few of my colleagues and acquaintance are neither stupid or arrogant.

But people here seems very, very risk adverse to the point of absurd, very conservative, not self-confident therefore not great at thinking by themselves rather than just following a trend. Yes, it's annoying, and yes, it's wasting some good energies and young people dreams.

I don't know if I'd call the older generation stupid as described by the OP's friend. I think it's more being inexperienced with a more modern and open society, I see it in some of my Chinese friends parents,  they mean well and , but they just haven't had time to adapt to a more modern society with more possibilities, options and opportunities than just getting an average job, house and car which to be fair, was a big deal 20-30+ years ago.

Arrogance comes from stupidity. (although there are other sources) But stupidity coupled with an upbringing that doesn't teach humility equals arrogance. Most people who say they are not arrogant are in fact, and most people who say others are arrogant probably are too. 

The attitude from your friend... if you help him escape China, can he survive in the real world ? I mean, he obviously expects a lot from the people around him "who are just old people who think differently" but in fact the planet is inhabited with people who think differently.