I'm not as pessimistic as some others about the current state of the hobby. Yes, the big vendors are all about electric and foam. That's what sells. They aren't bad planes, just different from the build/fly hobby that you remember.
The good news is that boutique vendors are making quality kits for pretty much anything you want. Sig is still around too. We have OS and Saito for glow engines along with a big used market.
On electric- E power pretty much matches glow now for power to weight, so the only downside now is flight time. It has a lot going for it, especially if you build and can save some weight by not beefing up for vibration.
Monokote, like nearly every other product made in China, is inflated for now. It's probably a good time to learn how to do painted finishes.
The upshot of all the change is that we still have 90% of what we used to have 40 years ago, but also high performance electric and the option of foam RTF planes. The radios are a lot better too- more reliable and a lot more features for the money.