The Difference between the People of Mei Meriva and the People of Masa u-Meriva

We continue to explore our question: what is the difference between the generation that left Egypt and the generation entering the Land?  There seems to be a transfer of responsibility from Moshe to Bnei Yisrael as a whole. Bnei Yisrael become active, taking responsibility in situations that had previously been led by Moshe.

In the parallel "complaint stories," though, is there any difference that makes this new generation better than the previous one? One striking example occurs in Mei Meriva, parallel to Masa u-Meriva (from the Book of Shemot. Though the previous generation had questioned God's presence in their midst, this new generation has internalized that as fact: instead of calling themselves""this congregation" (like the previous generation did) - they refer to themselves as the "Congregation of God."