A famous interpretation of the Gemara is brought down by the Chofetz Chaim zt”l, who explains that it is the way of a dog to chase after the stick and not after the master who is controling the stick.
So too the final generation before the Mashiach comes, will also chase after the stick. The generation will have great hardships and challenges, but instead of looking up, and calling out to the Master (i.e. G-d), and changing their ways, they will instead, chase after the stick, and come up with various excuses and other people to blame as to why things are happening this way and by doing so, never getting to the root of the cause.

May we all be zoche to look up to our Master, call out to Him and straighten our ways for the good!