If .... there couldn't be a war

If all the soldiers refused to fight there couldn't be a war.... Such was the philosophy when I was a student in the late 60's and early 70's. I was studying architecture and certainly believed then that my chosen career could help build a better world. We all did - and cheerfully took on waiter-ing cleaning, bartending or whatever to keep ourselves fed and independent. We were also conscientious objectors to military service since we didn't see that as part of a better world. That's clearly an oversimplification when you look at the good our armed forces have done in disaster relief. 

These days it's pretty hard to get anyone to believe that we were motivated by an altruistic dream. Where has that world gone? I feel so heartbroken and despairing. As an "economic unit" my life is a failure - l could do so much more but it is not wanted... where is the world that is enriched by beauty, that builds compassion from the expression of love and humanity?