Sadly I think your grandfather was largely on to something. My Great Grandfather was a WWI Veteran, and my Grandmother (his daughter) would say similar things w

Sadly I think your grandfather was largely on to something. My Great Grandfather was a WWI Veteran, and my Grandmother (his daughter) would say similar things when I was a kid, referencing him, while my siblings and I would stay with them for the summer - we’d complain about dumb stuff (it was a small town, we were from the city). War shocks people into reordering what’s important, and that typically involves focusing on your family. While it’s true we live in an era of wealth and comfort never seen in human history, it’s terrifying to me that a war is what it would take to get people to enjoy it and be happy.