The spirit of collaboration and working for a common good absolutely used to exist. Many of the internet's core protocols were built with the spirit of cooperation weren't they?

Think about email and the value it adds to the world. Would we ever get the protocols needed to create email if we started right now today? Not a chance.

IMO the previous generation(s) of tech people were way better than what we have today. They were interested in and enthusiastic about building awesome tech / products. Today the only thing anyone with influence is interested in building is a company that can IPO and make them a billionaire.