Getting older. That is all I have found that works. Getting older, fucking up, and then trying to 1)fix my fuckups, and 2)learn from them.

There is no shortcut that I have found, but if you find some, please let me know.

lol I was just kidding about the quick fix part. But you know, I've been looking into the US civil rights movement off and on for a couple years, and now I've moved on to reading about the Indian independence movement, and in the context of reading/listening to these speeches and so forth I can't help but feel kinda 'small.' Like these were men and women of incredible character living through incredibly trying times and keeping a grip on their personal morality as well as engaging effective public advocacy. It's easy in retrospect to be like 'oh they were right' but the truth is when you look around even today the status quo will be quick to demonize and marginalize you regardless of your views being right so there's the incredible personal pressure to deal with (and this is before we get to repression, arrests, violence etc.)

I think obviously the workaday concerns I have about work or whatever are still important, you can't fix anything if you're not in control of your own life. But I do think being 'centered' in an philosophical way in my personal thoughts and growing my social organizing skills is something I'm inspired to do.

When I'm really stuck, I ask myself "What's the right thing to do?"

Gravitas? I have a hard time taking myself seriously. Sometimes that's a good thing, as I do not want to be a pompous old fart. Sometimes, it means others don't take me seriously. I'm working on this.