You know, it should be more non-obvious for me that FAI is the right thing to do, too. It's just that the idea clicks with me very well, but I would still prefer to collect more evidence for it.

I agree with you on doing what you can do best (and for many of us that will probably be some kind of support role). I agree with the "yeah, it's kind of like brainwashing, but I'm open to counter-arguments."

Not having like-minded in-person friends is really bad. Wherever you are, I would urge you to relocate. I only recently moved to the Bay Area, and it's just so much nicer here (I've lived in small towns in Midwest before). This goes double if your career is in technology.

I also suffer depression-like symptoms. My head feels like it's about to explode half the time, and every so often I just want to scream. I also often want to just lie down and not do anything. I take all these feelings, and I say: "Yeah, it's normal to feel this. I'm going through a lot right now. It's going to be okay."