"I eventually learned better than to care what everyone thinks... about much of anything, really, let alone about myself."

There are a few exceptions, of course. He cares what his son thinks, and feels, and is enduring back on their world without him there. He cares what Devero thinks. He even cares what Ukoku thinks, if only so he can try to predict the shitty raven who had murdered him, should he ever show up on the train.

Pretty much everyone else can kick rocks.

"It's quite liberating! And far less stressful than caring was."