Gravitas.

It's funny what's happening at work lately.

I've been getting asked to record scratch tracks for a variety of in-house and pitch videos.

I've been at my agency for three years and haven't been asked before.

Now I've been asked twice in one week.

I wondered why.

I don't think I have a particularly good voice.

And I'm not really good in front of a mic.
I get nervous and a bit monotoned.

Nevertheless, I'm being asked.

And I'm being lauded for doing a good job.

I think I know what's going on.

My voice is now a bit like my hair.

It's showing its age.

It has some timbre.

Some grey in it.

The word I keep hearing from the people I'm recording things for is this: gravitas.

Here's the thing:

We live in a world without gravitas.

There can be 19 wars taking place around the world,
North Korean nuclear tests, revolutions in Egypt,
and the news still ends with a story about a kitten rescuing a sea otter.

We try to make everything one big ironic joke.

We lip-sync the National Anthem.

That's life in a world without grown-ups.

Without consequences.

Without someone with the authority to be listened to.

Maybe people need that.

They don't always want some spurious "buddy" type talking to them.

Maybe they need a soupcon of maturity.

Maybe things are swinging back.