Pretty much, it's the only thing that works with the Doctor. Unless he's really completely out of line. In the moment calling him on such can sometimes help. Or make him worse until he gets whatever it is out of his system. And that actually helps in a different way.

"I'm not sure any of the natives are interested in whether or not I care."

He does. Probably too much where a few are concerned. And he's not even going to address the Rifters. They seem to hedge entirely on how long they've been here. No. The Doctor's decided it's something about this place that... changes people. And he's not sure that's for the better. Oh wait, he should

"War does that to people, though. It permeates them. Changes them. Turns them into something they're not."