Would you have been able to use civil disobedience and non-violence?

While looking back on it, some people will say that they could have been involved with civil disobedience and protests like that, but it would be totally different if you were actually there. Everyone involved with civil disobedience had to have a LOT of patience, and a very good temper. Imagine sitting for hours and days to achieve a goal that seems horribly out of reach. Some people would participate daily, for a cause that appeared to be going no where. There was also a lot of violence used against people that participated, and it would have been very hard to take, knowing you couldn't do a thing to stop them.