Don't let them win. They want you to drop out and stop being a source of envy to them. Even driving an old rusty truck, a vehicle they don't own, makes these sick people envious. They want you to go back to living as a hairless baboon eating grubs off a stick, while they continue to stew in their sorry lives. Misery loves company.
There is much benefit to playing on a team, just not a team that plays against itself. Civilization has its problems but it's a better way to live. Don't give up.
ps. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded when I said you wouldn’t understand Thoreau. I meant just in this context.
I think we want the same outcome, but have polar opposite views on how to personally implement it. It’s a personal preference thing, I think. I want to retire and go live in the woods/mountains within the next 10 years. W/ tax increases on the way, may as well do it earlier and quit giving the government so much money. If someone loves what they do (work-wise), then by all means - work away and make as much as you can. And spend it before the dollar is devalued!