I always had that idea floating in my mind, since teenage. The great escape... It isn't so much about "society sucks" : I enjoy human contact, I love my old friends, a good conversation... However, from my own perspective, I find the way most people live senseless (long topic in itself). I wish to live in a society that would work in a way that make sense to me, but I came to the conclusion that such a community does not exist. Building such a community  would suck all my life, which is also senseless : spending my life to create conditions to at last enjoy my life when I'm close to become rotten meat ? So I compromise and play the game everybody plays. If you are an eccentric, you can cry about it and lament all your life, or just deal with it.

Venturing in Asia was kinda a way to escape this : yeah, right ^^ But slowly, as my professional situation gives me increasing freedom, I have to compromise less and less : I'm about to work mostly from home, and home can be wherever there's an Internet connection. Eventually, it will become a home in a nice patch of countryside. I will leave in it once in a while to visit my clients. My wife shares that vision, so that helps. I think it's not that hard to "escape", without going full-Neanderthal.

It might be fun right up until you have need of society's greatest invention.
I once asked my students what they thought the greatest technological breakthrough was that mankind had ever produced. Some answers were predictable, the phone, the watch, the computer. Afterwards I told them what I voted for. Nothing they mentioned could be considered as vital for human civilization as toilet paper.
If you're going to turn your back on society, but bring a dozen family packs of TP to last you, you're just a stinking hypocrite. Significantly less smelly than the honest naturalist, though.

Yes, yes!  In a way, I have done that by coming to china.  Here, I get to live life on my own terms and enjoy the adventure of learning about a new culture.  In a couple of years, I'll do it again when we set sail for a year or so to other parts of the world.  Like DrMonkey, I don't mind contact with human society.  I just have no desire to be a part of it.

I think the trick is to go half way. You can create self sufficient lifestyles. It is up to you if you wish to work. Just bare in mind that if you want the creature comforts you are used to your gonna have to continue being a slave to money.

A house in the countryside would be good here. I have seen loads os abandoned houses here in fantastic settings.... but the wife says its not convenient. So stuck in a box in a concrete tower. But yeah, I would love to get out of the city and have a rural life. Growing ones own food etc, fishing, and use the internet for work.

there is nobody on this green earth that could talk me into working again.

I did my time!!

when I came here, to China, I did expect to get some work, helping with English signs was a thought, teaching was not , ..whatever..I am happy doing nothing.

the thoughts of a an acre of tropical paradise is enticing, but it is a dream..imagine the wife when I tell her I want to be a peasant. ..believe me I have tried it.

she just doesn't know that I would 21st century a shack in the middle of nowhere and be very happy....imagine  electricity and a freezer and A/C and TV and Internet in the middle of nowhere in China.  vegies galore.... goats and pigs and maybe even fish..   fresh today...  ...  beer delivery, ...oh damn... will this dream never go away!!!

Isn't that kind of what moving to China is ? Anyways, the movie "Into the wild" is highly decent piece of entertainment, and if I remember correctly, it is based on a true story. However, if you hold that as evidence of the idealistic idea of pulling the plug on society on one hand, and then in the other hand hold Discovery Channels 'Alaskan Bush People' as evidence of the opposite, I think you will find yourself torn between an ideal and a fear that it might be more like the Bush People. 

I did in Philippines, went to a province for 6 month in Bicol, stayed in a jungle type place for 6 months, no cars, no buildings. All natural wild life living standards. Loved it.

I have never wanted to be eaten by a bear or starve to death, so no.

Yeah, I've always wanted to live in a very rural place. However, most of the places a person would find comfortable are already very populated. Tropical islands look great, but most lack drinking water, so it's a death trap. Also, almost all of the planet is claimed by somebody, step off the sidewalk and you're trespassing. Where then? the Jungle? Good luck carving out a place to live there with all the mosquitos. The idea sounds great, best you could do is get some land in a rural location and do the off the grid thing.

Yeah, this is why I carry hunting and camping equipment in China. You never know when you're gonna screw off and go into the woods to get away from people. Never ended up doing that, so I guess I wasted money... lol

All the time.. and before I go into the wild to find an abandoned van, I'd like to donate all my savings to Wikipedia.. and maybe eChinacities

There are places similar to "the beach". I found 2 of them. 1st was on Ko Mac Island at "little moon" in thailand. sleep in tree house bungalows. the main social area is a tree house too. very laid back. and cheap too.

2nd is on a beach, zipolite beach in mexico (playa zipolite). international mix. i stayed there 2 months and didnt want to leave. back in 2010, it had 4-5 good restaurants and the prices were great. be careful of the ocean at zipolite, it can be dangerous wit hthe rip currents.  if you need some city life, head to puerto escondido. San augestino beach is next door, a bit more luxury, but a nice safe cove beach to swim in. next to that is mazunte beach. hippy, but friendly and chill. also has a turtle sanctuary. last beach after mazunte i cant remember the name but it has mangrove tours on their gondola type of boats.  all in all its a great place and its all just west of puerto angel. GL and safe travels.

lastly, there maurata beach in mexico, and you can live among the natuhl indians. good to know some spanish though. they are cold at first towards strangers, but will warm up to you. a very natural and non-commericalized place. other beaches along the stretch as well. la tikla has some surfers if you are into that. la placata (yes, that is the name) is where you go to the ATM and groceries. Maurtata has some of the best natural beach scenic stuff i have ever seen. plenty of fishing to do as well, beit hook/line, spear, or net.