So then why not live in a society that praises those things that you love?

Certain aspects of our current society do praise those things, things like music, art, happiness, literature, etc. But we also have to live in a society with taxes, and bills, and property, and ownership rights, and of course work in exchange for currency. I like modern society and a lot of aspects about it, so I choose to live within the guidelines of if, cause it's not that bad (in my personal opinion anyway). I don't have to hunt for food, or grow crops, or build my own house, or know basic medicine to keep myself and family healthy. I get to have electricity, and plumbing, and the internet, and other modern conveniences. I can choose to do ONE job, do it well, and then I get currency that allows me to pay someone else who is good at those other things. It's a trade of services, and to me personally that makes a lot more sense than having to take care of all those other aspects myself, I simply wouldn't be able to. So that's kind of an example of how I actually feel modern society benefits us. I like having property, I like being able to do what I want, I enjoy travel, I love technology and working with and creating it, I love art and music and literature, good food, and all of those things are aspects of our modern society.

"Leaving society" is much easier said than done, and I think the thoughtful ideal of it might overshadow it's negatives at first. When I was younger, in my teenage years and early twenties, I thought about giving it all up and doing the same thing. But then I'd just have other worries. Lonliness, isolation, stagnation, etc, and there would be many things I would miss not being part of the modern-society-rat-race-game-whatever-you-want-to-call-it. You'd still need land, you'd still need to work on your livestock and crops if you are planning on self sustaining, you still need money for all of that stuff, and you'll still depend on modern society for a lot of things... you'll just be further away from it physically maybe, but you won't be living outside of it. Sure, you would depend on it FAR less than say I would, but there is and will always be some dependence there. Unless you move to the middle of a jungle in some third world country, there will still be some depence there in some form. So let me ask you, what is your ideal setup for getting away from society? What do you mean when you say "get as far away from it"? I always enjoy entertaining this idea as well, and like hearing what other people plan on, because like I said I've had that same dream at points in my life too.

I even have a close friend who does that as well, and lives pretty damn well "off the grid" for the most part out in Colorado, and I envy him in certain aspects, and others, I feel like his life would be too "boring" for me, lacking a better word. He's worked hard in the IT world for like 10 years, saved up enough money to start his dream of self-sustaining, and he's now doing it. He has some land, grows his own crops, has a rabit pen and chicken coop, a few cows, and ocassionally a pig or two. He makes his own milk, cheeses, and cream. He slaughters his own meat when he needs it. He has a windmill and solar panels for power, and a generator for emergencies. His home uses a wood burning furnace for heat. He takes meat and vegetables to farmers markets for sale to cover any bills he has, so that he doesn't have to dip into his savings. He hunts elk and caribou, and makes some badass jerky out of both that he sells for a pretty penny at farmers markets in Denver. He has internet, and a cell phone, and isn't living completely "off the grid", but he's pretty close to it. Close as he ever wanted to be anyway. He's got the best of both worlds if you ask me. Again, I envy his lifestyle in many ways, but it's still A LOT of work to live that way, it's just a different kind of work, and perhaps more rewarding. But personally, that kind of work doesn't appeal to me.

But to each their own. Life is whatever you want to make of it, and that's the beauty. As long as you are enjoying the journey, and not holding out for a destination, everyone can easily be happy and enjoy what they have... however they choose to live. :)