"Opting out through choice and being on the shitty end of society's stick are two different things though. it is low expectation that gives us many of society's ills. Not all, but many of them."

I have very mixed feelings here. I've known a number of people who espouse exactly the same philosophy as you do. Highly driven and self-motivated individuals, who had no time for the residents of the slummy estates that they left behind in their quest for a life less shite..

And I can empathise with that, to a degree. I don't strongly identify with those (including family members) who remain bogged down in those crappy built-up environments (albeit, as I say, not so bad as northern sink estates) and yet I also KNOW the reality of the working poor which makes it harder to subsist on a low wage than on benefits.

But neither was I able myself (through compromising health issues) to fully break free personally, as once upon a time was my presumption. So I never did as you did and found a brighter way. But I found a middle way, and there are no holidays abroad, no fancy delis, no expensive goodies (certainly no plasma TV), no smart new shoes, no new white goods when they break down, in point of fact, there's no fucking nada..

But hey, at least I'm not surrounded by seven kids on some shitty estate!

So I recognise the binds many people find themselves stuck in.