Thanks Chris K. for your thoughts and pointing out the difference in Living with or off the land, very interesting observation and concept. Mother nature, providing all our basic needs of life, one can justly say that they life "off" of her, as we take trees for building and drink of her fresh waters as her springs provide, and listen to her music as the birds sing her songs of harmony.
However, I do see the need within this viewpoint that one also needs to protect the provider too, and preserve these balances of Nature with the upmost respect.
Don't know about the Ruby Ridge or Unabomber, but heard about them and even saw the movie about the Ruby Ridge family, but tend to see that even with the mountain-minded folk, that there are a variety of different mind-sets and beliefs, just as there are within the mass social structure of cities and etc.
I do believe that the enviroment of the mountains and country sides, the "Natural Lifestyle" of living with or off of mother nature, or at least in harmony with her, is the "ideal" for mankind as a whole, as the mind is more easily cleared of it's thought-clutters, the senses are elevated with awareness in stillness, and with time, the depth of ones true being emerges and finds balance.
This "balancing" is conductive to a "Peace" that must be experienced to fully appreciate and fully understand.
To know and experience this, is most difficult within the city enviorment, where one finds themselfs elbow to elbow in crowds, fighting to get into turn lanes on the freeway, and using alram clocks to start their race off with the work world every day, and where Freedom is measured with the size of their bank account.
The accumulation of which builds inner stress, tempts the morals and conductive to hightened senses and emotions and breeds unnatural behaviors and defenses within many.
On one hand, one lives for the security of a pretty house; car; power and competive accomplishments, supported by the security of green paper.
On the other hand, one lives more for quality than quanity, satisfied with humblist of roof coverings and more green leaves for TP than green-paper. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />