In my opinion Freedom is within-not without. For me it did not matter where i lived or what i was doing, it was all about Attitude-how i looked at me. I have lived off the grid in BC and experienced communal living, the concept is great until the equation of people enter the picture. I found that even the most spiritual had their own wants/needs and that cracked the foundation and ego's were bruised. To me you could be living in the sub-arctic like myself or walking the streets of the concrete jungles. What matters is how we live! Even if you eat dead/junk food YOU can change how it effects you. We all have the power to free ourselves from this reality. Regardless of your life situation look within and free yourself.
You may gather unto you all the knowledge that these wise people give, but if you cannot apply them positively in your life then it is just useless knowledge.
That's the way I feel.