Hi Cahlen,
This topic you choose echoed with a recent thought, maybe you have a view on this.

Let's call it the powerless group of free man paradox.

For now, the only way of being really free of the system is going on very low energy consumption mode. (simple life like yours)
And it is perfect for an individual but I don't see it playing out well for bigger number of peoples.
I only see 2, maybe favorable, strategies with this configuration:

1. Convince a vast majority to do the same. (I don't see the system letting us going it long enough to be a threat)
2. Waiting system collapse to play our cards. (very unknown path, lot's of assumptions)

Perhaps at a time, physical power / energy need to be stored, accumulated in order of being able to stand our ground, defend ourselfs.
Or get a kind of mixed organisation, some level free, some less free for building resources that will be merge at a given time.