[shah269]

I've noticed that feeling "free" has more to do with where you live and how diverse your surroundings are...and the finances.

If you are a dude and surrounded by dudes all the time....odds are you are not going to be a very happy guy.

If you live in a small town and are at all different....and can't find a group that you can relate to you will be very unhappy.

There is something to be said about diversity of friends and living in a diverse society.
Deep down we are social creatures and when we are divorced from society and diversity we feel trapped in ourselves and we begin to eat our souls and well....you can go a bit crazy.

It's not fun.