> even if it means cracking open a laptop in a starbucks
I would probably go with "Saying hi to the owner of the local general store" as a minimal amount of human contact. But then, I'd rather talk to shopkeeps than baristas even on a social day.
Living off the grid is very practical. There is land on the big island or in the desert where you can get really cheap. Imagine owning a house (quality depending on effort you put in) in a warm climate for 20K. It's actually possible.