And there's nothing wrong with that. I'm an outdoorsy type, raised in the countryside where houses were miles apart. Still, as an adult I prefer the convenience of close society even though I'm not a "people person" by nature. Everyone has their own comfort zone.
Doing it as a full life change would scare most people off, but even getting yourself to a very remote place for a shorter period of time can be liberating. US national parks have pretty incredible backcountry options and you don't have to stray far from the popular trails to end up largely on your own.
I'm not sure everyone yearns to live alone 100% of the time, but I think everyone at some stage would like to have a place where they can spend time alone, and in peace.
After months on end of my neighbors slamming their car doors at all hours of the night, I'd quite like to spend a few weeks/months somewhere quiet, and preferably without cars (and their doors).
> I find these stories about people like this exhilarating. I think we all yearn to do this, and yet few of us do.
I disagree. I think humans are social animals, and people like this -- who choose to live in isolation for an extended period of time -- are an aberration.
Many people are attracted by the idea of living in isolation, but few people stick it out. I think this guy on an island that is not very far from civilization (including grocery delivery and the occasional cruising sailboat) strikes a balance more of us could grow accustomed to. Personally, I'm pretty sure my wife and I would sign up to take his spot tomorrow.
It's simply that many people feel they need a little more solitude than they currently have, an unmet need (like when you're hungry, you could "eat a horse").
Certainly, many people live at a far greater density than that at which humans evolved (or even of a generation ago).
> Personally, I'm pretty sure my wife and I would sign up to take his spot tomorrow.
If you're living with a spouse -- presumably someone with whom you have a good rapport and a sexual relationship -- then you're hardly living in isolation.