There are dozens of these answers where this kind of 'slave' labor is still going on.
So stop tooting the horn of those hard working entrepreneurs (I'm one of them). And please try not to offend other people with these kinds of titles and articles.
Moreover, I think it's ridiculous to commend and "respect" villagers for having to endure unnecessary hardships; it's as if the commender attains a stance of moral superiority for valuing "what really matters". It's not clear to me that:
1) Living rurally is actually net worse for a human being
2) If living rurally is indeed net worse for a human being, that commending and respecting them is a good thing - perhaps such a situation should be held in contempt in order to promote a more radical advance in technology
3) I think effort and willpower deserve respect -- merely having to endure hardship, while unfortunate, is not necessarily worthy of my respect.
P.S. As a friendly FYI, "Smurk" is not a word.