Debt is a reality of modern life, not something you can opt-out of by reading the right self-help books. Control is bad, whether it's direct control by state actors or indirect societal control by credit agencies.
It's quite easy to live debt-free. All it takes is to rent a house instead of getting a mortgage, and keeping a positive balance on 'credit' cards.
I am just talking about paying your credit card bills on time. Many people I know do this successfully without fail.
I am not writing a thesis on bigger implications of debt.