Withdrawal is Withdrawal

I asked a question yesterday about why Christian often feel the need to withdraw from society. Michael wrote in and asked:

"By 'withdrawal' do you mean those who retreat to a monastic way of life? Those who remove themselves from the everyday “normalities” that you and I enjoy and choose to not interact any longer with culture?

Or do you mean those who refuse to vote, who don’t read the paper or ponder political questions or are afraid to talk to others about God?"

Now I'm wondering: what's the difference? Withdrawing from society -- whether to go live on a mountain top in a commune or continuing to live among the rest of the people but having nothing to do with them and refusing to get involved in processes that might make a difference -- it's the same thing, isn't it?

Unless I'm missing something here, withdrawal is withdrawal.

And it's practiced by too many Christians.