There's a book series, the first of which is called Dark Eden, which is set on a planet substantially like that 🙂
Right now I'm reading The Little Dummer Girl by LeCarré, and it's plenty depressing already. But I'll put this on the queue.
I've been thinking about muckers ever since I read the book back in the early 2000s. Wish more people knew about it.
Hail my gimlet brother! I've gotten back into these in a major way over the last couple of years for the exact same reasons.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" has been my model 😉 And Wired aside, it does work phenomenally well. But I will take a look at your suggestion.
I've seen things. They're often in disguise.