Huh? 51 years old, putting 3 through college. Been out of work for 6 months at a time. Currently dissolved my consulting business to go back to work for "the man" (though truthfully am vesting equity, not all bad).

I understand sheltering the family can be a burden, yes.

But hungry? Never. Lets use some other euphemism for hardship. Your family, church, community, government will not let you go hungry if you have the wit to stand in line.

But when you have those obligations is being unemployed REALLY better than having a crappy job? Waiting in a dole line, living on the edge, and not being able to support a family just because being unemployed is better than a bad job? I think the reality is that many people can't make these sorts of decisions - many people have to take jobs because they have obligations. And to simply not take a job because it's better to be unemployed while supporting a family doesn't make sense.

Agreed. All that is harder to bear than hunger. To give up a job, willing to go on the dole instead, is selfish. Some folks have morals that won't permit taking a handout when you are able-bodied and the job is there.

As a programmer/architect and sometimes-startup-founder, I have always been in a position to be unemployed for a year or two at a time without any money problems. Not everyone has that buffer.