You can frame the extended-vacation “funemployment” activities of the recently jobless as making lemonade out of lemons, although there are macroeconomic underpinnings:

As frivolous as it sounds, funemployment is a statement about American society. Experts say it’s both a reflection of the country’s cultural narcissism — and attitudes of entitlement and self-centeredness — and a backlash against corporate America and its “Dilbert”-like work environment.

“Recession gives people permission to be unemployed,” said David Logan, a professor at USC’s Marshall School of Business. “Why not make use of the time and go do something fun?”

The idea that no one is hiring anyway is all the justification you’d need to take some time off. It helps if you have enough stashed away in savings that you can afford to live schedule-free. And of course, once the bank account hits empty, the funemployed lifestyle hits its expiration date (or, you could extend the “fun” indefinitely by becoming completely destitute). Definitely has a laughter-of-the-damned ring to it.

This rationale isn’t limited to the youngsters. I have a consulting colleague in her 50s whose client work has recently dried up, so she decided to ride out the economic uncertainty by traveling around the world for the next couple of months. I guess that’s funemployment insurance — not relying upon domestic distractions alone to occupy the off-time.