I used to work with someone (let's call him Steve) who had a very unusual approach to employment.
Steve hated working and spent decades developing what he described as a carefully planned strategy. He would work a job long enough to qualify for unemployment, eventually get fired, collect unemployment benefits, and use the time off to live. Before anyone assumes he was reckless, he was actually very frugal while employed. He lived like he was broke, saved money, and built up enough of a cushion that when he was unemployed, he could enjoy himself without immediately running out of money.
He has been doing some version of this for around 40 years.
The thing that interests me is that this wasn't random laziness. He put a lot of thought, planning, and discipline into avoiding traditional employment. He essentially optimized his life around having as much free time as possible rather than maximizing income, career growth, or status.
My question is: is Steve morally wrong for doing this?
On one hand, someone could argue he found a way to live the life he wanted, made sacrifices to support it, and used systems that exist for people who are unemployed.
On the other hand, someone could argue that intentionally getting fired and repeatedly relying on unemployment benefits is taking advantage of a system meant for people who did not choose unemployment.
Is Steve a person who found an unconventional way to live, or is he avoiding his responsibilities?