[geds]

You do realize that you pay unemployment insurance (not a tax) and that your employer also pays unemployment insurance for you? Taking unemployment benefits is no different than making a claim with your insurance agency on a wrecked car or damaged home. There is no shame (or shouldn't be) for any of those circumstances.

And to be proud that you suffered through by not making a claim you were entitled to is like saying I decided not to file a claim on my house that burned down because I can tough it out! You sacrificed for the benefit of the insurance company.