Unemployment is paid by state and federal taxes on your employer. It is part of your benefits package, that "hidden paycheck" that some employers make a big deal out of.
And the more former employees that collect unemployment, the more your company will have to pay. So if you are really angry at getting laid off, collecting unemployment is one way to get a little revenge.
Paul was silly to let a comment about being a loser stop him from collecting his benefits. He's earned them by working hard for 7 years; no need to brush them aside.
Also, many states allow (or encourage) you to work while collecting unemployment. If you temp or take a part-time job, in my state, you can earn up to 30% of your weekly unemployment award. If you earn more than 30%, they reduce your weekly award by the amount you earned. And if you earn more than 130% in a given week, you get nothing, but you've earned more money! More money is good! And you have extended the time you can get benefits, because that money doesn't go away, but is still there if you need it later in the year.
So, yeah, not sure why collecting unemployment is being a loser. It's not an entitlement program--your employer pays into it based on your wages. It's a benefit your employer provides to you, not a handout from the government.