But isn't a large amount of debt that isn't transitioning whether by getting paid back or written off by the creditor bad for the economy? I'm no economist but

But isn't a large amount of debt that isn't transitioning whether by getting paid back or written off by the creditor bad for the economy? I'm no economist but my intuition is that these unmoving debts represent money that should exist but doesn't. Since student debt is unusual in that it can't be discharged by bankruptcy it will stay in limbo longer than other kinds. It's reasonable to think that in time much of it will get paid back but there are other kinds of investments that would perform better, and hence the economy would have been better off had these loans not been made and the money were spent on something else. Also to your comment about sabbaticals and other less productive activities, is that really the common case? I believe that underemployment via career choices and local demand for skills would be more common.