Free Write: Americans and Gap Years

I spend as much time as I can living in new locations; experiencing new cultures, opening up myself to new things and avoiding complacency, and expanding my comfort zone. In high school and as an undergraduate I kept up part time jobs to save money to get away and take on these "gap years". However, while it is completely normal to live such a life in Europe, it is far less acceptable here in The States. Why is that? In Europe, a gap in your resume is acceptable if filled with a reasonable explanation. Employers look for individuals who have gap years that were filled with travel, experiences, and growth. Obviously merely taking a year off to sit around your house won't win you any credit, but here in America gap years are derided as displays of apathy, laziness, and a lack of desire to get ahead. Should this be the case? Should those who look to enjoy their younger years and take a year of their retirement early and explore the world be criticized for it?