7 ms·

You don't need to feel threatened to carry a gun.

Daho0n 6y ago
Why do you carry it then? To hammer nails if you see a nail in need of hammering? There're only three kinds of civilians who carry: those that carry out of fear, those that carry to spread fear and those that think it makes them cool.
- meowster 6y ago
  There are more than three kinds, everyone's motivation is different, and claiming to know what someone else is thinking based on what you perceive, is not accurate. I can think of at least another kind: someone who likes to be prepared, who doesn't think they'll ever need it, and hopes to never use it. - me Do you pay for insurance that you aren't legally-required to have? A gun is not the same, but there are parallels.
  - africanboy 6y ago
    > someone who likes to be prepared, who doesn't think they'll ever need it, and hopes to never use it If 40% of the population think they need to be prepared, there is probably something broken in that community.
    - andrewflnr 6y ago
      Even if you're right (I'd at least mostly agree), pointing that out doesn't change the facts for the people who think they need to be prepared. Don't blame them. Fix the situation before you expect them to relax.
      - africanboy 6y ago
        > Fix the situation before you expect them to relax. The only way to fix the situation, in my opinion, is gun control. People are worried, admitting that's the main motive, because there are too many armed people around.
    - meowster 6y ago
      I am not going to disagree with you there. I would like it if we never needed guns. Unfortunately I don't know of any community that has erradicated crime and dangerous animals.
      - africanboy 6y ago
        > . Unfortunately I don't know of any community that has erradicated crime and dangerous animals. I agree, risk zero does not exists, but there is a lot that can be done before platoeing To put things in perspective, these are some stats about Firearm-related death rate per 100,000 population per year Country United States Year 2017 Total 12.21 Homicide 4.46 Suicide 7.32 Unintentional 0.15 Undetermined 0.10 Guns per 100 inhabitants 120.5 --- Country Italy Year 2015 Total 1.13 Homicide 0.29 Suicide 0.72 Unintentional 0.12 Undetermined 0.00 Guns per 100 inhabitants 11.9 --- Country Japan Year 2015 Total 0.02 Homicide 0.00 Suicide 0.01 Unintentional 0.00 Undetermined 0.00 Guns per 100 inhabitants 0.60 As you can see the death rate appears to be strongly correlated to the amount of firearms circulating: USA has ten times the number of firearms of Italy (proportionally to the population) and 10 times the deaths, Japan has 1/200 of the firearms of USA and 1/600 of the deaths, Japan owns 1/20th of the firearms of Italy and has 1/60 of the deaths.
        meowster 6y ago
        > correlated "correlation does not equal causation" It appears as if we have different mindsets, and that's okay. It seems like we both agree there's a problem, but may differ as to the cause/solution or way to lessen the problem, and only wish the best for everyone. I'm pretty sure neither of are going to change our thoughts about guns based on this thread here.
        africanboy 6y ago
  - altcognito 6y ago
    If you make a conscious decision to bring lethal protection with you on a regular basis, you probably live in fear. As you said, carrying a gun comes with huge responsibility. The chances that I would have to carry a gun to protect my life would have to be much higher than they are today before it overcame my concerns about carrying a gun. Becoming oblivious to wearing a weapon is in itself a liability. So it comes with significant mental overhead.
    - meowster 6y ago
      My gun does require some mental overhead, but I wouldn't call it significant. My mental checklist of "phone, keys, wallet" just turns into "phone, keys, wallet, gun" and just like someone wearing a skirt might make sure they are modest when they sit down, bend over, the wind blows, etc, I just make sure my gun remains secure and unexposed. With a good "holster" (for me, CCW Breakaways), I pretty much don't have to worry about it at all, even when doing something physical. I'm sure I'm an outlier, but I think it goes to show that generalizing is bad.
  - Daho0n 6y ago
    If it's to be prepared to use it for self-defence, then that is by definition out of fear. You don't prepare to defend yourself if you don't fear you might one day need it. Just like you don't buy insurance if you don't think you might one day risk needing it, though that isn't normally out of fear.
    - meowster 6y ago
      Whatever definition you're using is generalizing, and is incorrect. You're assuming you know what I think or feel, and you're wrong.
      - Daho0n 6y ago
        No I'm not but I'm not surprised you won't admit it (maybe even to yourself). That you carry a gun just like someone might carry a set of paintbrushes because they might just need them some day on the road is hilarious. Of course it is fear. Okay you are correct, there's another option: that you have a hard on that you might some day get to use it. So three types: those that are afraid, those that think it makes them cool and those that want to use it.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]

Why do you carry it then? To hammer nails if you see a nail in need of hammering? There're only three kinds of civilians who carry: those that carry out of fear, those that carry to spread fear and those that think it makes them cool.

meowster 6y ago
There are more than three kinds, everyone's motivation is different, and claiming to know what someone else is thinking based on what you perceive, is not accurate. I can think of at least another kind: someone who likes to be prepared, who doesn't think they'll ever need it, and hopes to never use it. - me Do you pay for insurance that you aren't legally-required to have? A gun is not the same, but there are parallels.
- africanboy 6y ago
  > someone who likes to be prepared, who doesn't think they'll ever need it, and hopes to never use it If 40% of the population think they need to be prepared, there is probably something broken in that community.
  - andrewflnr 6y ago
    Even if you're right (I'd at least mostly agree), pointing that out doesn't change the facts for the people who think they need to be prepared. Don't blame them. Fix the situation before you expect them to relax.
    - africanboy 6y ago
      > Fix the situation before you expect them to relax. The only way to fix the situation, in my opinion, is gun control. People are worried, admitting that's the main motive, because there are too many armed people around.
  - meowster 6y ago
    I am not going to disagree with you there. I would like it if we never needed guns. Unfortunately I don't know of any community that has erradicated crime and dangerous animals.
    - africanboy 6y ago
      > . Unfortunately I don't know of any community that has erradicated crime and dangerous animals. I agree, risk zero does not exists, but there is a lot that can be done before platoeing To put things in perspective, these are some stats about Firearm-related death rate per 100,000 population per year Country United States Year 2017 Total 12.21 Homicide 4.46 Suicide 7.32 Unintentional 0.15 Undetermined 0.10 Guns per 100 inhabitants 120.5 --- Country Italy Year 2015 Total 1.13 Homicide 0.29 Suicide 0.72 Unintentional 0.12 Undetermined 0.00 Guns per 100 inhabitants 11.9 --- Country Japan Year 2015 Total 0.02 Homicide 0.00 Suicide 0.01 Unintentional 0.00 Undetermined 0.00 Guns per 100 inhabitants 0.60 As you can see the death rate appears to be strongly correlated to the amount of firearms circulating: USA has ten times the number of firearms of Italy (proportionally to the population) and 10 times the deaths, Japan has 1/200 of the firearms of USA and 1/600 of the deaths, Japan owns 1/20th of the firearms of Italy and has 1/60 of the deaths.
      - meowster 6y ago
        > correlated "correlation does not equal causation" It appears as if we have different mindsets, and that's okay. It seems like we both agree there's a problem, but may differ as to the cause/solution or way to lessen the problem, and only wish the best for everyone. I'm pretty sure neither of are going to change our thoughts about guns based on this thread here.
        africanboy 6y ago
- altcognito 6y ago
  If you make a conscious decision to bring lethal protection with you on a regular basis, you probably live in fear. As you said, carrying a gun comes with huge responsibility. The chances that I would have to carry a gun to protect my life would have to be much higher than they are today before it overcame my concerns about carrying a gun. Becoming oblivious to wearing a weapon is in itself a liability. So it comes with significant mental overhead.
  - meowster 6y ago
    My gun does require some mental overhead, but I wouldn't call it significant. My mental checklist of "phone, keys, wallet" just turns into "phone, keys, wallet, gun" and just like someone wearing a skirt might make sure they are modest when they sit down, bend over, the wind blows, etc, I just make sure my gun remains secure and unexposed. With a good "holster" (for me, CCW Breakaways), I pretty much don't have to worry about it at all, even when doing something physical. I'm sure I'm an outlier, but I think it goes to show that generalizing is bad.
- Daho0n 6y ago
  If it's to be prepared to use it for self-defence, then that is by definition out of fear. You don't prepare to defend yourself if you don't fear you might one day need it. Just like you don't buy insurance if you don't think you might one day risk needing it, though that isn't normally out of fear.
  - meowster 6y ago
    Whatever definition you're using is generalizing, and is incorrect. You're assuming you know what I think or feel, and you're wrong.
    - Daho0n 6y ago
      No I'm not but I'm not surprised you won't admit it (maybe even to yourself). That you carry a gun just like someone might carry a set of paintbrushes because they might just need them some day on the road is hilarious. Of course it is fear. Okay you are correct, there's another option: that you have a hard on that you might some day get to use it. So three types: those that are afraid, those that think it makes them cool and those that want to use it.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]