>>1672506>But the same could be said for life preservers and parachutes, but people don't carry those everywhere either.Carrying a gun, an item of relative ease to conceal with extra ammo, is not the same as walking around with a life preserver or parachute. Unless I'm walking around with a rifle, I carry a gun out of the way and not easily seen. If I sat on a bus across from you you or passed you on a trail you wouldn't even know I had one on me. This is an odd comparison to make considering a gun is not nearly as bulky as the other two.
>I think ultimately it's a question of feeling safe.But how we define "safe" needs to be explored. Is "feeling safe" understanding the lack of danger or understanding that there is a potential, however unlikely, for danger which can be mitigated though your own actions however small? This is a question may of the great thinkers of our time have attempted to tackle. Pic related.
>Like if you're the sort of person that generally feels safe, having a gun or a parachute or a life vest is going to be an annoying reminder that you're not necessarily safe.Only if you make the assumption that it's an annoying reminder. Since "safe" is a feeling and subjective on a fundamental level this is a faulty assumption. I feel safe most places, I don't find my gun as an annoying reminder that I'm not safe. Its just there like my wallet or the spare tire in my car. If I need it, I need it. If I don't, I don't. I'll be fine and go on with my day regardless.
>but most people don't want to live their lives being constantly reminded of all the unlikely ways they could be harmed or killed.Most people are oblivious to the world around them and it shows in many daily interactions. I'm convinced, through my own experience, people think this way because it pops the bubble they live in. You can walk down the street of any major urban area and watch someone almost get nailed by a car because they were looking at their phone and had headphones in.