this post was submitted on 25 Jul 2025
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Funny to read the comments. I don't want to judge anyone as Im not american and I grew up without even touching a real gun.
Its just amazing how big role guns play in US culture. I can't imagine owning one, but most americans can't live without them. Its very bizarre.
It's not most Americans. It's about a third (which is still huge) and less than half of the population living in a gun owning household.
Then there's a spectrum of how "important" guns are culturally. There are in my experience 3 categories of gun owners.
2)Then there are collectors and enthusiasts. They enjoy firearms as a hobby. They have multiple. They watch firearms videos on social media. They go to gun shows and might join a club related to the hobby.
3)Then there are the paranoid psychopaths for whom gun ownership and the insistence that they could have to defend themselves at any time is constantly at the forefront of their mind. They wish they had a reason to shoot someone and may end up shooting someone anyway.
I'm a #2 except I dislike gun shows. Everything's overpriced and there's right-wing merch everywhere. Bought a canteen from a Proud Boy at one. Didn't know it until I overheard him talking to another guy. Tried to investigate him later, couldn't get a name.
You’re fine. It doesn’t count as “bad phrasing” when you admit that you’re talking about something that’s weird to you and you don’t understand.
Lots of Americans think the gun culture is messed up, too.
Sorry bad phrasing, by most I meant a lot of americans. Thanks for correcting me :)
I am somewhat familiar with the type of gun owners from US media and movies.
For me the most mind-blowing thing is how easy is to get a gun at some places. I just imagine some shady people I know in my country, even some of my family members and can't imagine them having access to guns :D
It perpetuates itself. If someone thinks there is a significant probability a burglar might have a gun, getting a gun themselves can increase their chance of survival. This is even ignoring the actual culture around it, where people want guns "just to have them".
You don't own a gun in case of a burglar having a gun. It's in case of home invasion period. I'm not going to wait around to determine if they're armed or not and I'm not going to restrict myself to some lesser means of stopping them just because they aren't. I didn't create this situation and I am not going to accept risk to myself to preserve the life of some asshole who doesn't even respect me enough not to break into my home.
Isn't this just a vicious cycle? You own a gun, because other people also have access to guns. The burglar might bring a gun, because the home owner possibly has a gun, etc
I don't own a gun, I am 100x more likely to use it on myself than need it for self defense where I'm at. But the scenario I'm describing, whether or not the home invader has a gun or not doesn't matter, the simple fact that they are invading your home in the first place justifies lethal force. You could be injured/killed by them even without them having a gun so the safest option for the resident is shoot them immediately. The resident should not have to accept any level of risk whatsoever in dealing with this situation. You're not getting a gun because someone might attack you with a gun. You're getting a gun because someone might attack you.
Kinda. It’s also a remnant of the old west. Guns were freedom, protection, power, etc.
It would be much more effective to curb crime by meeting everyone’s basic needs than giving everyone a gun.
But dumb Americans don’t know any other way. They are just to self-centered and absorbed to think about anyone else.