RemindMe ! 3 hours <| sep |> But why is gun ownership normalised ? What purpose does it serve other than to make a robbery into a triple homicide ? Widespread gun ownership as a defensive measure is the most American concept I can think of . You have fetishised individualism to such an extent that the thousands of lives lost due to rampant gun use is of little consequence . Countries like the UK , Japan , Switzerland and Australia show that you can have a healthy and progressive regulation of guns , and they can still be used recreationally , in a controlled manner . But Americans would literally rather risk death on a daily basis than give the government any choice . Because it is always someone else that dies , never them . Oh , America .