Is Concealed Carry A "Lifestyle"?

[RetiredUSNChief]

LIfestyle: noun. "The way in which a person or group lives." "The typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture." "The habits, attitudes, tastes, moral standards, economic level, etc., that together constitute the mode of living of an individual or group."

Adj: "The typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture." "Pertaining to or catering to a certain lifestyle."


You tell me how "concealed carry lifestyle" applies in the context you cited in your OP.

Whether it's a "major" or "minor" part of the way any given person fits is a matter of individual perception, but it doesn't change the fact that "concealed carry lifestyle" does, in fact, describe everybody who carries concealed to some extent or other. The "matter of degree" is based on the individual's concealed carry habits.

A person who carries concealed infrequently falls into a group of people who carry infrequently, for whatever reason. You need more description to define what "concealed carry lifestyle" means in this context.


I think that the vast majority of people out there utterly fail to realize/understand that the vast majority of English vocabulary (consisting of words and phrases) only become meaningful in both context and a person's individual filters. In other words, the full meaning is conveyed in HOW the words are used and the common ground of understanding between the people trying to communicate.

And the interesting part about this is where one side becomes hung up on what another person SAID without attempting to understand the full meaning which was attempted to be conveyed.

"You said (fill in the blank)!"

"Well, what I was trying to say was (explanation)."

"But that's not what you said!"

"Are you interested in just the words I spoke, or are you interested in what I was TRYING to communicate?"


I think it's safe to say that a significant number of people here live "the concealed carry lifestyle". What this means will vary both in actual degree (how often one carries concealed, what they carry, whether they carry a backup, type of ammo, amount of ammo, how they carry, etc.) and what any given individual THINKS "concealed carry lifestyle" means.

Do you conceal carry everywhere you can, as often as you can? Welcome to "the concealed carry lifestyle".

Do you conceal carry only when you think it may be needed? Welcome to "the concealed carry lifestyle".

Do you conceal carry a revolver? Pistol? .45? 9mm? Colt? S&W? AMT? IWB? OWB? Shoulder holster? Appendix? Leather? Kydex? Welcome to "the concealed carry lifestyle".

 

[CDW4ME]

Do you conceal carry everywhere you can, as often as you can? Welcome to "the concealed carry lifestyle".

Do you conceal carry only when you think it may be needed? Welcome to "the concealed carry lifestyle".

That 2nd one, should be followed with: Welcome to "the psychic friends lifestyle".

 

[AlexanderA]

Like a particular driving style prompts a person to feel the need to have a spare tire in the trunk?

I suppose it's possible that some people carry because they live dangerously, but there are lots of people who carry just to be prepared.

The idea of "being prepared" can be carried to extremes. Is it reasonable to carry a gas mask everywhere because of the possibility of chemical attack? In some cases it might be. But not usually. That's how I feel about carrying a gun. If you carry everywhere and at all times, there might be a sneaking suspicion that you might be paranoid.

 

[The Night Rider]

LIfestyle: noun. "The way in which a person or group lives." "The typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture." "The habits, attitudes, tastes, moral standards, economic level, etc., that together constitute the mode of living of an individual or group."

Adj: "The typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture." "Pertaining to or catering to a certain lifestyle."


You tell me how "concealed carry lifestyle" applies in the context you cited in your OP.

Whether it's a "major" or "minor" part of the way any given person fits is a matter of individual perception, but it doesn't change the fact that "concealed carry lifestyle" does, in fact, describe everybody who carries concealed to some extent or other. The "matter of degree" is based on the individual's concealed carry habits.

A person who carries concealed infrequently falls into a group of people who carry infrequently, for whatever reason. You need more description to define what "concealed carry lifestyle" means in this context.


I think that the vast majority of people out there utterly fail to realize/understand that the vast majority of English vocabulary (consisting of words and phrases) only become meaningful in both context and a person's individual filters. In other words, the full meaning is conveyed in HOW the words are used and the common ground of understanding between the people trying to communicate.

And the interesting part about this is where one side becomes hung up on what another person SAID without attempting to understand the full meaning which was attempted to be conveyed.

"You said (fill in the blank)!"

"Well, what I was trying to say was (explanation)."

"But that's not what you said!"

"Are you interested in just the words I spoke, or are you interested in what I was TRYING to communicate?"


I think it's safe to say that a significant number of people here live "the concealed carry lifestyle". What this means will vary both in actual degree (how often one carries concealed, what they carry, whether they carry a backup, type of ammo, amount of ammo, how they carry, etc.) and what any given individual THINKS "concealed carry lifestyle" means.

Do you conceal carry everywhere you can, as often as you can? Welcome to "the concealed carry lifestyle".

Do you conceal carry only when you think it may be needed? Welcome to "the concealed carry lifestyle".

Do you conceal carry a revolver? Pistol? .45? 9mm? Colt? S&W? AMT? IWB? OWB? Shoulder holster? Appendix? Leather? Kydex? Welcome to "the concealed carry lifestyle".

I think it would be more accurate to say that I (not speaking for anyone else) live a preparedness (NOT "Prepper") Lifestyle.

There are certain things I don't leave home without because my past life experience has shown them to be useful.

There are things that I leave in my car (battery pack, emergency blanket) because my past life experience has shown them to be useful.

A gun has proven to be one of those things but my life doesn't center around whether or not I can carry a gun in a given location.

 

[earlthegoat2]

A lot of folks will try agree with this because it fits some pre-conceived notion of themselves and they want to make firearms more a part of their life somehow.

Really, the average CCer is an average person who does the same things other average people do with one and only exception, they have a legal means of carrying a concealed weapon and some of them even do carry a concealed weapon.

I am a firearms enthusiast but it in no way dominates my life to the point that it is a lifestyle. I have more of a DIY type lifestyle to put a label on it. Others have a car culture lifestyle, or a family with kids lifestyle, or workout and healthy eating lifestyle.

A CC lifestyle would make for an interesting lifestyle and I most likely would not get along too well with that person.

 

[AlexanderA]

Getting back to the OP, if I were single, I would not date a woman who I knew carried a gun all the time. (I've had lots of experience with crazy women.) So, from her point of view, she would be wise not to brag that she carried.

I suppose it works the same the other way around.

 

[Kleanbore]

No

 

[Howland937]

I can see where it could be interpreted either way, but for me...no, carrying a firearm is no more "lifestyle" than wearing shoes.
Owning firearms in addition to the one I carry and enjoying them is a lifestyle.

If I were single and dating, I imagine notifying her that I'm carrying would fall sometime between telling her my last name and giving her my address (3rd and 6th dates, respectively).

 

[RKRCPA]

would fall sometime between telling her my last name and giving her my address (3rd and 6th dates, respectively).

Really? Third date before you give up your last name? I guess times really have changed.

 

[Remington1911]

I think we need to define lifestyle.

To me it means a change in your day to day operations. It is easy to point to females for this, they generally wear their clothes differently over men....and a little tighter, for good and bad. If they carry are they wearing tights and a tight shirt, no you can't and not print. So their lifestyle had to change to a looser clothing choices to hide what they have.

To me that is a lifestyle change.

 

[redcon1]

I think it is. Yeah, it's just a tool that we choose to carry but choosing to carry a gun is different than choosing to carry a flashlight or a wallet. There's a lot more that goes into that choice.

 

[Old Dog]

To me, putting the term "concealed carry" before the word "lifestyle" implies that one's lifestyle is centered almost exclusively around the concealed carry of a handgun.

All I can say here is, that is not me. Carrying a personal handgun is just one element in my daily routine (which I guess would be a part of my lifestyle).

And .38 Special nailed it in three sentences back in post #8.

 

[WheelGunMan]

I agree with .38special's philosophy. I have a firearm with me 24/7, my hope is to never have to draw it .. I frequent 2A friendly places and avoid those that aren't. It's a frame of mind not a lifestyle.

 

[tws3b2]

I'm 74 and married to the same lady for 56 years so I try to keep my dating down.
I seldom carry. So, I have to say no. I'm not going to let carrying a gun be a big part of my life like some who seem to think that having a gun in their pocket makes them something special. Which is really absolutely the reverse

 

[md7]

I carry daily. Additionally, I wear pants and shirts too. So not a lifestyle, in my opinion. It’s just what I do.

First dates… keep it simple. Focus on getting to know each other. If it progresses, then sure. Feel free to share that you carry.

Around here, it’s become more common to meet people that ccw or at least have the permit to. Not nearly as taboo as one might think.

 

[Speedo66]

I carried for 40 years on the job, carrying now I don’t even think about it.

As far as dating, doing a slow dance together while front pocket carrying may either impress or raise unreasonable expectations.

 

[.38 Special]

Really? Third date before you give up your last name? I guess times really have changed.

What he's not telling you is that she doesn't get his first name until the wedding night.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

That 2nd one, should be followed with: Welcome to "the psychic friends lifestyle".

Unfortunately, we don't have a "smiley face" feature for our Like button!

 

[bigmike45]

My personal opinion is NO. Reason being it's none of her business. Dates, especially first dates don't always end up being good. If it did not, I would not want her telling anyone or even everyone she knows that I carry a gun. Carrying concealed is a lifestyle for me. I dress around my concealment, go places and give my business to businesses that allow me to exercise my 2A rights. I do not open carry, and probably never will. I have been living this way legally since Texas initiated the Concealed Handgun License. I even carry concealed when I am at home, until I crawl into bed, and the gun is then stored within easily secured access if it should be needed. I've learned how to hug folks so that they do not bump into my gun, and if they ever should, being a type 2 diabetic, I would just describe it as my insulin pump.

 

[AlexanderA]

If I were single and dating, I imagine notifying her that I'm carrying would fall sometime between telling her my last name and giving her my address (3rd and 6th dates, respectively).

To me, it would be on a par with revealing that I have a chronic illness. That is, only when things got really serious. But if she was halfway smart, she would have figured out that you were carrying long before that.

One thing that I'm wondering about in this thread, though -- is this "dating" you guys are talking about bereft of all physical contact? Because otherwise, the presence of a gun would have been obvious.

No contact, no names -- is this some kind of parallel universe? And why are you "dating" anyway?

 

[Howland937]

this "dating" you guys are talking about bereft of all physical contact?

Doesn't have to be. If you're old enough to be familiar with the term "courting", then consider it the same as. If you're young enough to be familiar with the phrase "hooking up", it can be that too. If they started calling it something different in the last 12 years, I can't help you.

It is not only possible, but relatively simple to disrobe while carrying without revealing your firearm. Just gotta have the right music. And eye contact.

Even though my doctor said he wished I'd quit doing that.

 

[toivo]

I carry wherever legal, but I'm a "convenience carrier," which pretty much means pocket pistol for daily life or a larger pistol in a fanny pack when I'm hiking or biking. I'm too lazy to mess around with cover garments, IWB holsters, etc. Some might say I'm not adequately prepared for SHTF, and they might be right.

 

[Pure2nd]

Start with this video





The topic of this video is should you tell your date you carry a concealed handgun but throughout the video they reference the "Concealed Carry Lifestyle".


I got me thinking because I carry a gun but my whole "Lifestyle" doesn't revolve around it. I'm not even sure what that would look like.


To me if I'm living a "Concealed Carry Lifestyle" that means Concealed Carry is the central fact of my life and it's not.


I worked as a security guard for about 15 years. I'd say half of that time was as an armed guard. You know what I learned? Walking around with a gun on your hip for 8 to 16 hours (depending on when or IF your relief shows up) is a MASSIVE pain in the ass.


So I don't know if Concealed Carry is a Lifestyle but I'm pretty sure it's not my lifestyle. I don't work my life around carrying a gun I work carrying a gun around my life.


As for the question in the video should you tell your date you're carrying a gun I was married before I had my concealed handgun permit and my wife knew (in fact it was her idea) before we ever applied for our permits. I don't know what I'd do if I was dating now.

After 2 divorces I don't have a ton of interest in the dating game but having dated a couple of girls since they were both aware of my positions regarding carry and firearms well before the 1st date. I would appreciate knowing if she actively carried and the general approach to firearms safety and security.

Seems kind of important.

 

[Jdague12]

This is one of those forums where you want to scream ****!!!!!! and unfollow

 

[DoubleMag]

I don't mentally think of it as a lifestyle I guess. No dif then, the shoes I am wearing today is based on activity level. Tennis style shoes to the gym, dress shoes, side zip mil waterproof can stand in 8'' of water for well, longer then I want to. Think and not too hard; ankle holster, pocket holster, waistband carry.