Is Concealed Carry A "Lifestyle"?

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I think people can adapt any hobby or thing they are interested into a lifestyle.... I have to get after my sister about this kind of thing. She has always been this way as long as I can remember but she has about 200+ band tee's, band decals all over her vehicle, band posters and memorabilia all over her house, is constantly trying to get me to go to shows with her and while I am really into music too, I don't wear it on my body, get tattoo's of it, plaster it all over my car and pretty much since my partying days are over, don't have any interest in going to concerts and would much rather just listen to music in solitary peace.... That and TV series, if I tell her I watched Breaking Bad and liked it, guess who's getting a BB wall clock for Christmas, smh..... she has a problem. If she was a shooter, everybody in town would know it. No discretion.

Anyway, long way to get to this point but since I started making shooting and guns a substantial part of my extra curricular and significant area of interest, she starts buying me very bold gun T shirts and decals and stuff and I basically had to tell her not to waste her money because even if it's something I'm into, it's not something I'm going to wear on my shirt or advertise on my vehicle and that it may seem like part of my "whole thing", it's not a "lifestyle" that one should advertise unless your a sponsored competitor.

I know that certain brands might try to promote carrying and shooting as a "lifestyle" but I think it's sort of tacky and kitsch. I've seen some pretty horrible gun advertising where the man or woman is all decked out in tactical boots and pants, glock tee and hat or something like that, or the entire Texan family who is walking around the mall and all are wearing OWB full size guns for all to see and dad is wearing "these colors don't run" American flag shirt...... not my thing....
 
Blue Jays said:
Likely does not even need to be a discussion subject in initial stages.
In the age of Match and similar…first dates are usually just a coffee.
Find other content to talk about and save the serious topics for later.
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Yup. When I was in the dating world, I never told any dates about it. It's called concealed for a reason
 
We pick clothing to conceal our firearms, do not go places the law prohibits or commercial businesses who request CWL holders stay out, travel to (or not) where our licenses allow us to carry...
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I don't pick clothing to conceal my firearm, I go where I want and if the law prohibits carry there, I don't carry there. I don't travel very much, but that's got nothing to do with carrying--I just don't like traveling.
If this (rational) process was applied, I'd bet that there would be a lot less carrying. But in the end, carrying, in most cases, is not a rational decision. It has to do with emotions or "feels," often on very deep levels.
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Oddly enough, I think there would be more people carrying. I think a lot of people don't carry for reasons that have nothing to do with rational decision making. They worry about what people will think if they find out, they feel like carrying is some kind of a burden, they don't want to "live their life that way", whatever that means, etc. I see people actually getting emotionally exercised about the idea of carrying--in the same way I had someone get very angry at me when I suggested that they might want to close their rear-entry garage door for security purposes. It was as if they felt that by ignoring the issue, they were safer and they became emotional when I brought it up. In reality, it was really very easy for them to simply close the door when there was no reason to have it open.

I find it very easy to carry, I don't care what people think about my decisions, it's no burden to me and it fits in with my general philosophy of preparing for things that I can easily prepare for. I guess you could say I have a preparedness lifestyle, but even that isn't really right. It's more a philosophy than a lifestyle.
 
When the thread started I thought about it and is concealed carry a lifestyle. So I reviewed all the definitions of lifestyle I could find. My initial thought was no it's not a lifestyle.Well maybe? Hell, I didn't have a clue. Not till several hours ago anyway. I had a VA (Veteran's Affairs) appointment at my local VA hospital. While my wife and I have Medicare and a supplemental insurance I still like visiting the VA. Anyway after a good appointment as I leave I schedule my next appointment. There on the wall the kid (anyone under 40 is a kid) who sets up appointments has a large poster titled "The Concealed Carry Lifestyle" listing all the different methods, illustrated, for concealed carry. The poster was a NSSF (National Shooting Sports Foundation) poster so they apparently must figure concealed carry is indeed a lifestyle. Me? The jury is still out. :)

I just thought it strange to see this large poster after seeing this thread a few days ago. Looked at the poster, looked at the kid, told him have a nice day and my choice is a .45 ACP I know to be reliable on my hip at 4:00 O'Clock. I smiled, he smiled and I left. :)

Ron
 
Depends on how you define lifestyle.

That being said, carring concealed has certainly altered the my life in several ways. It has influenced my wardrobe, stores I choose to patronize, some purchasing habits, etc.. Although it isn't solely responsible, carrying concealed in conjunction with working in corrections has definitely led to me to be at "condition yellow" when in public. Really, anywhere other than my own house at that. Just much more aware of my surroundings than I was before either.
 
It is and it isn’t a lifestyle change. I modify perhaps 5% of my lifestyle to accommodate CC. Post mail at a box rather than enter the Post Office, a coke with my burger instead of a beer at the local brew pub. I never carry with friends who oppose “guns” unless I inform them and ask their approval.
You have to be situationally aware at all times, a very stressful mode. I adapt to situations.
 
Why do you have to be situationally aware at all times? Are you looking to get in a gun fight? Just cause you have a concealed gun does not mean you have to use it. Use your brain. Your firearm can be a weapon of last resort.
 
Casefull said:
Why do you have to be situationally aware at all times? Are you looking to get in a gun fight?
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What? No. Being situationally aware has nothing to do with wanting to get into a gun fight and everything to do with being aware of what is going on around you. Know where the exits are, identify possible issues, and don't knowingly put yourself in a position of disadvantage. That's just good situational awareness. Doesn't matter if I'm at my kids school or a massive public gathering. I always make sure to know what is going on around me, armed or not.
 
Robert said:
What? No. Being situationally aware has nothing to do with wanting to get into a gun fight and everything to do with being aware of what is going on around you. Know where the exits are, identify possible issues, and don't knowingly put yourself in a position of disadvantage. That's just good situational awareness. Doesn't matter if I'm at my kids school or a massive public gathering. I always make sure to know what is going on around me, armed or not.
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Agree. I had a 12 year career in the woods. Had to watch out for weather, animals, tripping hazards, road obstacles, dead trees falling unexpectedly (nearly killed twice), rednecks, tourists wearing flip flops needing help, roaming dogs, dear and elk in the rut...………………..

The list goes on, but situational awareness doesn't really have anything to do with carrying a gun, it's just a state of mind, and sometimes there's a gun on your person to help get you out of a bad situation. Two separate things completely.

Robert said:
That is your choice. But I'm not letting another person's feeling dictate my safety.
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Yup. If they consider me so irresponsible and incapable of carrying a gun safely, then they don't actually know or care about me, and aren't people I need to be around.
 
I don’t see it as a life style. Some people wear wedding rings, some do not. You could go on and on with any number of objects people carry.

Is wearing boots vs shoes two different “lifestyles” or just a choice of footwear?
 
jmorris said:
I don’t see it as a life style. Some people wear wedding rings, some do not. You could go on and on with any number of objects people carry.

Is wearing boots vs shoes two different “lifestyles” or just a choice of footwear?
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Wearing boots vs shoes does not involve training, mindset, knowledge of law, being prohibited from going places that think you should not be allowed to protect yourself, additional responsibility, etc... it's hard to compare carrying other objects with carrying a gun.
 
jmorris said:
I don’t see it as a life style. Some people wear wedding rings, some do not. You could go on and on with any number of objects people carry.

Is wearing boots vs shoes two different “lifestyles” or just a choice of footwear?
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My first wedding ring shrunk so badly I had to quit wearing it. Once I finally got it off my finger, I bought a larger one that still fits. So I guess my first wedding ring was symbolic of my rather sedentary and gluttonous "lifestyle.":D
 
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