Joe hits the nail on the head, but there's something at the root of the gun culture: American culture seems to be regulated by fear and the feeling there's a constant need to defend oneself.

Life as I know it, is not about constant fear, fear of 'the bad guys', fear of scammers, fear of germs, fear of life itself almost. Life here is lived without the feeling that every person is 'out to get you'. It's a different state of mind altogether.