First of all, let’s try to avoid American-bashing, and stay respectful to everyone.
I’ll start: for me it’s the tipping culture. Especially nowadays, with the recent post on !mildlyinfuriating@lemmy.world with the 40% tip, it just seems so weird to me to have to pay extra just so that menu prices can stay low.
I understand it in rural regions. There is more wild nature in the US. In Europe most wolves have names. In Germany at least.
I still agree with you in general though. It seems weird that guns are a symbol of freedom for many there.
If you ask me it must be some sort of escapism. Owning and firing guns is an outlet, makes them think “I could totally overthrow this tyrannical government if I wanted to”.
But of course a government that’s had an armed population for hundreds of years knows how to deal with it and if anybody ever tried anything remotely resembling an insurrection they’d come down on them like a ton of bricks.
Guns are like SUVs- 90+% have no need for them but have them anyway and don’t use them for their intended purpose.