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You can have compassion and empathy for the lower classes without wanting them to actually run things.
Do you think that painting people as obese walmart shoppers who dislike the things that you like is a good display of empathy and compassion? Can you see how I might interpret your opinions as being rooted in condescension and classism?
You really don't think you own a big truck and a gun because it makes you feel less small and scared? I don't buy it, I can't imagine a situation where I'd own things that project power and security for any other reason than it being rooted in fear. My father hoarded guns and ammunition before he died because he was a small man in a violent city and didn't have the skills or interest to move out of the only place he'd lived his whole life. I'm unconvinced that most red tribe people are attracted to guns because they are fun rather than because they are afraid of the government and the collapse of society and a host of other things that they have a right to be afraid of. How is it condescending to point out the horrors that people are facing? I'm just as likely to say the blue tribe are also small scared people in a big scary country but they are more prosocial and are throwing their bets in conformity and the safety of the crowd rather than the safety of self defense as the red tribe does.
Also pinging @The_Nybbler
I don't own a big truck, but I'm pretty sure big trucks make you feel smaller by comparison.
To put it in blue tribe terms: "There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, / Than are dreamt of in your philosophy" That is, reality is not limited by your imagination.
Have you paid attention to the things people do with and to their guns? Sure, target shooting and hunting and sometimes practical accessories like scopes and such. But also weird stuff like chainsaw bayonets and soda can launchers. And bump stocks, which are impractical as hell. Yeah, when it comes to defending gun rights people go to the defense argument -- because the fun stuff obviously isn't constitutionally relevant. But it's like a muscle car with flames on it -- yeah, it'll get you from point A to point B, but it's also FUN.
You buy the big truck to augment your feelings of smallness. When you control the truck you feel much larger than any person who is not controlling a truck. You feel smaller than the man controlling the tank or the semi truck but you feel bigger than anyone in anything smaller than you.
What is the source of the FUN of guns? Is it POWER?
Cool story, bro.
Naa, it's self-sourcing.
I don't know what self-sourcing means but I just googled it and it says "the ability to take care of ourselves" which I would define as power- the power to have self defense over anyone trying not to let you take care of yourself. So your response essentially boils down to "no guns aren't about power, it's about self sufficiency" which is ultimately downstream of power so I'm not sure what you are objecting to
It means they are fun in themselves, there does not need to be some "source of FUN".
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