You nailed it, ElleElle. In some places, guns are common place, not as a "self defense", but "in defense" of "environmental factors". "Open Carry" laws have been around in my state, Arizona, since before Arizona became a state.
Now take in consideration that Arizona has only been a State for a little over 100 years. We have many dangerous and deadly predators, ie. animals, and venomous reptiles. The state was founded on the industries of Cotton, Cattle, Copper, and Citrus, all of which put the participants in situations where they could and usually did encounter those environmental dangers. Hunting decided whether you survived.
Add to that, the Comancheros, Indians, and bandits that were still a part of the State's history the first few decades of the 1900's. Prior to that, the Mexican-American War was going on. Arizona wasn't even in existence when the Civil War was going on. Slavery wasn't even an issue and many settlers moved here just to get away from it.
I'm used to seeing holstered weapons and "long guns"in racks on the back windows of trucks. It was common place in Scottsdale where I grew up, and up here where I've lived for the past 24 years.
Native Arizonans don't see weapons as "living in fear", they see it as a "tool for safety". Don't get me wrong, there are many non-Arizonans who move here and go all "Yosemite Sam" with the legalities of guns. They usually run afoul of the Law at one point or another because they don't have a handle on gun ownership.
Guns were allowed in the County Courthouse in Yavapai County (my county) until just 15 years ago, and that only happened because some silly 16 year old decided she was going to help her boyfriend escape during his court trial.:facepalm:
Some societies can handle possessing weapons, and a lot of it has to do with the culture and respect that THAT society places on them. Other societies place "status" on the ownership of a weapon<- that's where things go bad.
JMO.