I guess it is that my perspective is of course based on my life experiences, but it seems to me that it is far more commmon to face a survival issue due to criminal activity in this day and age than natural(earthquakes, hurricanes, things falling from the sky) or synthetic(Chernobyl, WMD, other things falling from the sky) disasters. Even with my numerous romps into the big forest and beyond, I've faced far more near survival SHTF scenarios where I was darned glad I was packing a gun, even though I've seldom deployed one. Let's face it, even a multi-tool is going to become an inadquate implement in such a situation, though it will be far more employable as a deterrent than say a space blanket would be. IMHO, the threat is common enough to warrant me having and being willing to use a firearm on a regular basis, both at home and while in transit, where I can reasonably expect to get away with doing so. This is not a universal condition, and on a case by case basis, each person must make that determination for themselves. I will say that in so doing, I am not only better prepared defensively, but I am also in a mindset where I am more aware of my surroundings just because I am armed. It seems like the very aspect of being armed naturally raises my anxiety level to what I would consider an appropriate level to enhance threat avoidance. I think that is a more common trait amongst responsible gun owners as well.

I've been up close and personal with one tornado in my life. I've never been lost in the big forest or the big city for more than an hour, despite not always entering those realms under the most prepared or ideal conditions. I have been shot at more than once, and I've been accosted both in the city and on the trail, and will not face those situations without being armed again unless under the most dire need. Each of us must respond according to our own impression of what is and isn't a risk, and prioritize those risks and our responses accordingly. I know mine are different from others, and each are nonetheless just as real I reckon.