Most responsible adults can remain "on their game with respect to alertness, situational awareness, safety, and self-awareness" without resort to having to carry a bulky, heavy, dangerous, and expensive object. I also don't maintain any illusions that a firearm is going to save me in any likely event. I depend on my ability to be "on [my] game with respect to alertness, situational awareness, safety, and self-awareness".

The simple fact is that most people in the most dangerous neighborhoods are not armed. While a good percentage will be maimed and injured the vast majority survive without resort to shlepping around a hunk of iron. On the other side a good number of those who do arm themselves end up dead. Sounds more like a rabbit's foot, or fetish, than a tool appropriate to the situation.

I don't hike and camp much any more. Getting old has its down sides. But when I did I was always adjusting and revising what I carried. If I didn't use something on a couple of trips I left it behind because carrying things is not free. Every object and gram of weight extracts a price every time you take a step. If an object, any object, fails to justify the burden it imposes it got left behind.

Yea, I know. You are a going to object that I'm anti-gun. Except I own guns. I was considered to be a pretty good shot and still do well enough, better than most at the range when I do shoot. I even carried for a bit and made all the excuses you are about to make. Then I grew up and realized I was just being silly. There are times and places where carry makes sense but those are few and far between.

And no, the simple fact is that if you do not draw the weapon with a reasonable expectation of firing it you are not using it. You want ridiculous you could make the claim you need to carry a twenty pound life raft using the same logic. You never know, the water might rise and carrying a raft would certainly focus the mind on staying alert to any impending flooding. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Of course the same can be said for a space suit and anvil.

A life raft, an anvil, and space suit are a bit different though. They're excessively bulky, heavy, and are pretty much tailor made for one specific environment. Thankfully, in the environments they would potentially be needed, one would (hopefully) be provided for those in need. I mean, if I was going on a boat, I wouldn't want to go on one that isn't equipped with a suitable number of life rafts/life vests.

Many firearms, on the other hand, don't share those qualities. Many modern firearms are small enough to easily fit in a pocket, weigh mere ounces, and can be useful in a variety of environments. More importantly, one might not always be provided for someone when they might need it. Hence the desire for many to be equipped with a firearm.

I don't think it's silly at all. If it's legal, one is willing to properly commit to it, and they feel it can be of value to them, than I don't see any reason to lambast their decision. I mean, I've never used a whistle to save my life or the life of another, but I've still got them all over my gear just-in-case. Just like situational awareness only goes so far sometimes, the sound of my voice only travels so far.