Gun owners and American consumerism

Guns aren't a topic that I think about that much, but reading a number of threads here, notably the "I own more guns than I could possibly ever need, ask me anything" threads, it's obvious that gun owners are very often like any other American consumer. Coddled, spoiled, inundated by choices, able to scoop up the latest and greatest, and very often addicted to both the opportunity and the process.

Asked why they need all that, you'll get the standard consumer rationalizations; but this one can't possibly do that, so I need it; it's lighter, more versatile, more reliable, etc. As if essential tasks couldn't possibly be completed without the newest doo-dad. I don't just want to drive into town to shop, I want my satellite radio, my bluetooth handsfree and my navigation system in case I get lost somewhere.

I've also watched gun porn, those guns-in-action videos on youtube, with their dudes-wearing-gear and firing off their cannons in slo-mo, an integral part of the seduction process. The products themselves are increasingly sexed up with ever sleeker designs and, surely, cool packaging.

It's obvious this is yet another highly evolved consumer market that thrives on high-volume users (most people don't own guns; many own a lot of guns). It's like the beer market, where 15 percent of the drinkers consume 75 percent of the beer. The suppliers target people who are given to excess and many gun owners are caught up in the same game.