The Difference Between Wants and Needs

I was having a discussion with some coworkers today. It was about crime and punishment for the most part. We discussed marijuana and prostitution in particular. We were talking about laws and the punishment for breaking a law. We were in agreement for the most part, until another manager walked into the room.

He moved the conversation from marijuana to guns. He started babbling about taxing guns and ammunition and was equating them to cars or some nonsense. For the most part, he is a pretty level-headed person but he is a very old school, country, conservative person. I stopped him and asked him why he needed a gun. He said that it makes him feel safe. I asked him how he used his guns. He said to shoot things and animals.

I explained to him that my belief is that the vast majority of people who have guns do not need guns. If you are using your guns for hunting animals that you and your family eat, then you need guns. If you are using them to shoot things, then you don't need them. You want them. There is a big difference here and I think many people get very confused. A need is something that you must have in order to survive, like food, water, clothing and shelter. A want is something that you can live without, but still desire. For most people guns are not necessary, they just want to have them.

The problem with people in this country is that we think that we have a right to do whatever we want. There are generally some limits, but if we can afford to buy something we feel like it is our right to own it. The problem is that you have a right to things that are necessary. You don't have a right to something just because you want it. That is just plain ridiculous. The people who believe this way are never happy with the decisions our government make. They often contradict themselves because they are emotional people for the most part.

It is a fact that in countries with stricter gun control laws there are fewer crimes committed with guns. In this country we are still too arrogant to learn from other countries. We insist that our way is the best way. We are very slow to change our ways. I just wish that people would open their minds and think about the larger picture before making a decision based their own private views.