Aristotle said that art repairs deficiencies in nature–meaning human nature as well as wilderness–and I’ve been in mind of this because America’s emergent gun debate will inevitably sidestep the question: “What do guns repair?”
The strictest answer is that guns are for killing, hence they’re for survival. Aha! The gun lobbyists are saying we should have more guns! Nature, tooth and claw is upon us and only firearms can repair nature. We must forget laws, education, health services, job training, the very right to live without fear (the original purpose of civilization, eh?) all in the service of the survivalists’ manual.
On the whole I’d rather take my chances with fewer guns, spend more time repairing nature, which lord knows, is in some serious disrepair.
Planet of the Blind 