I don't consider it fear, I consider it being prepared to defend my family. I've been chased by three carloads of gangbangers one night, I've had to stand by and watch a gangbanger beat the crap out of a guy because he didn't like him, but if I'd have intervened the situation would have been worse. I've lost count of all the times I've been at gunpoint from police encounters, for various reasons, I remained calm and have walked away every time.
I carried, illegely, back in the day, did so for years, I understood my choices and the repercussions that came with them. Now it's legal and I certainly am happy about that and plan to take full advantage of it. As I've been on both ends of a gun, I don't particularly care for either end and I hope to never have to be in that situation again, but I plan to be prepared if I am.
Your life experiences are certainly going to be different than mine, so you'll make different choices than I do. People in New York city wonder why anyone would need to carry a knife, but for many it's a tool that used daily. For me, a gun is a tool I hope to never need, but I'd rather have one and not need it, than the other way.