It was 1987 when I was 19. I had guns in my room. My step son was 19 in 2006 and he did as well. My Oldest grandchild will be 19 in 2031 and they will too. It not a “sign of the times” thing, it’s a culture of self reliance thing.
I think it’s a bit of both sign of the times, and culture.
And, one is inevitably shaped by the other.