Yes, very true what you say about the exceptions and the common.

The best stories of my life were exceptional and they only happen on a rare basis. Yet when I want to share them, I have to use a style of exaggeration, the only form where people listen to you.

I can say "once on vacation we saved some peoples lives" and then ask "what it will be for dinner." Hardly I would get any attention. LOL

Also, the art of irritation works, like with your sentence that "an armed population is a polite population", for usually the brain doesn't connect politeness with firearms.