Talked to my parents last night, they said they would think about it.
However, they said if they did let me get one, I wouldn’t be able to clip it to my pocket, because I’m “showing off” and “letting everyone know I have a weapon”. They think I don’t respect it as a weapon... I do.
They also claim the reason why knife manufacturers put the clip on the knife in the first place, is so people can show off. That is SO not true.
You guys have any words that could help me here? Some examples of why a clipped knife is better?
The main benefit of a clip is controlling orientation in the pocket. If left loose, the knife will rest at the bottom of the pocket. This usually means the knife will be horizontal, which can be less comfortable against your leg over the course of the day. Keeping the knife vertical tends to make carrying it much more comfortable. (The same is true for pens with clips in my experience.)
The clip also keeps it out of the way of other things that you might have in your pocket. If you have a loose knife and other loose objects in your pocket, they will rub together over the course of the day. This can put unwanted scratches, wear and tear on those objects. At least in my experience, I also tend to get more pocket lint (etc.) into a loose knife than I do a clipped knife.
This may be overstated but there can be a safety benefit to clipping your knife. Ideally, a strong detent will keep a knife closed. However, banging around loose in a pocket
could cause some types of folding knife to open slightly. Carrying a knife clipped such that the back of the blade is against the vertical seam of the pocket ensures that it stays closed.
There can also be a benefit in terms of one-handed use. With flipper tabs, I prefer tip-up in my right pants pocket or tip-down in my shirt pocket. The reason is that the natural way I grip them to remove them from that pocket naturally puts my finger on the tab.
I mentioned the "folding knife as a weapon" mindset previously. It is largely based on misinformation or a few bad apples making waves but perception matters. The reality is that people rarely notice a clipped knife, especially when it has a deep-carry loop-over clip. In many cases, that doesn't look much different than a clipped pen. This is based on decades of carrying pocket knives and knowing other people who do. Manufacturers generally include clips for the reasons I've discussed here, not to foment mass intimidation.
Now, there is a chance that someone who is hypersensitive and has that misinformed view of folding knives or why people carry them could feel uncomfortable if you're wearing a more obvious knife and they notice. That's exceptionally rare in my experience. Of course, I'm usually carrying knives with a deep-carry loop-over clip such as on those Civivi knives I mentioned. I'm older and dress "business casual". I don't look threatening and that can matter. I also think those particular people could be just as freaked out by almost anything so I don't worry about them. Of course, some people work in fields where they have to care. For instance, I know a guy in customer service who goes the extra step. He carries a Civivi Elementum clipped to one of those pocket organizers inside his pocket to get the benefits of a clip without any show whatsoever.
Again, I recommend communication and the promotion of understanding. Feel free to share what I've written here. Look for other resources to share with your parents. As always, do everything you can to demonstrate that you will be both responsible and helpful with a cutting tool. Be there to open packages for your parents or do any necessary cutting tasks around the house.
I have had 4 Swiss army knives, that is the first knife I was allowed to own. Once I was able to upgrade to a Gerber para frame I never really carried them much. The tools on a SAK can be nice sometimes. In my experience the blades are not that great even in the Victorinox ones. If you want to cut an occasional box it will get the job done fine. I just prefer more modern styles personally with better steels. If I was given the option between the budget spyderco line and the SAK I would get the spyderco. Use it responsibly and try and paint it in the light as a tool not a weapon and hopefully they will let you put the pocket clip back on after awhile. 
