Indeed. Knives are as bad as guns, just a little bit cheaper (which means it's easier to rationalize buying one). For everyday carry I'd recommend getting a folding knife. As mentioned, it is illegal in some states to carry a fixed blade knife and folders are just more comfortable for day to day carry. A couple suggestions:
Smith & Wesson SWAT: An excellent entry-level folder. Under $40 for most models. Smith & Wesson is a gun company originally (duh) but they make good knives too. Check some out
here
Benchmade: One of the best mass-production folding knives you can get. More expensive than a SWAT but worth it. Look around
here at the different models. I personall recommend the Stryker, AFCK, Ares, and McHenry Williams lines.
Spyderco: Another very good qualtiy knife. I don't have a lot of experience with them. My one hangup with Spyderco is that (unlike Smith & Wesson and Benchmade) there knives are designed to be opened one-handed, but not closed one handed. Being able to get the knife out and cut something one handed is more important, but being able to put it away one handed is also really nice. Look at them
here
Other possibilities: Kershaw, Gerber, SOG, others
www.knifecenter.com is an excellent source of information and is also one of the cheapest places I know of to get knives. All the links above are from knifecenter. I'd encourage you to look around and see what grabs your fancy. Also, if at all possible, find a place locally that sells these knives and look at them firsthand. I have ordered knives off the Internet before and sometimes they aren't quite what you expect. Knifecenter is good about returns, but best if you don't have to deal with that.
For camping, killing, skinning, grossing people out I would recommend a fixed blade. They are bigger and better equipped for those jobs. A few suggestions:
Ka-Bar: A classic. $40-50 for an excellent knife. Lots of models
here I'd recommend the U.S.M.C. fighting knives.
SOG: Usually expensive, but superb quality. I have a Government Agent that I'm very pleased with. One hang up, SOG has gone to Kydex sheaths (more on that below). If you wander around Ebay you can find older models with nylon sheaths. That's my recommendation. Check out their knives
here
Benchmade Nimravus: Nice mid-sized fixed blade. All the good things I said about Benchmade. Over $100, so it might not be a good choice for a first knife.
Here
And now, Kydex sheaths.
This is a good example of what they look like. I hate them with a passion. I'll state that up front. My reasons... One, because of their design (two piece of Kydex riveted together) they have to be very wide to have room for the rivets along the outside. Two, the Kydex is very tough on the blades. I had Kydex sheath for a while. After a very short time scratch marks were showing up on the blade of my knife just from taking it out and putting it away. In point of fact, it probably doesn't wreck the knife. But it looks bad. I don't like them. If you don't mind they are tough, durable sheaths and some people like them. I'm not one of those people.
That's my thoughts on knives. Get a good one, you won't regret it. If you have questions feel free to post them.
I have, however, cut myself more than once with my folders over the years. Rule number one: Don't put a slender piece of tubing against your index finger as a backstop and think you can "stop when you get through it." 
I didn't even meet you yet. 