It originated in socal for desert racing with all the elevation changes. It actually has a purpose if you plan on speeding over a dune and don’t want to nose dive.
Southern truck culture just adopted it as a chud aesthetic without even considering the practical aspects.
Edit: and you are completely correct it’s dangerous af on the road. Technically illegal most places but pigs don’t enforce it.
Also jealousy sometimes, I see the local squat pulled over chatting it up with em every once in a while