LostSoul said:
Implicit in this statement is that men do violence casually and for entertainment; that men do not need to get "real worked up" or invested before they get violent, and that it's for fun. I don't think you meant to attack men, but your statement could easily be seen that way.
Implicit in the genre of D&D is the understanding that killing things and taking their stuff is fun. Combat is a hoot. Run a scenario that goes too long without a combat and most players will start to get antsy about when they get to hit something.
Now, obviously there are men who don't enjoy pretending about violence and women who do, no gender rule is absolute. But
in general the typical D&D player is male, and the sales materials are geared towards a male clientel. So you tell me, do guys find combat, (pretend combat anyway), amusing? I would hazard a guess that most do.
I can count the nonviolent, pacifist PCs I have encountered on one finger. And I ran her, and I can tell you that the system, it's not set up to support her kind. You don't get levels without killing stuff and collecting their treasure. And you get up the party's nose real quick, because even if
you are willing to make that sacrifice, most others aren't.
D&D rewards violent resolution to conflicts. The pure satisfaction of engaing in problem solving behaviors that are not acceptable in the "real world" is a fundamental part of the escapist fantasy.
): Not every 17-year-old has to be immature - just like not every 64-year-old has to mature. 
