The Daily Grind: Why is fluff considered fluff?

Yesterday's news of the World of Warcraft player who leveled to 90 without a single kill generated some interesting comments. A couple of them got us to thinking why MMO fluff is considered fluff, and why video gaming in general is so heavily focused on combat.

Combat is probably the easiest answer when it comes to progression and monetization-based design, but shouldn't MMOs be something more than sticking the pointy end into the other man over and over again?

So how about it, Massively readers? Why is fluff considered fluff?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!