How come we play war and not peace? Too few role models.

The line frames children’s “play” as a mirror of adult culture: war games are ubiquitous because society supplies abundant narratives, toys, and heroes built around conflict, while models for practicing peace are rarer and less celebrated. The punchline—“Too few role models”—shifts responsibility from children to the world that educates them, suggesting that what seems like natural aggression is partly learned imitation. In Watterson’s typical satirical mode, the quote critiques militarism and the entertainment industry’s glamorization of violence, while also lamenting the lack of visible, compelling exemplars of nonviolent problem-solving. It implies that peace requires imagination and mentorship, not just good intentions.