I very rarely play any games on easy. I start on normal and if that becomes too easy, I go up from there.
I have to say though, difficulty elitists irritate me. For instance, while I enjoy playing STALKER on maximum difficulty because I like the challenge and acute sense of fear that comes with it, that doesn't mean I think everyone should play on that difficulty, some people may not be quite as good at the game, and would find it too difficult to the point that they died repeatedly, whereas others might be capable of playing on a high difficulty, but not want to have to try that hard, which is understandable since different people play games in different ways. I enjoy playing games like STALKER on hard difficulties because I find it very satisfying surviving despite great difficulty, but if I was just playing to mess around and have fun, I would want to play on a lower difficulty.
This reminds me of the people who ran servers for Operation Flashpoint. Almost every one I encountered would always run the server on veteran mode (which removes most of the HUD elements, meaning that as a squad leader you can't tell where your people are unless you can see them personally, for one thing), because it's "realistic". That may be, but the result is that people in your group run off and dick around, and when you need to find them you can't because they're 500 meters away joyriding in a tractor.
No, it's not realistic to have circles around your men showing you exactly where they are, but it's also not realistic for soldiers to wander off like Alzheimers patients and ignore every radio call sent their way, because organized military units have something called discipline that generally precludes that behaviour.
