I understand that there are idiots but there are also plenty of people who are also trying to learn the game without losing any real money. When I taught my wife how to play a few months ago we started with play money on PP. Some tournaments were as described above. Others were full of very nice and solid players.

Also, I played only limit when I learned. They didn't have NL play money tables, nor did they have many NL real money for that matter.