A long line of killers and thugs have been branded as ‘bodybuilders’ by journalists willing to sacrifice imprecision for a little extra sizzle. Here's why it matters
ahahaha, yeah, that's an article unto itself. it's a good picture, though. lots of size, so perhaps normies might have thought (if they thought about it at all) that he's just a BBer who is "bulking."
But stepping outside of the internal, professional jargon of bodybuilding competitions, the use of the term is the same as we use "athlete". There's "professional athlete" and then there's just "athlete" which does not necessarily denote anything competitive or professional. And using the term simply to mean "someone into fitness" but in a specifically body shaping way, "bodybuilder" is the best word out there. And language is a living thing, yo, so a colloquial non-internal use of any given word is always fair game, and not a forever misuse.
On the subject of "bodybuilder" as a anti-social pervert sociopath type character, it makes as much sense as when they do the same with hackers or RPG players - it's a solitary, solo endeavor, so it works well with the concept. (Even though, of course, when you watch documentaries about most bodybuilders, they're constantly surrounded by their own, all working out together.)
Correct, and I use it that way too, and can't stop it (it's a bigger concern for Anthony Roberts than it is for me, only because he's a guy who likes precision, but we both realize it's a joke on some level). The real point here was the second one, which is simply that it's used in that negative context a lot.
And yes, most of the actual regular competitors in bodybuilding or any other gym sports...are working out in the gym together, including Fussell, who was nevertheless writing about how solitary his life was even as he wrote about his workouts with his gym partners.
Whatever the correct term is for this activity - it’s part of Persian culture. Read a very interesting book by an Englishman living in Tehran who became involved in it - it didn’t sound creepy at all, just serious and intense. Sorry I can’t recall the title. Not a fan of the mullahs but I agree with you that the tone used for these activities is inappropriately censorious and ignorant.
What an interesting life that man had. Thank you for the link to the article; I enjoyed it.
I remembered the title of that book (to my surprise - it's been so many years since I read it): In the Rose Garden of the Martyrs, Christopher Bellaigue.
Ahhh, yes…back in my blond youth.
But remember, the only thing worse than being labeled a “bodybuilder” is being asked “Do you lift weights?” 😂
ahahaha, yeah, that's an article unto itself. it's a good picture, though. lots of size, so perhaps normies might have thought (if they thought about it at all) that he's just a BBer who is "bulking."
But stepping outside of the internal, professional jargon of bodybuilding competitions, the use of the term is the same as we use "athlete". There's "professional athlete" and then there's just "athlete" which does not necessarily denote anything competitive or professional. And using the term simply to mean "someone into fitness" but in a specifically body shaping way, "bodybuilder" is the best word out there. And language is a living thing, yo, so a colloquial non-internal use of any given word is always fair game, and not a forever misuse.
On the subject of "bodybuilder" as a anti-social pervert sociopath type character, it makes as much sense as when they do the same with hackers or RPG players - it's a solitary, solo endeavor, so it works well with the concept. (Even though, of course, when you watch documentaries about most bodybuilders, they're constantly surrounded by their own, all working out together.)
Correct, and I use it that way too, and can't stop it (it's a bigger concern for Anthony Roberts than it is for me, only because he's a guy who likes precision, but we both realize it's a joke on some level). The real point here was the second one, which is simply that it's used in that negative context a lot.
And yes, most of the actual regular competitors in bodybuilding or any other gym sports...are working out in the gym together, including Fussell, who was nevertheless writing about how solitary his life was even as he wrote about his workouts with his gym partners.
Whatever the correct term is for this activity - it’s part of Persian culture. Read a very interesting book by an Englishman living in Tehran who became involved in it - it didn’t sound creepy at all, just serious and intense. Sorry I can’t recall the title. Not a fan of the mullahs but I agree with you that the tone used for these activities is inappropriately censorious and ignorant.
Truly is, and yes, Persian sporting culture is pretty impressive in general, from weightlifting to wrestling (I touched on it a bit - briefly of course - in my long obituary for the Iron Sheik, just one of many great amateur wrestlers to come from there: https://www.theringer.com/2023/06/08/mma/the-iron-sheik-obituary-pro-wrestling-wwe-hall-of-fame)
What an interesting life that man had. Thank you for the link to the article; I enjoyed it.
I remembered the title of that book (to my surprise - it's been so many years since I read it): In the Rose Garden of the Martyrs, Christopher Bellaigue.