Muscle constructors are often labeled as narcissists because they spend a lot of time in the gym in the quest for superior muscular development. As a result, gym outsiders consider muscle worshipers self-centered individuals who have a hard time seeing beyond their own existence and well-being.
This leads us to the question – is bodybuilding a superficial narcissistic activity?
To Help Others, You Have To Help Yourself First
It’s almost impossible to help those in need when you’re a victim yourself. How are you supposed to feed people when you are starving?
Obviously, a person in a healthy condition can help more people than a sick man living on the street.
In short, you’re more helpful to society when you’re in a good condition. Bodybuilding can help you in that endeavor. Stronger joints, endurance and muscle mass make you a better version of yourself. This translates positively to any altruistic cause.
You Are The Owner Of Your Body
One of the things that you own regardless of human laws and other misconceptions is your body. Nobody on this planet has the authority to tell you how to treat your own physical form. If you want to improve your body composition, you have the universe’s permission to do so.
Everything that we do in this materialistic world is an expression of our bodies. To a certain degree, the labor of a person is an extension of the body too. When you work, you’re producing a product resulting from your physical efforts.
Any form of external force restricting or abusing the expression of your body represents unjustified control.
The big corporations are exploiting people by stealing their labor. This is a wrong because the companies are practically claiming ownership over their employees’ bodies.
Every Good Deed Is Egoistic
Every good deed is motivated by egoistic and selfish reasons.
Yes, you may be doing good to someone, but you’re mostly doing it for yourself and your own inner peace. Altruism is just an illusion. It does not exist in reality.
Wake up! You’re not the only one here.
You can try to sugarcoat it, but suffering will remain an existential part of this world controlled by duality. You can’t have a day without a night and birth without death. You can’t be happy without moments of sadness.
Since we are all trapped in this Hell together, and technically our enemy is the same, it makes sense to help others when there’s a possibility to do so. After all, you never know when you will be in a losing position, relying on the mercy of others.
In conclusion
There are activities and mainstream ideas that are more narcissistic than bodybuilding. In its true form, bodybuilding is a personal battle against physical and mental weakness.
Who is more narcissistic – the person that spends 2 hours in the Mall looking for “sexy clothes” or the individual who sacrifices time to improve the only clothing that we really have (our bodies)?
Yes, there are many bodybuilders who spend 1 hour a day flexing their biceps in front of the mirror, but bodybuilding is not to blame. It’s the need to look good in the eyes of others that can tilt the scale in favor of narcissistic existence.
The world would be a better place if we focus on improving our physical appearance naturally instead of losing sleep over trivial things such as “are my shoes good enough“, “is my Facebook status catchy enough“, “will he like me if I have small tits“, “my friend sold his Xbox and therefore is no longer my friend“…etc.
In short, bodybuilding is not narcissistic. We are.
https://www.reddit.com/r/nattyorjuice/comments/6bc423/austin_dunham_calisthenics_only_since_2014/
Please review Austin Dunham, seems natural to me
As a psychologist, I’d say there is a large number of somatic narcissists in bodybuilding. No normal person would groom his/her body for that many hours. Healthy is good, obsessive is not.
Poorly written excuse to rationalize consuming enough calories to feed multiple people who are hungry. Altruism can be considered selfish in the sense of a group mentality…you do something selfless and the group takes care of you. However altruism is based on what you do for the group. Bodybuilding is for yourself.
Nothing wrong with hobbies. This one produces ego and vanity. Huge muscles to intimidate me? I’ll use a knife and tazer.
Bodybuilders not only strive for perfection in their own physical appearance, but also demand the same level of perfection from the women they date. Being 3 times more jacked than a Greek God, as depicted in statues and literature, can have a narcissisting (if there’s such a word) affect in the long run.
So yes, bodybuilding is definitely a narcissistic activity. I mean, would you rather be a dork with a dad bod, or like Ravishing Rick Rude used to say before his wrestling matches: THIS IS WHAT A REAL SEXY MAN IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE 😃
And the average fat, lazy, out of shape slob, eats enough calories to feed multiple hungry people as well. At least bodybuilders NEED to consume all those calories to help reach their goals, instead of sitting on the couch watching cartoons all day long.
From my perspective, that sounds like a poorly written excuse to rationalize your envy for a certain group of people. Do you even lift bro?