"This is current year" or "this is current century" is a terrible argument. When someone makes a generalization about bodybuilders, they're speaking in terms of comprehension. In other words, what is the inner meaning of the term "bodybuilder" or the concept of a bodybuilder. Generally, they are narcissistic and getting up on stage in posing trunks is homo-erotic. These qualities help us comprehend the term "bodybuilder." The extension of the term "bodybuilder" is "everyone who bodybuilds" - a description of quantity instead of quality (comprehension). You're confusing the two terms in your mind. Most post-moderns/hyper-moderns do, which is why they can't think. Lifting is a thinking man's game.
Let's look at a generalization about stop-signs, which have a binomial distribution (stop/go). Generally, people stop at them and generally they stop people. But not all people stop at all stop signs. Does this mean we can't generalize about stop signs or comprehend them?
not sure about your stop sign analogy, but dissecting your first paragraph down to the generalisation that body-building encourages narcissistic self image there could be some truth in that. My point is that it is not so clear cut.
At one end of weightlifting there is the competitive bodybuilder whose ultimate goal is how they look on the stage, then the polar end has the competitive powerlifters and olympic lifters where it is all about the numbers of weight lifted off the ground/rack. However no one on this thread is a competitive power or Olympic lifter are they? Weightlifting can bring some physical appearance benefits, so if you enjoy that, then that's body building isn't it?
I therefore assumed that some of you are crossing over into recreational body building. The stage of the recreational body builder is the office or social event. One of the sports scientists I work with lifts weights. Not competitive, likes to wear t-shirts that show off his physique. I would say he is body building. He is a decent bloke though, does not look down on those who aren't fit or strong. Then there is the bloke at the end of my street, 10 years younger than me - a retired policeman. Appears to be comfortably off, owns a nice car and boat he hardly uses. Retired with PTSD, mental problems and a physical mess, has the muscle tone of a lump of jelly. Nice enough person, but I steer clear of him coz I am not a people person and not good at listening to other peoples problems. I'd rather deal with someone who takes more care of themselves and has more self respect.
Part of my back program has been to improve my posture with everyday lifestyle changes and some exercises. Over 12 years or so I have straightened out, not perfect, decades of sloppy sitting can't be cancelled out, but I enjoy having better posture and feel better about myself. So I don't see anything inherently wrong with enjoying better aesthetic benefits from lifting. Some individuals are more well rounded than others, so handle that sport better.
The superstar bodybuilders make the world a more interesting place too. I thought Terminator 2 was an awesome movie
Plus many if not all bodybuilders do include athletic numbers goals, that is numbers in terms of kilos of iron lifted off the floor as opposed to just body circumference.