Why do we judge them?

[Deejay_Spike]

Why Do We Judge Them ?

Last night I had a talk with my mom about some cyclists.
And I say like : "You know, these guys... despite everything,
they're still great athletes."
I have no idea how, but we started talking about doping.
My Mom just can't understand why athletes would juice.
And she states to have no respect for these people for taking
the risk of screwing up their lives on the long term.
I told my mom I actually had quite some respect for them.

Now, let's analyse why so many people tend to judge people
who take roids, epo etc etc etc.
Jealousy? Maybe.
Hate? Could be.

To me, this judging merely comes from a different view on the
world. See, we, as amateurs, naturals etc. live to do certain
things, like having a family and living over a 100 years old.
Basically, we want to live a long and happy life. And the sport
is just a hobby, an extra, or a way to help you achieve some
goals in life.

Now, what's going on in our head? We see many juicing athletes,
and we think, from our point of view "this guy is nuts! He's
screwing up his health, and it wouldn't surprise ma if he doesn't
reach 65 years." So what happens? Yup, we judge them, we look
down on them, sometimes even despise them, by acting like the
school psychiatrist from South Park :
"Drugs are bad, mmkay?"

What about the athlete himself? I think it is obvious that for
the top-level athlete, the only thing that counts in life is
winning. They are born to win, they live to win, and almost
nothing else matters. You already noticed this is a radically
different point of view. These athletes KNOW what they do to
their bodies. They KNOW that they maybe won't live that old.
But to them that is not important. What matters is that they have
that trophy, or that title. and many will do whatever it takes
to achieve that. Even if that means screwing up your health.
I know a great athlete who said : "When you're competing in the
top pro levels, your health comes in last. The only thing on your
mind is winning."
So they don't mind taking juice if they may win from doing it.

People say you should live life at 100%...
That's right... but the way you do that depends on what goals
you have.

I have a lot of respect for the athletes who knowingly take juice.
I try not to judge them, because they just don't live life the way
we do.

[Gene]

Why do people choose the cross the street on a red light?
Why do people travel via airplanes?
Why do people do this? Why do people do that?
Hunting or car racing is just as ponderously absurd to me as is bodybuilding to someone else. Risks are omnipresent in life, such is its nature.

Arguing the issue of steroids is meaningless with people who lack knowledge on the subject, this include doctors and other medical professionals who attain knowledge through medical textbooks and journals. Why does an athlete use steroids? Because the athlete he's competing against is juicing as well. People make a choice to try to become professional athletes, and eventually down the line they must make decisions. Doctors will pull cases out of context, linking steroid use to manifold side-effects that are so numerous they hardly worth listing. More often than not, this information will be exagerated. Many side-effects are mild, non-existant, and often reversible once steroid use is discontinued.

This is a very difficult subject to debate, as most of the people debating this subject know nothing about it. Such is the conundrum -- its a personal choice that is prevalent in professional sport, and unless a person has experienced this first hand, his/her opinion will continue to be weak, this includes (but is not limited to) the media. If a movie actor wants to look ripped for a movie so that it would blast his career to another level, thats his personal choice -- he'll contact the proper people and under careful guidance make a personal choice as to whether or not to do a cycle of steroids. If a baseball player can increase his strength the hit the baseball an additional 50 feet... well... I think its obvious. The laymen have no business disrespecting or judging steroid users, period. (no offense to your mother, people are of course entitled to their opinions and those that lack knowledge often don't know any better and can't be blamed -- but should rather be educated to fix the ignorance).

[bigguy]

I understand why people do steroids. For those who dont do it for athletic purposes, I've always seen it as 'small man syndrome'
My co-worker was 160 lbs @ 6'6". He has eaten some extremely strict diets, with passive ammount of carbs, and calories in excess of 10K/day. He has no known medical problem, except for the fact that his metabolism is out of hand. He used steroids to gain some mass and he is now 180lbs, which makes a huge difference. His confidence level is way up, people dont make fun of him as much, and he is now able to compete better in martial arts.

I also have a client/good friend who is has gone way out of hand with roids. He started at a very unhealthy age, 14, and did massive ammounts. He is 30 years old now, stuck at a mere height of 5'5, and has major health problems. He has had 3 brain tumors, 1 heart attack, and gets seizures(sp?) if he doesnt take his medicine. He is pretty well built at 160lbs. He used to be 190 lbs, but having to spend 2 years in the hospital learning how to walk again really took a bite out of his career. The doctors gave him 3 years to live, 5 years ago. He is back to his old ways doing roids, and pushing himself to the limit.

One day if I feel the need to excel further after reaching my natural limit I may consider roids. I doubt it, but who knows whats going to happen in 5 years. I dont have the need for size, as I already have a lean body mass of 250lbs with a good 70 lbs of fat on top of that I need to get rid of.

[p0w3rlift3r]

i dunno the poet or the writer whatever of the story i am about to present but i do know there is a cockroach named archie in it lol



The Story of the Moth and the cockroach -by i dunno :D

one day a cockroach spent his day watching moths fly into a lightbulb and get fried. one by one these moths flew into this lightbulb, finally the cockroach had made up his mind and would ask one of these moths why the hell they flew into this lightbulb, so he did he called a moth over there to talk with him. He asked the moth "Why do your kind fly into the lightbulb just to kill yourselves?" "thats simple" says the moth, "us moths see you cockroaches day after day diong not much everyday, you eat and have kids teach your kids the ways to get food and eat, us moths laugh at your kind, however us moths prefer to live wild and exciting lives we live about 2/3's of the life you cockroaches live but when we fly into the lightbulb its the greatest, best, most stupendios, outstanding feeling one can feel, its so beautiful and great, you see cockroach why you live 1/3 longer than us moths your lives are often dull and boring in comparason to ours. moths live there life to the fullest and in the end have no regrets" The cockroach after hearing the moths testimony watched him fly into a lightbulb and get fried. once agian the cockroach still wonders why the **** the moths would do such a thing, the cockroach will never understand becuase he does not want something so much as the moth does, the goals of the two diff species our completely different and niether will ever understand each other


this is much like roid users and naturals or outside viewers, you will never know how a roid user feels unless you yourself has done them and you yourself knows the reasons why

[powertrainer230]

AHH yes the Moth and the roach! Unfortunatly in our society the majority of Roaches has gotten together and turned off all the bulbs. Any Moth being seen trying to turn on a bulb gets his wings cliped off by the Roach rolice. Roaches try to brainwash Moths and tell them that bulbs are evil and persecute them if they dont try to live like a roach! I say us Moths get together and defend our bulbs!

[Hunglikeahorse]

I agree people have their own opinions and have the right to do what they want with their bodies. However, I dont think that they are solid studies on steroid use 10-15-20-25-30 years after u use them. Personally, I dont understand the need to use them, lets face it u r not gonna win Mr. Universe, so why put your health in danger for an extra 50 pounds? Hope i did not piss anyone off.

[deaduarte88]

they see steroids as cheating, as an easy button and they are afraid that their children will go for the easy button first chance they get instead of pushing their bodies and minds past those barriers set for them. and it can be an easy button, at least easier, but only if misused. and shouldn't that be our choice i have never used but i dont want the option to be taken from me. the athletes who use are simply going all out in my opinion, call him a cheater but never a quitter, they were willing to go further then the rest for a goal, a dream.

[StaceyK89]

To me, it's basically cheating. Sure they are screwing up their health, but by "juicing", you take away the integrity in fair competition.

Anyone can "juice", but it takes real hard work and dedication to become the best at a sport without juicing.

[asto_86]

To me, it's basically cheating. Sure they are screwing up their health, but by "juicing", you take away the integrity in fair competition.

Anyone can "juice", but it takes real hard work and dedication to become the best at a sport without juicing.

does it not take hard work and dedication when juicing?

It's ideas like these that make me wonder what people think juicers go through. Is it the easy way out?? Hell no, lol.. they dont just sit on the couch and watch family guy while snacking on pringles with a needle sticking out of their arm. The juicers work just as hard, if not harder than the natural..
However, I dont wanna try it, lol..

[Mortum]

Boy, these pretzels are making me thirsty.

[Sublime82]

Maybe individuals who use banned substances are respected by some in bodybuilding, but in any other sport they are cheating, plain and simple. The OP completely neglects the fact that by knowingly using banned substances, they give themselves an unfair advantage over other athletes and damage the integrity of their sport.

[StaceyK89]

does it not take hard work and dedication when juicing?

It's ideas like these that make me wonder what people think juicers go through. Is it the easy way out?? Hell no, lol.. they dont just sit on the couch and watch family guy while snacking on pringles with a needle sticking out of their arm. The juicers work just as hard, if not harder than the natural..
However, I dont wanna try it, lol..

Take baseball for example, would Barry Bonds have as many home runs as he did if he didn't juice? same with Mark McGuire? highly unlikely.

My brother is a big baseball fan, and he even said it himself, it isn't a coincidence that baseball players are not hitting the same amount of home runs than a few years ago, mainly due to the fact of how the integrity of baseball has been ruined by players cheating.

I don't care if they work hard or not, and obviously you still need to workout to see results when you use banned substances, but the fact of the matter is, they give themselves an unfair advantage over other people.

However, I'll admit a bit of ignorance when it comes to subject of bodybuilding, because I am new to it (if you were implying bodybuilding). I guess in bodybuilding people are trying to make themselves look better, and I could see the argument made that people have cosmetic surgery and other type of stuff to make themselves look better too(those have consequences too).

[RoninHunter]

I think it has alot to do with upbringing. I remember teachers at primary school during the atlanta olympics teaching us about what perfomance enhancing drugs are and their basic speech was "sometimes people takes drugs to make them play better, but the drugs are illegal. Don't do drugs or you'll die." I was 7 at the time so the basics was all I needed about drugs.
However the point is that kids get taught to do what their elders say and they usually say don't do drugs no matter what.
When I injured my shoulder and was told to take some time off I said no and inquired as to what drugs would allow me to heal quicker and keep training. I can't live without pushing myself. I don't care about 65 years old, I won't be fighting when I'm 65, I want it now and if I must take something I'll take it. If I didn't get tested I would juice.
And that's my 2 cents.

[Hrithan2020]

Maybe individuals who use banned substances are respected by some in bodybuilding, but in any other sport they are cheating, plain and simple. The OP completely neglects the fact that by knowingly using banned substances, they give themselves an unfair advantage over other athletes and damage the integrity of their sport.

Yeah this is my main issue with using banned substances; in some sports where all elite competitors use them, it won't give any unfair advantage, I suppose.

I don't know about all sports though. ( It is another thing that some think that everyone at elite level in all kinds of sports use one or another sort of performance-enhancing banned drugs )