Recreational Biking ----OR----- Performance Biking.
The former can be immensely enjoyable. It emphasizes fellowship, outdoors, good food, good wine, scenery and fun. I have done it for over ten years.

The latter chases (in my case) what is called a runners high. It is scary how strung up I feel. This is the result of at least two hours/day intense exercise and much more on weekends. Perhaps also the result of all this high energy food? The reward (for +50 crowd) is a temporary feeling of being empowered as in younger years. It also affects your mind. I play aggressive computer chess and have seen my point rating improve slowly over these years. Performance oriented biking is not as social because time pressures prevent socializing. A performance biker is intense and often self centered. (very much true for me)

The dispute between Wildwood and I-Like-To-Bike can be seen as a misunderstanding of Wildwoods intent. I have read his post to be a self analysis that for him (perhaps) Performance Biking would be better.
I-Like-To-Bike read this as a value judgment that Wildwood thinks that Performance Biking is better in general.

I hope this long post makes it clear that I do not think so. However, they are very different and appeal to different folks. The long term benefits of Vs the other remain to be seen.