The present wealth of experimental data on the structure of deformed atomic nuclei challenges the original interpretation by Bohr and Mottelson of low-lying excited K π = 0 + and K π = 2 + rotational bands as β and γ time-dependent vibrations of the quadrupole shape. It is shown that the first excited K π = 02 + bands are pairing isomers with seniority zero lowered into the pairing gap by configuration dependent pairing to form a second vacuum (SV) analogous to the ground state vacuum. These bands are 2p-2h single particle configurations and have nothing to do with nuclear "vibrational collectivity". In contrast, the first excited K π = 2 + bands, that are found in all quadrupole deformed nuclei, are collective and exist as a consequence of the breaking of axial symmetry.