A few things come to mind in this discussion.
First... I don't see why it was necessary to take a positive story, and have this single anecdote become a judgement on a body of knowledge.
* Girl gets jumped. Girl kicks butt. Good guy wins.
* The survival stress response (SSR) changes our performance.
Those are two statements, and one doesn't necessarily say something about the next.
And on the judgement thing...
I'm in the long, slow process of trying to get a quality Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy. I missed out on a Feb 1 delivery litter, and am now looking at maybe June 1. My poor boys are anxious, but we'll end up with a decent dog after all is said and done.
Ridges are best known for two traits. First, they're the only breed of dog with a ridge of hair growing backwards over their spine. It gives them quite the creepy look should you ever think to confront such an animal. Second, they are THE ONLY dog bred to hold a lion at bay - and live to talk about it.
Let's think about that latter trait for a bit. They hold a lion at bay. This isn't chit chat talk, folks; it's real life. This South African breed (with Asian and European roots) was a companion for folks who either needed farms protected or who liked actively to go out and hunt lions.
It is also know that RR are a bit difficult to train. They can be "hard headed." If you don't know what you are doing, said dog can train the family rather than the other way around.
Think about that... Do you think there is any connection between being able to hold a lion at bay - and live through it - and being stubborn? How long do you think such a dog would last "on the job" if it did exactly what its master told it to do?
The points I'm trying to make are the following:
1) The girl was jumped. She kicked butt.
2) The girl trained, and felt her training helped in the outcome.
3) We weren't there. But of course it's fun to Monday-morning quarterback.
You see... To some extent, being able to survive in the field means being able to make snap decisions about what is or is not appropriate. Fixed formulas get you killed. The study of principles and scenario training will get a person to the point that they can think on their feet and have a better chance of surviving.
Or maybe we should breed the Rhodesian Ridgeback to be completely obedient. That'll sure help it when facing the lion, right?
Heeelll no! That's my ass out there facing the damn lion!!!
When Darwin's principles of natural selection talk, maybe we should listen.
- Bill