Baron Max:
"And who decides what's "proper"?"
The individual based on rational decision.
"And, of course, based on what information or evidence?'
The evidence available.
"Also, is that to say that the exact same decision could be judged "proper" in different ways by different people?"
Technically not, practically yes. That is to say, technically there is only one truly proper way which achieves the greatest results, but practically speaking, people will differ on the specifics of this.
"If unsure, choose death? Why? Wouldn't it be a better course of action to wait until one has enough info so as to make such a monumental decision?"
Often one either: 1. Does not have such time to act as death is being pushed upon you. 2. The situation passes and one is placed in a negative situation which was the result of inaction.
Consider September 11th an example of the 2nd in regards to the cowards who did not fight back in the planes.
Moreover, it is always the case that one suffers greater from living when one ought to have died, then dying when one ought to have lived. Consider the Holocaust and the misery of the cowards who didn't fight back.
"Who was it that said something like, "Tis better to run away so as to fight another day." I.e., pretend to be meek and weak, then when the enemy is least suspecting, attack him and rip his lungs out!"
That can be useful at times. "All warfare is deception", says Sun Tzu. That being said, this is not always capable of working. There are times when this would be a smart tactic.
TheoryOfRelativity:
I think it was Aristotle who best addressed the notion of excesses that turn bravery into foolihardiness and the deficiency which makes it into cowardice. The idea is to match, as best as possible, one's actions to the situation, as well as considering what one can accomplish through doing the set of one's choices in any given dilemma.
Moreover, we must consider the fact that nothing risked, nothing gained. If we do not accept a degree of uncertainty in our life, boosted by our strengths, we cannot achieve anything. The safe road is not always the best.
"'pussy' to attend to yourself."
As an Englishwoman, you should well know that the British are characterized as almost comically stoic. In fact, so much so that many humourous stories about such apathy towards suffering become almost more believable than the truth. Here's an example:
Following the battle of Waterloo, Duke Wellington turned to a lietenant of his, noticed that his leg had been blown cleanly off. Clearly thinking this would be best to alert the man to, the somewhat nonchalantly notes, "By jove, my good man, I believe you have lost your leg!" After which the lieutenant, all but oblivious to the bloody stump hanging off the side of his horse, looks down, and comments dryly, "I believe so, commander. Oh well, I believe I shall take my tea early today."
Now, whether or not the lieutenant ought to have responded thus is of no consequence, really, for this is but a carciature and few take it as anything else. But it manifestly does seem that being stoic and non-complaining is a virtue, specifically when nothing can be done about it. But at the same time, no sane, rational person, would say that were it within his power to reattach his limb, that he oughtn't have, nor that one in general should not seek attention for something which is major enough to warrant such things, only that one needn't be a nagging, imbecilic, disgustingly weak complainer about it. Moreover, if we become too reliant on seeking outside help, we often diminish our own strengths, and thus render ourselves useless to both ourselves and to those others which we have privileged with our services. But then again, it is absurd to take this to an extreme which some do and which only causes harm. Balance is key.
But in regards to the mugging, I do believe you acted improperly. You saw an opportunity to act justly and to diminish the evil in this world, and through not doing so, increased it. That this is only a minor evil - despite your fears that he might want to kill or rape you, as I presume you felt - is fortunate, but you also left it up to his mercy whether you ought to live or to die. Giving into evil does not assure survival.
