Isn't this sort of thing one of the responsibilities of a good coach/instructor?
There are so many different ways of looking at this that you could come up with pros and cons for every single situation. It's almost pointless.
I think the key to understand is that each situation is different and probably requires a different approach. This is the sort of topic that each individual really needs to think about himself and decide what his needs are.
I agree that it's possible that some practices might emphasize "sticking around" and fighting, etc. However, some situations might require that.
All in all, I'd say it's important to be cognizant of what one's needs are, the situation one is involved within and be taught hown to think and analyze on the fly.