Originally Posted by Kestrel

No, typically all they want is your money. They are using the gun and their words to intimidate you into giving them the money. Are you gambling that's all they want? Yes. But if you fight, you're gambling that you have the skill (and luck) to win in the end because that is the end game. 4with firearms vs. 1 with a knife that's out of reach is not great odds in a fight. Do you think on average people can win in a situation like that? The Marine won because he got lucky that the second firearm malfunctioned. He could've just as easily been shot, and then the headlines would be very different.

Why am I giving them the wallet and hoping for the best? Because I'm choosing my fights, and trying to avoid those I am unlikely to win. Giving them the wallet != don't fight. It means that you're doing what you can to defuse the situation because it is greatly stacked against you, but being prepared to fight if it becomes necessary.