Yes, the off the cuff generalizations seem funny in contrast to each other. But it's possible for things to be strong and fragile at the same time. The classic example is an eggshell. It's surprisingly strong against even compression forces, and yet as delicate a an eggshell (Duh!).

We see the same kind of things in aluminum and steel high end steel frames. They're plenty strong, yet can dent easily and the dent will be a stress riser leading to failure.

If you look underneath a modern heavy duty truck, you'll often see a large decal saying "DO NOT DRILL" on the steel frame. That's because it's made of high strength steel alloy which accounts for the high load rating, yet cannot tolerate a drilled hole.

I'm not a big fan of CF frames and ride metal partly because I work with metal and understand it better than CF, and partly because I don't race, nor tend to go with the latest and greatest in anything. But I try to maintain perspective, and provide balance vs, the Greek Chorus we get on every thread where CF is mentioned.

We should also remember that a top end race frame won't be as tough as a street bike, the same way a race car couldn't handle the potholes streets of our larger cities.