+1 to Max and Jbotti's comments
I spent several years in the late 90s/early 00s free-skiing on traditional GS skis (205cm Volkls... truly unbendable 2x4s). They were eerily stable and held an unflinching edge on New England ice. They had no speed limit that I could possibly reach, even skiing MUCH faster than was safe (always on empty slopes), but in 4-5 years I never once bent them into an arc and carved a good turn.
Those big boy skis did save my neck once. It was a VT boilerplate day and a skidding-out-of-control skier barrelled into me from the right rear. He appeared in my periphery vision at the last second, so I had no time to do anything but brace for the inevitable collision. Fortunately, I was at the apex of a L turn, so my R ski was fully engaged. I edged that Volkl HARD and countered my upper body to face him across the stance ski (just like PMTS teaches CA!). I also spread my arms wide to catch him, pole tips pointing low and away (I believe I invented the No STAB Pole Plant). The guy was much larger (~220lb vs my 130lb) and moving fast, yet when his skis slammed into my edgelocked Volkl he literally bounced off it. My ski barely moved, I doubt it shifted even an inch off line, yet he cartwheeled away, gear flying everywhere. Of course I stopped and helped him up (he was unhurt, though quite shaken up and embarassed). As I helped him retrieve his gear I suggested that he learn how to ski before he hurt somebody. What if he'd run into a small child instead of me?
So, those big GS skis were quite literally bombproof, HOWEVER, my inability to bend and carve them impaired and delayed development of real skiing skills - as Max said.