Is shock absorber bad?

[Hair]

If I take a shock off the truck (rear 1/2 to 2wd) push it completely collapsed with my hands using about 5 pounds of pressure, and then the shock sits there and does not return for at least 30 minutes, literally, maybe longer... and I'm not sure it ever comes back all the way... Does that mean that shock is bad? I think "yeah, it's bad" my buddy says "nope, that don't mean nothing". Am I wrong? A new one is so stout they tie it down with a wire in the box.