No.
If you're trying to decide between pulling the power cord and holding the power button down for 8 seconds, hold the button down. Pulling the plug could introduce surges or spikes immediately preceding the actual power loss, while holding the button does not do this.
If for any reason your system is not responding and needs to be shut down quickly, hold the button.
The only case where you ought to pull the plug rather than wait the 8 seconds while holding the button down is if you've spilled something liquid on the system where the risk of electrical short causing significant damage is greater than the risk of problems caused by pulling the plug.
UPDATE for question update: Most damage of this sort is cumulative. As in, it builds up over time. Older, weaker, or lower quality components could be actually broken by such actions, but usually not. Usually such spikes and troughs in the power will contribute to wear and tear which decreases the lifespan of the computer, but does not usually kill it right away.
And with a Thinkpad, or any laptop, you need to remove the battery and the power cord in order to hard shut off like this.
It all boils down to risk: If there is risk of liquid getting to sensitive components while they are powered up, pulling the battery and cord is not so bad in comparison. If the only risk is a virus hurting your files, holding the power button down is not so bad in comparison, but pulling the power cord and battery is much worse.
So, depending on what the situation is, take the appropriate action to mitigate damage while minimizing risk.
