Who was a better counselor, Troi or Guinan?

Discussion in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' started by shatastrophic, Aug 1, 2007.

  1. shatastrophic

    shatastrophic Commander Red Shirt

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    After making a post in the thread concerning Picard and Guinan's relationship it got me to thinking who gave the best advice. I honestly don't know, but it did seem that Guinan set people back on the right path when they needed it. Thoughts anyone?
     
  2. Vic Sixx

    Vic Sixx Commodore Commodore

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    I gotta go along and say Guinan was better. Without her empathy, Troi was useless and spent most of her time on the bridge sensing stuff. Guinan was way better.
     
  3. WillsBabe

    WillsBabe Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I don't think Guinan was a counselor. She offered advice, often unsolicited. Counselors don't do that.
     
  4. CommanderRaytas

    CommanderRaytas DISCO QUEEEEEEN Rear Admiral

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    Yes, a counsellor is usually there to listen...like a regular psychologist. I would think. Means Troi had no business on the bridge, but that's another story.

    Anyway, as to advice, I think Guinan's was better because she could just opine and tell you what she thought about whatever situation. She was no-one's therapist.
     
  5. J47

    J47 Commander Red Shirt

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    From what we were shown, Guinan would seem to have been better at her job than Troi ever was, but I think that's more the writer's fault than what was 'actually' the case on the ship. People will spill their heart to a bartender because of anonymity, and for that same reason the bartender will dispense advice, but a trained counselor is usually the way to go.
     
  6. omnirad

    omnirad Commander Red Shirt

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    Troi's counselling consisted of saying 'what do you think?'. bleh.
    Guinan made you think. hmmm.
     
  7. Vulcanian

    Vulcanian Commander Red Shirt

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    Counselor Troi did mostly emotional stuff with people.

    Guinan, as WillsBabe said, was more of advice.

    But to be honest I haven't seen enough of Guinan to make a judgement.
     
  8. shatastrophic

    shatastrophic Commander Red Shirt

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    very true
     
  9. Lookingglassman

    Lookingglassman Admiral Admiral

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    Guinan. I would actually listen to her because she wasnt attractive whereas with Troi I would be looking at her body when she is talking to me.
     
  10. Snaploud

    Snaploud Admiral Admiral

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    Guinan was the only real counselor. Troi seemed more interested in being a human lie detector on the bridge (when she wasn't sensing "great pain" or "joy").
     
  11. votd

    votd Commander Red Shirt

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    Troi's character was just an 80s fad of prominent therapy; wheras Guinan was time tested trust in your bar tender and you'll be ok thinking. Gotta be Guinan, instead of appearing in therapy, you're enjoying a chat and getting advice with a friend.
     
  12. 137th Gebirg

    137th Gebirg Admiral Premium Member

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    Guinan by far was the better counselor. She never used what Q so eloquently described as the "pedantic psychobabble" that Troi always retreated to when things got weird.
     
  13. SmoothieX

    SmoothieX Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Right on. She basically stands there and tells Picard: "I sense a great deal of apprehension. They could be deceiving us but I can't say."

    Troi asks how you feel. Guinan makes you hash out what's bothering you and helps you to find direction as to what to do next.
     
  14. blakbyrd

    blakbyrd Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Guinan > Troi.
     
  15. Keith1701

    Keith1701 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Very True......good point!!! :)
     
  16. Mordock

    Mordock Commander Red Shirt

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    I don't know if one character was "better", since it's a question of the emphasis of the writing. I lean towards Peter David's interpretation: whenever Troi was in danger of getting a good scene, it went to Guinan.
     
  17. JiNX-01

    JiNX-01 Admiral Admiral

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    Guinan. AND she wasn't annoying.
     
  18. Ezri

    Ezri Captain Captain

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    Guinan was better.

    Did Troi as a counselor change the universe?
     
  19. picardo

    picardo Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    I was going to start the same thread, but saw this one which already existed, so here are my thoughts:

    - Troi and Guinan appear to have similar, perhaps duplicate job functions. And yet only Deanna Troi is the "official" ship counsellor, Guinan does not report to her. In other words, Guinan is only a bartender providing occasional advice, but in no way is she a member of Enterprise's "counselling department" so to speak.

    - Guinan appears to provide advice on a "general" level. She rarely dwells into the specific, her advice seems to be vague and open to interpretation. On the other hand, Ms. Troi provides very particular, specific advice down to the task level, she says how to implement the advice, she's very practical.

    - Guinan is sought for her "wisdom" while Deanna Troi is sought for her skills. Guinan reminds me of the Oracle in Matrix movies, who was telling everyone "what they wanted to hear" but seldom gave direct answers to questions. On the other hand, Guinan wouldn't be out of place in a Star Wars movie.
     
  20. Makarov

    Makarov Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Guinan seems to make people feel bad a lot of the time.

    - beats worf at that phaser game while telling him he doesn't laugh enough
    - pisses Riker off "Maybe you haven't heard. I tried to kill him yesterday!"
    - tells Geordie to get a life in Galaxy's Child
    - tells Yasha Yar she's supposed to be dead
    - tells Picard that Tasha Yar's romulan kid in Redemption part 2 is his fault

    Yeah I'd definitely be going to Troi over Guinan