# Bigger jackass: Lieutenant Worf or Doctor House? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 19, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigger-jackass-lieutenant-worf-or-doctor-house/752676 "2016-04-19T20:56:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2016, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigger-jackass-lieutenant-worf-or-doctor-house/752676/21 "2016-04-23T01:03:38Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > I thought Data was the “stranger in a strange land”. Worf was raised by humans in human culture from the age of six. He knew all about human behavior and values, he just thought they were inferior to Klingons. They both are. That’s why I said “at least one of” in my analysis. Mr. Spock was the sole SIASL from TOS, but DS9 could claim Odo (especially) along with Garack and Dax. VOY could claim The Doctor, the half-Klingon chick, Neelix, and certainly Seven of Nine. After that, it gets fuzzier! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2016, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigger-jackass-lieutenant-worf-or-doctor-house/752676/22 "2016-04-23T01:28:33Z")
Of course House was the bigger jackass. Worf generally meant well, even if what he did was executed badly. The problem is that House makes up for it with superhuman competence. Worf on the other hand [gets his ass kicked time and time again](http://www.dorkly.com/video/4631/compilation-of-worf-getting-pwned). Being good at your job counts for a lot. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2016, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigger-jackass-lieutenant-worf-or-doctor-house/752676/23 "2016-04-23T01:50:09Z")
The Worf Effect is certainly infamous. That said, it’s a meme which gets thrown about more often than it really occurred. Of course, Worf got much better as the series progressed and then into DS9. Also, while House may be a genius at medicine, Worf is an expert in advanced weaponry, three-dimensional tactics, command, and manages a workload that can and does cause other people to become exhausted. He does this while also occasionally showing brilliant insight into scientific or technical challenges and dealing with getting into personal hand-to-hand combat with various aliens. Come to think about it, House would be a _very_ interesting Star Trek doctor. Worf’s biggest problem was that he just wasn’t a very good father. He certainly meant well, but he never formed a strong connection with his son. Alexander wanted one, certainly, so this is all on Worf. It’s probably because he didn’t know he had a son until a decade later. Worf made the wise decision not to haul his son around on a ship that continually goes into life-threatening situation, but that didn’t exactly help his personal situation. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2016, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigger-jackass-lieutenant-worf-or-doctor-house/752676/24 "2016-04-23T02:16:39Z")
> [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](#): > > Most of Worf’s problems are because of his insistence to follow Klingon culture. They’re the ones rejecting him, not the federation. > > It’s odd that both Worf and Data are so clueless about federation culture. Worf was raised by humans and both attended, and graduated from, Starfleet academy. Worf had to have been to at least one party where a bong was passed around. He should have inhaled and maybe mellow out a bit. Klingons are biochemically immune to soporifics. In fact most general anesthetics have little or no effect (thousands of generations have had to survive attempts at poisoning). That’s why Klingons simply endure pain; the Deneva parasites themselves would probably only make a Klingon grouchier than usual. When Worf had spinal surgery they had to clamp off his carotid arteries to cut off the blood flow to his brain, and even that just put him under with no lasting effects. (Thousands of generations have also had to survive attempts at strangulation). ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigger-jackass-lieutenant-worf-or-doctor-house/752676/25 "2016-04-23T18:52:01Z")
House is a much bigger jerk than Worf, but at least House is good at his job, and actually cures people. Worf is terrible at his job, and gets his butt kicked regularly, though he’s supposed to be a tough guy. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2016, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigger-jackass-lieutenant-worf-or-doctor-house/752676/26 "2016-04-23T19:47:55Z")
Worf had _bouts_ of asshole-dom, while House was a constant asshole with bouts of kindness. Still, though, at least with House, you didn’t have to worry about getting a beatdown or killed even, should you happen to piss him off. I think Worf’s biggest dick head move was when he slammed Bashir up against the wall for daring to talk to Dax 2.0. (Or 8.0 if you want to be technical) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bigger-jackass-lieutenant-worf-or-doctor-house/752676.md?page=1)