So, as has been made clear both by myself and by others responding, there are tasks for which a GUI is absolutely essential, and tasks for which it is optional, and tasks for which it is actually sub-optimal.

This is perfectly normal, as far as I'm concerned. The question of which is "better" is a nonsensical question -- there is only "better for what".

So let's say you had to live without GUI programs for a year. Not that you or I will be doing this, but game it out with me. You can still technically have a GUI, as you can use X/Wayland, your choice of window manager, and your choice of terminal emulator, but all your actual applications must run in the terminal emulator.

Can you survive?