In order to fully understand the I Ching does it help for one to be a little off their rocker?

To understand I Ching one must have an open mind.

Mental instability is not an attribute that will help you understand.

Who said that people should fully understand the I Ching?

Hmmm, @Dog, I kind of do feel that a certain weirdness helps you get more out of the I Ching. I believe you have to think somewhat strangely, if not creatively, to make sense out of it. That trait is more likely to be found in folks who are “a little off their rocker” than in the general population.

Being a little off one’s rocker does not help one understand anything.

@fireside – Ah yes it is not written in stone. (Well maybe some editions are).

@daloon – as always you share your wisdom. Thank you

If 6 were 9…I don’t mind…If all the hippies, cut off all; their hair…I don’t care…Jimi!

@dalton – if all the mountains fall to the sea let it be ..Jimi!

@GAMBIT
White collar conservative flashin down the street
Pointin their plastic finger at me, ha !
Theyre hopin soon my kind will drop and die but uh
Im gonna wave my freak flag high, high !
Oww !

@dalton – “Cause I got my own world to live through and I aint gonna copy you”

@GAMBIT
Dont nobody know what Im talkin about
Ive got my own life to live
Im the one thats gonna die when its time for me to die
So let me live my life the way I want to

@dalton – excellent.

Lose your mind and come to your senses.

@Marina Patently untrue, in my opinion. Most people that society deems geniuses were ‘off their rockers’. Not trying to be rude, perhaps we have different views as to what constitutes ‘off one’s rocker’?

@Marina – Thank you for joining the discussion when I stated “off one’s rocker” I did not mean it in a negative term. I was eluding to the gifted.

I love this Apple commercial about the crazy ones

@fireside – 5 star video. Thank you

@GAMBIT

Very few know or remember that song…Incredibly gifted, musical genius. I am proud to have actually seen him perform at the Hollywood Bowl in the late 60s.

I snuck in with some friends over the walls into the bathrooms…

I dunno @Marina. Do you have any evidence whatsoever that being crazy keeps people from understanding things? Certainly, their understanding is probably going to be different from the majority of society (after all, they wouldn’t be called “crazy” if they weren’t very different from most folks), but who is to say which understanding is the best?

Personally, I think crazy people have a lot to contribute, and one advantage they have is that they do not think like other people. They can provide a different perspective on problems, and are much more likely to come up with dramatically improved solutions, as a result.

It’s odd, because these days, all kinds of managers are imploring their employees to “think outside the box.” There are plenty of people who do that all the time, but since they’re deemed crazy, no one hires them. Oh well. Their loss.

I think crazy is another way for “society” to categorize those who do not conform to the “norm”.

You don’t have to be crazy to be sane, but it sure helps…

@Yetanotheruser: what do you really mean? You are right in the first—crazy folks have to be at least two standard deviations from the norm, and maybe even three.

But is that a throwaway line, or do you actually believe it? If you do believe it, how can that make sense?