"The I Ching explained" by CNN

[sparhawk]

For more than 5000 years the I-Ching has been used and relied on by many Chinese to aid in decision making and predicting the future. (http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/28/olympics.iching/)
It is believed to have been invented by Fu Hsi, a legendary emperor of China. (http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/28/olympics.iching/)
The answers or predictions of future events are revealed by using a numerological system based on the Yin and Yang, where the Yin represents a broken line and Yang a whole line. (http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/28/olympics.iching/)

[dobro]

Thanks, Luis. I've always wondered what that I-Ching was about.

Hey, did you notice in the description of the consulting process they say that the yarrow stalks are 'thrown'? lol

[sparhawk]

Yeah! I can imagine shouting "fore!!" when doing it... :rofl: Now, CNN is not the only one. I wrote about it in my blog a few weeks ago... (http://www.yitoons.com/yiblog/archives/2008/02/throwing_the_i_ching_the_wrong.html) :D

[dobro]

Hey, I've thought of a new way to consult the Yi. (You needn't take me seriously, though - I am, after all, a Confucian-bashing parsing libertine.) Instead of yarrow stalks, you use real heavy sticks and you actually throw them in all directions while asking the question. If they don't break anything, that indicates 'good fortune'. If something gets broken, that indicates a bad result. Then you fix it or pay for it.

Whatcha think?

[fkegan]

Hi Dobro and Luis,
There is a decision technique a bit like throwing logs to see if you break something. You have two choices to decide between, you flip a coin making one choice heads, the other tails. If you like the answer--go with it. If the answer isn't OK with you, you know which choice you truly want--choice made, problem solved...

The underlying notion of the CNN and the other 'expert' focuses first and foremost on the issue of divination. More exactly--can you know tomorrow's headline before the newspaper is printed. It is a very big deal to journalists, probability math, etc. However, tomorrow afternoon both the morning newspaper and any such predictions are just fish wrap.

But CNN can't deal with the issue of meaning which is central to divination-- they have no idea about meaning in any news coverage or analysis and if the question gets raised they are caught like a deer in headlights with all their technology and journalism exposed as pretty thin soup.

Of course, I object to the CNN and others referring to the Yi being about equal Yin and Yang lines but that is my own issue. I get more and more convinced that is a Confucian objectification like Plato of Pythagorean number, but there seem to be no pre-Confucian ancient texts on the subject.

Just trying to work harder to put a twist into your Karma joke, Luis.:D

Frank