Originally posted by Tricon: I don't mean this in a harsh way, but wouldn't you rather play/explore the game than being told how to play it?
If you had infinite time that would be nice, but there are so many themes that it's nice to know what other people are doing with them. You don't have to follow everything Zen tells you to do word for word but it's a good starting point. But if something else sounds more interesting, do it.
Listening to how other people play, even if you believe yourself to be a good player, is important even if you learn nothing new: Know thine enemy. This advice holds true whether you're a veteran player or a newbie. You lose nothing by listening to what others have to say.