Dropping out of university: 41.4.5.6 -> 58

[sailinginconfusion]

I'm 24 years old and waking up from adolescent dreams of pursuing a career in academia, or the "perfect vocation", the "perfect job".

I'm so lost and confused. I pursued a MA degree in Anthropology, only to switch to a BA in Philosophy this semester. I haven't read a book about philosophy ever, only dabbled with it in my bachelor thesis, so I thought it would be something for me. I feel foolish and frivolous. I come from a non-EU country, so moving to a foreign country for these "try outs" took a financial toll. I'm now thinking of just looking for a job here and dropping out of university altogether.

What if I drop out?
41.4.5.6 ----> 58

Here are quotes from Wilhelm's interpretation of the changing lines.

Six in the fourth place means:
If a man deceases his faults,
It makes the other hasten to come and rejoice.
No blame.

A man's faults often prevent even well-disposed people from coming closer
to him. His faults are sometimes reinforced by the environment in which he
lives. But if in humility he can bring himself to the point of giving them up,
he frees his well-disposed friends from an inner pressure and causes them to
approach the more quickly, and there is mutual joy.

I haven't really met any friends in my current philosophy program, could this be related? or is it about a different group of people that I will meet if I drop out? What faults do I need to give up?

° Six in the fifth place means:
Someone does indeed increase him.
Ten pairs of tortoises cannot oppose it.
Supreme good fortune.

If someone is marked out by fate for good fortune, it comes without fail. All
oracles-as for instance those that are read from the shells of tortoises-are
bound to concur in giving him favorable signs. He need fear nothing,
because his luck is ordained from on high.

Is this a green light to me dropping out?

Nine at the top means:
If one is increased without depriving other,
There is no blame.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
It furthers one to undertake something.
One obtains servants
But no longer has a separate home.

There are people who dispense blessings to the whole world. Every increase
in power that comes to them benefits the whole of mankind and therefore
does not bring decrease to others. Through perseverance and zealous work a
man wins success and finds helpers as they are needed. But what he
accomplishes is not a limited private advantage; it is a public good and
available to everyone.

Is this telling me that by hard work, if I drop out, I may be granted an opportunity to be useful?


I'll appreciate any help in interpreting this. Thank you so much if you got to this part reading this.

 

[sailinginconfusion]

Anyone?

 

[rosada]

I have to agree, I think these lines are supporting your interpretation.
41.4 Perhaps the “fault” is you being in these classes so dropping out would be Decreasing the fault. Further, you will find supportive friends if you do and there is “no blame.”
41.5 You will be greatly rewarded for this move.
41.6 So if you’re doing this doesn’t harm anyone else (disappointing parents?), do as you please.
58. Reassurance that you will find your way.

On the other hand, I can also see the I Ching as advising you NOT to drop out:
41.4 You mention that you aren’t very familiar with your subject. Perhaps that is the “fault” the I Ching refers to here. By Decreasing this ignorance and learning more about Philosophy you will share more in common with your fellow classmates which could lead to friendships.
41.5 You will be greatly rewarded.
41.6 If your gaining knowledge doesn’t hurt anyone then why not go for it?
Perseverance furthers!
58. One of the joys of studying philosophy is conversations become more interesting, less superficial. Or as my male classmates were fond of suggesting, “How about we go to my room for a deep philosophical discussion?”

 

[sailinginconfusion]

Or to take an opposite point of view/interpretation:

41.4 You mention that you aren’t very familiar with your subject. Perhaps that is the “fault” the I Ching refers to here. By learning more about Philosophy you will share more in common with your fellow classmates which could lead to friendships.
41.5 You will be greatly rewarded.
41.6 If your gaining knowledge doesn’t hurt anyone then why not go for it?
Perseverance furthers!
58. One of the joys of studying philosophy is conversations become more interesting, less superficial. Or as my male classmates were fond of suggesting, “How about we go to my room for a deep philosophical discussion?”

Thank you Rosada for your interpretation! Would you say this would be an answer to a question of the result of dropping out? By asking, "what if", I figured it would give me an answer of the consequences of this decision.
I see the general sentiment among male classmates is the same here as well.

 

[sailinginconfusion]

I have to agree, I think these lines are supporting your interpretation.
41.4 Perhaps the “fault” is you being in these classes so dropping out would be Decreasing the fault. Further, you will find supportive friends if you do and there is “no blame.”
41.5 You will be greatly rewarded for this move.
41.6 So if you’re doing this doesn’t harm anyone else (disappointing parents?), do as you please.
58. Reassurance that you will find your way.

On the other hand, I can also see the I Ching as advising you NOT to drop out:
41.4 You mention that you aren’t very familiar with your subject. Perhaps that is the “fault” the I Ching refers to here. By Decreasing this ignorance and learning more about Philosophy you will share more in common with your fellow classmates which could lead to friendships.
41.5 You will be greatly rewarded.
41.6 If your gaining knowledge doesn’t hurt anyone then why not go for it?
Perseverance furthers!
58. One of the joys of studying philosophy is conversations become more interesting, less superficial. Or as my male classmates were fond of suggesting, “How about we go to my room for a deep philosophical discussion?”

Ah, indeed, the disappointing parents part, yes it plays a role in how hard this decision is for me. I see how both ways of interpreting make sense, thank you for adding your view Rosada. I must ponder some more and see how it all feels...

 

[rosada]

Usually I’m a stickler for interpreting a hexagram as an exact response to how a question is phrased and thus I would think 41-58 is clearly telling you that Decreasing your enrollment in the philosophy courses would be a good thing. However I have on occasion experienced the I Ching to completely side-step the question asked and tell me something I hadn’t been asking about at all and it did strike me that your answer here might be one of those times…
Anyway, how about asking What if I stay enrolled?

 

[sailinginconfusion]

Usually I’m a stickler for interpreting a hexagram as an exact response to how a question is phrased and thus I would think 41-58 is clearly telling you that Decreasing your enrollment in the philosophy courses would be a good thing. However I have on occasion experienced the I Ching to completely side-step the question asked and tell me something I hadn’t been asking about at all and it did strike me that your answer here might be one of those times…
Anyway, how about asking What if I stay enrolled?

It seems that there is not just one potentially good option, I asked "what if I stay enrolled?" and the response is: 23.6 > 2.

Nine at the top means:
There is a large fruit still uneaten.
The superior man receives a carriage.
The house of the inferior man is split apart.

Here the splitting apart reaches its end. When misfortune has spent itself,
better times return. The seed of the good remains, and it is just when the
fruit falls to the ground that food sprouts anew from its seed. The superior
man again attains influence and effectiveness. He is supported by public
opinion as if in a carriage. But the inferior man's wickedness is visited upon
himself. His house is split apart. A law of nature is at work here. Evil is not
destructive to the good alone but inevitably destroys itself as well. For evil,
which lives solely by negation, cannot continue to exist on its own strength
alone. The inferior man himself fares best when held under control by a
superior man.

It seems to acknowledge that it hasn't been great so far, but claims that there will be something good if I choose to stay. "But the inferior man's wickedness is visited upon himself", I take this may allude to my depression? It may be referring to my own darkness and low mood that colors everything around me, including this degree... But it would also be destroyed?! I'm not sure

 

[rosada]

There is a large fruit still uneaten. - More value to be gotten from staying enrolled?
The superior man receives a carriage. - Maybe advice to stay enrolled at least till the end of the semester so you can leave in an orderly fashion. In other words…
The house of the inferior man is split apart. - so don’t just drop out.