A very interesting question. The other responses hit the nail on the head...when you come down to it, it's rock and roll and the attitude that comes with it. That's how it starts typically anyway.

I made my first attempt at the age of 10 equipped with a Mel Bay book. It tried to teach me the notes on the staff and simple melodies. I lost interest almost immediately. 3 years later, a friend of mine showed me 3 chords. Suddenly I could play Polythene Pam by the Beatles and Back in Black by AC/DC. THAT was cool and I've been hooked ever since.

Theory isn't my strong area, but I'm learning some of it as it interests me and applies to what I'm doing. I don't wear my lack of theory knowledge as a badge of honor...it is what it is. What I have found interesting is that I have played with other musicians that were strong on theory but couldn't improvise for beans. They could play from sheet music really well. Rather than looking down on me, they were impressed with my ability to improvise and "wing it" with chord voicings and rhythms. There I stood impressed with their ablity to play what was written.

There is no reason for one musician to look down their nose at another. Everybody comes to music from their own perspective...and that's what makes it interesting IMO.