I'd only add that it's as complicated as you make it. When I first started playing many years ago, I skipped most theory altogether but was lucky that I had enough of an ear that I got 'it' by ear and played within the rules even though I didn't know the rules.
Problem is, I regret not having learned them (and thus why I'm here) because at some point, you realize that knowing these things makes playing and learning so much easier.
I was lazy but convinced myself that I was going to learn and make my own style. There might some cool in being self taught....and there is. It did let me develop my ear for thing. but at some point, I stopped developing because the concepts involved in what I wanted to played required me to be more familiar with the rules and my lack of knowledge became a downfall.
